Could James Garner really be Everton and England's 'Mini Valverde'? | OneFootball

As far as high praise goes, James Garner received one of the best comparisons you could ask for as a midfielder in 2026.

After impressing on his England debut against Uruguay on Friday, Garner was lauded by Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel.

Having seen his side draw 1-1 at Wembley after a late penalty from Federico Valverde, the Real Madrid superstar, Tuchel said of Garner: "I'm very happy – he's our mini Valverde. He’s getting there, and he played very, very well.

"I was quite sure that he would play well because he has this natural confidence and he's just very physical. He won a lot of balls.

"I think there are some situations where he can be a little bit more open with his body position and drive maybe a little bit more through midfield, with more confidence.

"I think in the last 10 minutes of the first half, he was involved in some ball losses that cost us a bit of confidence.

"But overall, I was very impressed with the way he trained and the way he behaved. The way he played was good.”

The statistics from Friday’s match tell their own story.

Garner led the game for chances created (four) and passes in the final third (15). He won six of nine duels and had 59 touches.

This was the kind of all-action, energetic display we have become accustomed to seeing from Garner in Everton blue this season, and he transferred those levels to the international stage.

Tuchel was perhaps being a tad over the top when comparing Garner directly to Valverde, who has been instrumental to Madrid’s success over the past decade and has, in the last month, offered everyone a timely reminder of his world class quality.

But, in some ways, the comparison fits.

Garner, like Valverde, is a central midfielder who wants to be involved, who is not afraid to get stuck in and is as comfortable off the ball as on it.

He relies on his engine to get around the pitch and disrupt and hassle the opposition, but as demonstrated by his sublime assist for Beto against Chelsea in Everton’s last league game, possesses the ability to play a pinpoint, slide-rule pass to split a defence open, or deliver a great ball from a set-piece.

And another way in which Garner is similar to Valverde is his versatility.

Sure, he is at his best in the middle of the park, but he is also perfectly adept at full-back — indeed, he is arguably Everton’s best right-back, while he also did well when filling in on the left at the start of the campaign.

He has previously played on the right of midfield for the Toffees, too, and as a wing-back, a role he occupied in that vital game against Bournemouth in May 2023. During England’s successful Under-21s Euros campaign later that summer, Garner played on the right of the defence.

Valverde often finds himself playing up and down the right flank, as well as in midfield.

Another similarity is the ball-striking ability — Garner is not at Valverde’s level yet, of course, but he is capable of a fine shot. The first-time strike against Brighton back in August is evidence enough, and there’s been a couple like that this season from the former Manchester United man.

I have written previously how Garner deserved his shot at this England squad, and how a call-up would be crucial for his chances of making the World Cup.

Well, he has certainly taken his chance to impress, and with Declan Rice having left Tuchel’s squad, Garner should now get another start — likely alongside Elliot Anderson — in the heart of England’s midfield against Japan on Tuesday.

Tuchel’s high praise suggests Garner already has one foot on the plane to North America in the summer. Should he maintain his levels for the rest of the season, then perhaps the “mini-Valverde” shout isn’t too far-fetched, after all.

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