James Garner has been recalled to England's squad for the Nations League after missing out on the World Cup, and he is eager to test himself against Spain at Wembley on Saturday. The Everton midfielder impressed on his international debut against Uruguay in March, earning praise from manager Thomas Tuchel, who called him a “mini Valverde” after the 1-1 draw.
A comparison that fits
Garner says the comparison is “a very good one” and sees similarities with the Real Madrid player. Like Valverde, he wants to operate in central midfield but can also play at right-back or on the wing. He also acknowledges that Valverde, who was nicknamed El Pajarito (the Little Bird) as a kid, can fly under the radar.
“You wouldn’t really call him a household name, would you?” Garner says of Valverde. “But players who have played the game – they know how good he is. I watch a lot of football. I watch all the Champions League games and he always stands out. So yeah, I would go as far as saying that he’s underrated. In my opinion, he’s one of the best midfielders in the world.”
A late call-up after World Cup heartbreak
Garner's form at Everton from the turn of the year earned him his first England call-up, but he was left out of the World Cup squad. Tuchel chose Jordan Henderson and Kobbie Mainoo as midfield back-ups, with Henderson playing six minutes and Mainoo not at all. Garner described the call from Tuchel as tough, saying: “He just said that he could only take a certain amount of players and I’ve missed out this time. I respect his decision and it just makes you hungrier.”
The 25-year-old is back in the squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures, albeit as a late call-up after the withdrawals of Rice and Mainoo. Henderson was not picked on fitness grounds. Tuchel recalled Alex Scott and Myles Lewis-Skelly, and continues to overlook Adam Wharton. Elliot Anderson stands as the most established midfielder as England prepare to face Spain, then play Czechia and Croatia away before returning to Wembley to face Czechia.
A short holiday and a quick return
Garner was on holiday in Bodrum, Turkey, when he got the call from the Football Association. He flew home on Monday and reported to St George’s Park on Tuesday. “It was a very short holiday,” he says with a smile. “I’m more than happy to be here now.” Tuchel also gave a late call to Morgan Gibbs-White, who had just arrived in Dubai for a family holiday. Gibbs-White made a lighthearted TikTok video mimicking Gotta Go My Own Way from High School Musical 2 as he packed up. Garner says he was not tempted to do something similar: “No. That’s not me.”
From defender to midfielder
Garner grew up in the Manchester United academy, playing as a centre-half until the age of 15. His boyhood hero was Nemanja Vidic. “I’ve never actually said this but I used to love Nemanja Vidic,” he says. “I used to love the No 15 [which Vidic wore] and things like that. Then you grow up a little bit more, I became a midfielder and I used to love Lampard, Scholes and Gerrard.”
He moved into midfield at a junior tournament. “It was the Nike Cup and our midfielder got injured in the first game,” Garner says. “I’ve always been half-decent with the ball at my feet so they thought: ‘We’ll push him into midfield.’ I had a really good tournament and it just went from there. Albeit when I was with England under-16s and under-17s, I played centre-back.”
Garner is a student of the game, watching all matches and playing Fifa for years. He credits his brother, who is five years older and played, and United’s academy for his tactical awareness. “I’ve just always had that tactical awareness and maybe that helps me playing different positions.”
No regrets over leaving United
Garner could not see a first-team pathway at United, going on loan to Watford and then Nottingham Forest. In the summer of 2022, United signed Casemiro and Christian Eriksen, and Garner moved to Everton for £9m. He has no regrets about the move.
“It was the perfect thing for me to do – 1,000%,” Garner says. “I’ve never been shy of going into a more uncomfortable place, changing scenery or anything like that. I went on loan. I moved down to London and Nottingham. It was about playing games and Everton was the perfect choice. I didn’t want to fizzle into the background and just sit on the bench. I wanted to go to a team where I felt like I had a chance to fight for my position.”
He starred for England under-21s in their European Championship triumph in 2023, being named in the team of the tournament as a right-back. He hopes to make another statement against Spain, who have Rodri in midfield. “Spain have got the Ballon d’Or winner in their midfield [Rodri] so to play against someone like that is the ultimate test,” Garner says. “You want to go against the best and see how you fare.”
