Elliot Anderson earns first England call-up as Tuchel reshapes midfield

A first England call-up that caps a rapid rise

At 22, Elliot Anderson has gone from U21 champion to full England international in a matter of weeks. Thomas Tuchel named the Nottingham Forest midfielder in his senior squad for September’s World Cup qualifier against Andorra, a move that rewards form, fitness, and a knack for doing the hard yards without fuss.

Tuchel didn’t dress it up. He pointed to three things that tipped the decision: physicality, a high work rate, and crisp, reliable passing. In a midfield short on fit bodies and ball winners, that profile stands out.

Anderson has been ever-present for Forest to start the 2025/26 season. He finished the full 90 in the win over Brentford, then backed it up with another complete performance last weekend. No frills, no shortcuts—just steady possession, smart positioning, and relentless pressing. That kind of consistency gets a manager’s attention.

This call-up didn’t come out of nowhere. Anderson was a major part of England’s Under-21 side that lifted the European title in the summer, and his level there was so high he made the tournament’s best XI. The jump from youth to senior football can be brutal, but he has looked comfortable at every step.

His story tracks with the classic English pathway. He started at Wallsend Boys Club, came through Newcastle United’s academy, then went out on loan to learn the rough edges of the game. At Bristol Rovers he helped push a promotion charge in League Two back in 2021–22, building the resilience you only get from small grounds and big stakes. The permanent move to Nottingham Forest gave him a platform—and he’s taken it.

Right now, England’s midfield needs options. Jude Bellingham is out after shoulder surgery and could miss October too. Cole Palmer is sidelined after picking up an injury during Chelsea’s warm-up against West Ham. Tuchel isn’t short of names, but he is short of certain profiles. Anderson brings the legs to cover ground, the timing to break up play, and the neat passing to move England up the pitch without opening the back door.

Why Tuchel picked him—and what it means for England

Tuchel’s choices tell you what he wants from this team. The midfield must run, recover, and recycle. England want to press, but not lose the ball in cheap areas. They want to control games against low blocks, then turn the screw without getting caught on the counter. Anderson fits that brief.

Three reasons he made the squad stand out:

• Physical edge: strong in duels, steady over 90 minutes, no drop-off late in games.
• Work volume: covers space, plugs gaps, and supports both full-backs and forwards.
• Clean passing: keeps tempo, connects third-man runs, avoids risky turnovers.

Watch his positioning off the ball. He sets early and funnels play where help is waiting. When Forest step into a press, he angles the first pass and forces the opponent into a trap. On the ball, he rarely forces the final action. He prefers the simple pass that unlocks the next move—get it, give it, move again. That’s the kind of midfield glue England have missed when the big creators are absent.

Andorra are not a glamour opponent, but this is the sort of match where a debut can breathe. England will face a deep block, limited space between the lines, and the need for patience. A midfielder who keeps the ball moving and wins it back quickly is more valuable than it sounds. If Tuchel wants control from the first whistle, Anderson gives him that option.

There’s also a bigger picture. The U21s have become a genuine conveyor belt for the senior team. Winning together at youth level builds habits—pressing cues, spacing, a shared rhythm on and off the ball. Anderson arrives with that muscle memory already installed. That matters when the senior squad changes shape because of injuries.

His role at Forest offers a few clues about how Tuchel might use him. He can sit as a left-sided No 8, drop next to the pivot when England build from the back, and step up to press the opposition’s deepest midfielder. In transition, he runs beyond the ball to support the wide players, then snaps back into shape to close the counter. He won’t grab headlines with 30-yard screamers, but he will tilt the pitch.

What about the pecking order? Even with Bellingham out, there’s competition. England still have creators and holders who know the setup. Anderson is unlikely to be thrown straight into a starring role. But a first cap off the bench against Andorra, then a chance to start if the game state allows—it’s right there for him if he trains well this week.

The pathway piece matters for more than sentiment. Players who log heavy minutes in the lower leagues tend to adapt faster to senior international football. The tempo isn’t a shock, and neither is the need to win the second ball. Anderson’s League Two loan forged that edge. From Rovers to Forest to England—each step carried a higher bar, and he kept clearing it.

There’s a leadership angle too, even if it’s quiet leadership. Watch him after turnovers. He points, he nudges team-mates into pockets, he shows for the return pass. That kind of steadying influence helps younger full-backs, especially when the game begins to stretch and decisions get messy.

Tuchel’s England are still taking shape. Selection choices like this suggest a spine that values stability as much as flair. When everyone is fit, Anderson will still have to fight for minutes—no guarantees, no promises. But a manager doesn’t pull a player from club form and U21 success into the senior squad unless he sees a role he can trust, especially in qualifiers where any slip can snowball.

For Forest, the call-up validates their plan. They backed a young midfielder to grow into a key role and built a system that suits his two-way game. The reward is international recognition. For Anderson, it’s a marker of where he is—and a reminder of what comes next: hold the level, sharpen the details, and grab the chance when the shirt comes his way.

England’s midfield picture will shift again when the injured return, but the door is open now. If Anderson brings the same energy and simplicity he shows on Saturdays, he gives Tuchel a dependable cog for both September and the longer run to the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The stage is smaller against Andorra, but the stakes are the same. Earn trust. Keep the ball. Win the duels. Make it hard for anyone to take the spot back.

Plenty of young players get one camp and drift. The ones who stick usually offer something you can plug into any game state. That’s the bet here: reliability, balance, and a knack for making team-mates better. The first cap is within reach. What he does with it will decide the next chapter.