Exactly twelve months after making his senior England debut, Lewis Hall is finally back in national team colours, reflecting on a challenging year that tested both his physical resilience and mental fortitude.
The Injury That Changed Everything
Hall's promising international career hit an unexpected roadblock in March when a serious knee injury forced him to miss Thomas Tuchel's first England camp as manager. The timing couldn't have been worse for the Newcastle United defender, who had been tipped to establish himself as England's World Cup left back for the 2026 tournament.
'It was incredibly difficult,' Hall admitted. 'It was the worst part of my career so far. Before this, I went through a season where I didn't get as many minutes as I would have liked, but going through what I went through last season - I would have rather been in that situation again because I was just missing playing.'
Missing Major Milestones
The 21-year-old's rehabilitation period coincided with several significant moments he was forced to watch from the sidelines. He underwent surgery on his knee just days before Newcastle's Carabao Cup final victory over Liverpool at Wembley, meaning he missed the celebration despite eventually receiving a medal.
'Even now, although we've won - and I'm obviously buzzing that we've won, I've got my medal and everything - it still hurts quite a lot seeing that and not being able to be there,' Hall explained.
The setbacks continued as he also missed England Under-21s' European Championship triumph in Slovakia under Lee Carsley's management, while watching rivals like Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly and Manchester City's Nico O'Reilly advanced their own claims for the left back position.
Mental Strength and Recovery
Hall credits Newcastle's head of psychology, Dr Ian Mitchell, with helping him navigate the psychological challenges of long-term injury. 'I used to speak to him every week,' Hall revealed, emphasising the importance of maintaining connections with teammates during his recovery.
'I think it's made me mentally a lot stronger, which I think anyone who's injured would tell you the same,' the defender stated. 'You go through phases throughout the rehab process where you'll have a couple of weeks where you're feeling good, positive, and then you'll have a couple of weeks where you feel like you're not making that much progress.'
Now fully recovered, Hall approaches every training session and match with renewed appreciation. 'Now I'm just enjoying every moment as it comes, and I never take anything for granted these days.'
World Cup Ambitions Remain Strong
Despite his lengthy absence, Hall remains firmly on Thomas Tuchel's radar and both the player and Under-21s boss Lee Carsley recognise that a World Cup call-up remains achievable if he can maintain fitness and form over the coming months.
'I've obviously had my taste of the senior camp before, so I know sort of how it felt to be there,' Hall said. 'It's definitely a big goal of mine [the World Cup], and it's something that I'd love to do. By the time the World Cup comes about I'll be 21, so being able to go to a World Cup at 21 is obviously a big achievement.'
For now, Hall is focusing on making the most of his opportunity with the England Under-21s and working with coach Ashley Cole, considered by many as England's greatest ever left back, to refine his game. After waiting a year to wear the England shirt again, Lewis Hall is determined to make up for lost time, starting with tonight's match against the Republic of Ireland at St Andrews.
