Curtis Jones
Curtis Jones celebrated his first appearance for England with a remarkable goal, skillfully redirecting Morgan Gibbs White’s cross to secure a 3-0 victory. Despite making six appearances for the national team and being initially selected by Thomas Tuchel for his first squad as England manager, Jones has been absent from the last three call-ups. Under the guidance of Arne Slot, Jones has participated in every match he was fit for this season, even while managing various fitness challenges.
Liverpool, facing struggles in the Premier League, recently suffered a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City. Nevertheless, Jones has consistently delivered strong performances for the reigning champions, although this has not been enough to capture Tuchel’s attention. His connection with Steven Gerrard, developed during Gerrard’s tenure managing Liverpool’s under-18s, remains a significant influence on Jones. The former Liverpool No. 8 has been a source of inspiration, with Jones often speaking highly of his mentor.
Steven Gerrard said: “I’ll never forget the time, we’d been away on pre-season – I don’t know what country it was – we came back and he got the whole team in on a one-to-one and he’d been speaking about the things you did well and what you needed to improve.” He added: “I remember when he came in – I don’t want to say what he said – it was good but it was not nice. It wasn’t nice. It was like the harsh truths. I’ll say a little bit: ‘I gave you the 10 shirt on your back because I want you to be my main lad in my team and I want to build the team around you, but you didn’t show enough’.”
Curtis Jones recalled: “There was a game that he said, this is was what stuck in my head a lot – where I wanted to show him that anything you need from me I’ll do it – we’d been beaten by Fulham and he said I’d been tackled and the lad had stood over and said something while I’d been on the floor. !’ I said, ‘I can’t remember’, and he said, ‘Well, I’ll tell you, you did nothing! . “I sat there and thought, ‘you’re right’. This is my club, there are people like you who have played your whole life here and even came back to the academy and now you’re a coach, you want to give your all to the club. There are people like me, I’m a Scouser myself, I don’t understand the situation I’m in. I need to grow up here and need to be a man.”
Jones has achieved two Premier League titles with Liverpool but has found it challenging to cement his place in the England squad as of 2025. Former England caretaker manager Lee Carsley, who gave Jones his international debut in 2024, praised the midfielder’s performance during his first appearance.
Lee Carsley remarked: “Curtis Jones is an outstanding player. He played really well, even without his goal. With his goal, it was an excellent performance. People were speaking last night about the inexperience in the squad but these players are playing for their clubs at a really high level.”
Despite his club success and individual talent, Jones continues to navigate the complexities of international selection, underscoring the fierce competition within the England setup.
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