London (AFP) - Bournemouth defender James Hill was called up to the England national team squad for the first time, for the matches against Croatia and world champion Spain in the last two rounds of the first-level competitions of the European Nations League.
Published on: 10/11/2026 - 12:41
German coach Thomas Tuchel turned to Hill after it was confirmed that central defenders Mark Guehi and Ezri Konsa would be absent from the match against Croatia scheduled for Thursday at Wembley Stadium, where the “Three Lions” need to avoid losing by 8 goals or more in order to join Spain to the quarter-finals (they won the first leg over Croatia 7-0).
Guehi withdrew from the camp due to an injury he suffered during Manchester City's loss to Nottingham Forest on Saturday in the English Premier League.
The English Association decided on Monday to summon Newcastle defender Dan Byrne because Arsenal defender Konsa will not be ready to face Croatia at Wembley Stadium, as he is continuing a special program to recover and regain physical readiness.
Konsa is expected to be ready for Sunday's match against Spain in Madrid.
After being largely obscure, Hill achieved a rapid rise this season and participated in 15 matches with Bournemouth, which caught the attention of Tuchel.
Hill will compete for a place in the heart of the English defense with Dan Byrne, Jarrell Quansah and Jarrad Branthwaite.
A statement issued by the English Football Association said, “Bournemouth defender James Hill received his first call-up to the England national team,” adding, “The 24-year-old player, who previously represented England at the U-20 and U-21 levels, joined the national team ahead of the two upcoming matches in the European Nations League.”
He continued, "On the other hand, Ezri Konsa will not be available to face Croatia at Wembley Stadium on Thursday, as he continues to implement his special (qualifying) program, but he will return to full group training later this week before the trip to Spain on Sunday."
© 2026 AFP
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