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Nico O’Reilly Makes England Debut After Cementing Man City Left-Back Role

The 20-year-old converted from midfield under Pep Guardiola, putting himself in Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup plans.

Overview

  • O’Reilly started at left-back in England’s 2-0 win over Serbia at Wembley, calling the debut a dream come true and saying he learned earlier in the day he would start.
  • He has established himself as Manchester City’s first-choice left-back this season, with 10 Premier League appearances, one goal and two assists, including standout work against Mohamed Salah.
  • Tuchel praised O’Reilly’s calm, intelligence and swift adaptation to international demands, while the player accepted left-back as his position for now.
  • A post-match dressing-room video showed John Stones presenting O’Reilly with his first England cap, highlighting the milestone within the squad.
  • With England’s left-back options unsettled, pundit Jamie O’Hara urged consideration of O’Reilly for the role, and the defender stated his aim to make the 2026 World Cup squad.