Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott is on the verge of making his senior England debut, with the 22-year-old set to feature in the forthcoming World Cup warm-up friendlies in the United States. Scott is among a quintet of supplementary players called up to England’s preparation camp in Florida, offering him a significant opportunity to impress head coach Thomas Tuchel.
Scott, alongside Rio Ngumoha, Josh King, Jason Steele, and Ethan Nwaneri, has joined the squad for the duration of the Florida camp. All five additional selections are eligible to play in the upcoming matches against New Zealand and Costa Rica, providing valuable depth as the squad gears up for the World Cup.
Tuchel praises Scott’s character
The call-up represents a notable moment for Scott, who was previously included in Tuchel’s provisional 55-man squad for the World Cup but ultimately omitted from the final 26-man party. Despite this setback, Tuchel has lauded Scott’s response and commitment.
“I’m really happy these guys are with us, especially Alex, who was with us in the list of 55 and had a kind of disappointing phone call as well, that he didn’t make the first cut,” Tuchel told BBC Sport. “But the reaction of him was outstanding, the commitment, the wish to be in pre-camp and to just be a step closer to the team was not even a question for him.”
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The England boss further highlighted the midfielder’s resilience, adding: “He showed me his character and his spirit so I’m delighted that he’s with us because it was a close call.” Scott had previously earned his first senior call-up for November’s matches against Serbia and Albania but did not make an appearance, and was later left out of the squad for March’s fixtures against Japan and Uruguay.
Squad additions provide cover
The inclusion of supplementary players like Scott is crucial as several key members of the England squad are delayed in joining the Florida camp. Arsenal quartet Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, and Noni Madueke, along with Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson, are yet to arrive. Henderson is expected within the next 24 hours, while the remaining four are due to report for duty over the weekend, according to Sami Mokbel of BBC Sport.
Among the five supplementary players, Scott is considered the only one with a realistic chance of breaking into the full World Cup squad should any injuries occur before the tournament. His presence in Florida, and the potential for a debut, underscores his continued standing in Tuchel’s plans, even if from the fringes.
Sources: www.bbc.com, www.bbc.co.uk
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