Thomas Tuchel would be an idiot not to start in-form Premier League star at World Cup

Left-back is one of the major question marks for England ahead of the World Cup, but there is one clear, standout contender – Lewis Hall.

Ask any Newcastle United fan, and they’ll tell you the football world has been sleeping on just how good Hall is.

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But on the world stage in the Champions League against Barcelona, the 21-year-old locked up Lamine Yamal – one of the most exciting and devastating players around.

When he got home on Wednesday night and emptied his pockets, he would have had his car keys, phone, wallet and Yamal.

This was a coming of age performance in which he was sublime in defence and dangerous going forward.

Hall wasn’t dribbled past once and created five chances, pretty much dictating the game from left-back.

After the contest, that is finely balanced at 1-1, Alex Crook and Gabby Agbonlahor called for Hall to be England’s left-back at the World Cup.

And it’s brilliant to see that people are starting to realise just how special this guy is.

The Newcastle coaching staff and Eddie Howe deserve great praise as well for the way they’ve worked with Hall because during his first season on an initial loan from Chelsea, he barely played.

One game in the Champions League against Borussia Dortmund was evidence of just how far he had to go.

But that work on the training field was evident from the first game of the 2024/25 season, and Hall was Newcastle’s best player up until his injury during a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.

That meant he missed the Carabao Cup final and Tino Livramento finished the season at left-back.

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But since his re-introduction into the side, Hall has progressed to new levels of brilliant.

His close control and ability to weave through tight spaces stands him out as a special player.

But as well as Yamal, Hall has kept Mohamed Salah and Bukayo Saka quiet over the last year-and-a-half.

So, he is equally good going forward as he is defending.

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Competition

The strongest competition that Hall has at left-back for England is from his teammate Livramento, who is only just returning from injury.

And Howe will be playing him at right-back anyway.

Any suggestion that Myles Lewis-Skelly should be starting for England at the World Cup can immediately be dismissed.

He has started one Premier League game this season and is behind Piero Hincapie and Riccardo Calafiori in the pecking order.

Even if he was playing, Hall is stronger in defensive one on ones and is more comfortable overlapping, so it wouldn’t even matter.

Nico O’Reilly is an interesting prospect because he is stronger than Hall, but Pep Guardiola has been deploying him in midfield a lot recently.

O’Reilly has a lot of qualities, but Hall has more grace and guile and that technical ability coupled with the rest of his game see him pip O’Reilly, who should go as an option in midfield.

Who else is there?

Oh, I’ve seen Luke Shaw mentioned – good one.

Shaw has been an excellent player for England, but it’s time to move on.

Tuchel’s decision

There is no decision to be made on this.

In a problem position, England have one of the best in the world staring them in the face.

Yes, he only has two caps so far, but that number will rapidly grow in the coming years, starting with the March international break and World Cup.

Thomas Tuchel would honestly be an idiot if he elects not to start Hall from now on.

And on the latest edition of Inside The Toon, Head of Sport for The Sun, Shaun Custis, praised Hall.

He said: “I thought that was his best performance going forward – he looked a real threat.

“That is brave to be going forward when you’ve got Yamal going the other way, but he was unbelievable.”

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New contract

Hall joined Newcastle permanently in the summer of 2024 from Chelsea in a deal worth around £32million.

The club announced he had signed a long-term contract, so there is no rush in terms of time.

However, the Toon’s new sporting director Ross Wilson should be making this a priority.

And it is about wages, nothing else.

Make him one of the highest paid players at the club he supports, and Hall will be at St James’ Park for a long time.

They can’t afford to let him leave at any point if Newcastle are to achieve their 2030 vision.