While much of the attention remains on England’s crowded attacking options, Nico O’Reilly’s first senior appearance may have gone unnoticed by many. The 20-year-old, who only earned his first Premier League start earlier this year, received his maiden senior call-up in October and debuted in England’s comfortable win over Serbia at Wembley.
O’Reilly becomes the sixth player handed a senior debut by Thomas Tuchel, following Dan Burn, Trevoh Chalobah, Elliot Anderson, Djed Spence and Myles Lewis-Skelly. Chosen ahead of Spence and Lewis-Skelly, the young Manchester City full-back looked composed alongside Ezri Konsa, John Stones and Reece James.
“Making my debut here at Wembley is a dream come true for me and my family,” O’Reilly told BBC Radio 5 Live.
His rapid rise has been remarkable. Just days before his England debut, he delivered a standout performance in Manchester City’s win against Liverpool, forming a strong left-side partnership with Jeremy Doku. Now, O’Reilly is aiming even higher — a place in Tuchel’s World Cup squad.
“It’s definitely my goal to push for the World Cup,” he said. “Competition is huge, but I’ll keep working every single day.”
From Midfield Talent to England’s New Left-Back Option
O’Reilly’s journey has been shaped by Manchester City from childhood. Joining the academy at eight, he progressed steadily through the ranks and was quickly recognised as a standout talent. He captained the Under-18s to the league title in 2023 before earning promotion to the elite development squad.
His senior debut came on a perfect stage: the Community Shield win on penalties against Manchester United. This season, he has become a regular under Pep Guardiola, making 10 Premier League appearances, scoring once and assisting twice.
Interestingly, he didn’t grow up as a natural full-back. Originally a box-to-box midfielder who idolised Yaya Touré and David Silva, he was moved to left-back last season due to injuries in the squad. The switch proved crucial, with Guardiola saying City’s revival mid-season “would’ve been hard to imagine” without O’Reilly’s influence.
Against Serbia, he wasn’t tested heavily, but performed with authority — 64 touches, 45 completed passes, and three duels won.
Former England defender Phil Jones praised his mentality:
“He plays on the edge but stays calm — that’s impressive for a player his age.”
Former goalkeeper Paul Robinson added that O’Reilly could “definitely make the position his own.”
Tuchel was equally impressed, calling him “a very calm person” and highlighting his intelligence, adaptability, and quiet confidence on the pitch.
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