Lewis Hall finally has his England chance – now he can make the left-back spot his own | OneFootball

At Kenilworth Road in September 2024, Lewis Hall started at left-back for England Under-21s as they swept aside Austria 4-1.

Several players involved for the Young Lions that night have since become established names in the Premier League and beyond. Jarell Quansah, Alex Scott, Liam Delap and Morgan Rogers were all involved in the victory, with £117million man Rogers scoring twice.

At the time, there was already plenty of clamour for Rogers to be called into the senior England squad. But it was Hall, operating at left-back, who stole the show that evening.

By then, Newcastle had made a positive start to the 2024/25 season in terms of results, even if there were concerns about the level of their performances. Things would get worse after that international break before Eddie Howe’s side eventually clicked into gear over the festive period, going on to win the Carabao Cup and qualify for the Champions League.

“Last season [2023/24] there were moments where I was at a low,” he said after that game.

“I wasn’t feeling myself really, but I somehow managed to pick it up at the end of the season because I know the quality that I have.”

They were honest words from Hall, who had found his lack of game time during the 2023/24 campaign difficult.

But he had also come to appreciate the work being done behind the scenes by Howe and his coaching staff during that period.

“The manager is really good with me, with all of his assistants at Newcastle, they work really hard to improve not just me, but the whole team really.

“[Howe] is very unique in terms of his ideas and the way he coaches us is a lot different to anything I’ve ever had before.

“He works so hard for not just the team in general, but for individuals as well. As any manager does, they have a lot of work to do before a game and after a game, but he’ll still take time to help individuals, who may not even be playing, to improve their game, to help them get into the team.”

Eighteen months later, Hall was chosen to face the media ahead of Newcastle’s Champions League last-16 first leg against Barcelona at St James’ Park.

A lot had changed since that night in Luton.

Hall had developed into one of the Premier League’s most exciting young full-backs, even if it sometimes felt as though those outside Tyneside had been slow to fully recognise just how good he had become.

There had been plenty of positive reviews, of course, but the scale of Hall’s talent still seemed strangely understated outside Newcastle.

Hall’s technical ability was so obvious that the relative lack of national attention surrounding him was difficult to understand. Perhaps some still felt he needed a defining test on the biggest stage.

He was about to get one.

Barcelona were coming to St James’ Park and Lamine Yamal was expected to line up on Hall’s side.

Here was a young player who already had the eyes of the footballing world on him after helping Spain win Euro 2024, a tournament in which he scored a stunning goal against France in the semi-final.

Naturally, much of the questioning directed at Hall centred on Yamal and how he planned to deal with him.

“I think that’s the thing with football that I think a lot of people don’t see, you have a lot of highs, you have a lot of lows,” Hall explained ahead of the game.

“I think it’s important that when you do have the highs, it’s important to appreciate it and be proud of yourself, but at the same time not get too ahead of yourself.

“I think it’s important that once you’ve celebrated your achievements, you then get back to being level-headed and thinking about what’s next.

“As for the lows, you have a lot of lows in football – everyone throughout their career will have had games or moments where they know that they’ve not performed very well or have had to go through an injury.

“When you’re in a low, it’s important that you think of the times you’ve been in really good form and think, that’s what you’re doing it for and that’s what’s worth it all in the end.”

Hall spoke with remarkable maturity for a player who was still only 21.

He finished his answer by adding: “I think football is a massive journey for everyone and I’m really grateful for my journey so far, and I still feel that there’s a lot more to come from me and this team, and we’re looking to show that.”

The following night, Hall announced himself on the European stage.

Defensively, he largely kept Yamal quiet. In possession, he showed exactly why Newcastle rate him so highly, demonstrating the composure and technical quality that had stood out from the moment he began getting a sustained run in Howe’s team.

That made his omission from Thomas Tuchel’s England World Cup squad later that summer all the more surprising.

But now Hall has an opportunity to prove Tuchel made a mistake by not taking him this summer, after being named in his squad for the upcoming Nations League games. It comes just weeks after he penned a new contract with Newcastle too, in what increasingly feels like a year where the 22-year-old can take the next step in his career.

Speaking to Newcastle’s media team after signing his new deal with the club, Hall admitted he had taken time to reflect on missing out on the World Cup.

But those difficult moments have helped shape his development, from a young left-back fighting to establish himself in Newcastle’s team in September 2024 to the accomplished first-team player he is today.

Still only 22, Hall already carries himself like one of the more established figures in the Magpies’ dressing room, and his performances this season have only strengthened that status.

His new contract, which commits his future to Newcastle until 2031, is another significant step.

By then, Newcastle hope to have a new world-class training ground, potentially a new or significantly redeveloped stadium, and, if their ambitions are realised, a team consistently challenging for the biggest trophies.

His new deal ties one of Newcastle’s outstanding young talents to the next phase of the club’s project and makes clear how central they believe he can be to it. It also makes life considerably more difficult for any prospective suitors hoping to prise him away from Tyneside.

Given the speed of Hall’s development so far, there is every reason for Newcastle supporters to believe there is still much more to come.

As Newcastle continue trying to establish themselves among Europe’s elite, he increasingly looks capable of becoming one of the faces of the era they are attempting to build. He has also earned himself a huge opportunity to establish himself as England’s left-back for years to come.