Why Lewis Hall Should Be England’s World Cup Left Back | OneFootball

Left back has been a problem position for England for years now, with as many as 13 players tried there in recent times. However, the solution appears to have arrived just in time. With the World Cup now firmly on the horizon, one man is making his claim stronger and stronger with each passing game.

That man is Lewis Hall.

The Newcastle United full back, still only 21, has failed to start only seven of the club’s Premier League games this season. Four of those were due to a hamstring injury in October. His performances have grown in stature and he is attracting significant attention to the point where Newcastle must be considering renegotiating the long-term contact. He signed with the Magpies in 2024, joining permanently from Chelsea in a $37.5M deal following a successful loan period.

Midfield Convert

Converted from a left-sided midfielder in his days at the Chelsea academy, he is comfortable on the ball and will provide Tuchel with both solid defending and an attacking thrust. This season, he has completed 65% of his dribbles and 85% of his passes. He is increasingly popping up in and around the opposition penalty area, as his stunning strike against Manchester City over the weekend will testify to. He was, as he is most week’s, among Newcastle’s most impressive performers.

Importantly, he is fast learning defensive craft at the highest level and his mature performances bely his young age. He has come up against the best Europe has had to offer in Newcastle’s decent Champions League campaign and held his own without much drama.

It has been two years since Hall last represented his country – he was given his debut by Gareth Southgate in 2024 in a Nations League game against Greece but hasn’t yet featured under Tuchel.

With two friendly internationals coming up next month, against Uruguay and Japan, Hall must surely be on the coach’s hit list as he prepares to put the finishing touches to the squad he will take to the World Cup. Tuchel generally plays a 4-4-1-1 so a left back is very much on his agenda.

Where Are all the Left Backs?

Two things Hall has in his favor are:1). A lack of competition – it is the only area where England are conceivably weak 2). He is the only left back actually playing left back regularly.

Myles Lewis-Skelly looked an outstanding prospect last year but has barely featured for Arsenal this season despite a defensive injury crisis and his chances of featuring in the summer appear to have fallen off a cliff.

Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly has been converted into an attacking left sided midfielder by Pep Guardiola, which might damage his chances.

Luke Shaw has been playing the left side of a back three most of the season at Manchester United, only reverting back to a more traditional role with the recent arrival of Michael Carrick as manager.

Interestingly, a key challenge might have come from a right back; and not just any old right back, but Hall’s own team mate. Tino Livramento switched flanks and played left back to great success at last summer’s U21 European Championships.

England won that tournament, and Livramento was named in the team of the tournament. But his season has been significantly hampered by injury, and although he is back in training he hasn’t got long to get fully back up to speed and into Tuchel’s line of sight.

Fitness is Key

Key to Hall’s chances is his ability to stay fit for the rest of the season. He missed the latter four months of last season with an ankle injury and his hamstring forced him out of games earlier this season. But his run of games since October has been very encouraging.

England have an embarrassment of riches high up the pitch, but at the back they are plenty of questions still to be answered. The main one is who will partner Marc Guéhi at centre back, but who will play left back is a close second. With each passing week, that last question becomes easier and easier to tackle.

The talk around Tuchel’s England squads are so often dominated by who isn’t in them, as much as who is. Jack Grealish, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden have all attracted headlines after missing out during the qualifying campaign for this year’s World Cup.

Lewis Hall is one player who has rarely been talked about, yet is now making a deafening noise to be on the plane.