The latest England squad announcement came as a surprise to many, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall omitted from Thomas Tuchel’s selection. The Everton midfielder has been in sparkling form so far this season, in a campaign that has seen the Toffees rise into the top five, level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea at the time of the squad announcement.
A goal against Coventry City in a 3-1 win on November 6 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium went some way towards easing the disappointment of the earlier news that Dewsbury-Hall wouldn’t be included in the squad to face Croatia at Wembley on Thursday. “It was a disappointing morning, I’m not going to lie. It’s a massive dream of mine to play for my country. I know I was close,” the Everton midfielder told Sky Sports following the game.
The journey to the top has been a constant one for Dewsbury-Hall, who was spotted at a youth tournament at Shepshed Dynamo as a youngster. Leicester City’s academy soon came calling, and Kiernan would rise through the ranks to the cusp of the first team, signing professional forms in 2017.
He made his debut for Leicester in an FA Cup tie against Brentford as a substitute in January 2020 before heading out on the road for a couple of loan spells. The seaside beckoned first, as Blackpool took the Leicester youngster on loan, with Dewsbury-Hall scoring on his debut. Sadly, the loan deal was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
After scoring four times in 10 appearances for Blackpool, Dewsbury-Hall went on to feature for Luton Town, playing 40 games and scoring three goals, in addition to winning the Players’ Player of the Year award. Manager Nathan Jones praised his loan star, calling Dewsbury-Hall ‘an outstanding young player’.
Leicester recognised the homegrown gem they had in their midst, and Dewsbury-Hall became a regular fixture in the first team over the next three seasons. Victory in the Community Shield in 2021, along with European football, would be the high points for Kiernan before a shock relegation in 2023.
Enzo Maresca arrived to steer City back to the Premier League, but his relationship with Dewsbury-Hall wasn’t over just yet. The midfielder said goodbye to Leicester and joined Chelsea for £30 million. Game time at Stamford Bridge was limited overall and, with Maresca departing Chelsea at the end of 2025, Dewsbury-Hall followed him out of the exit in August – although not before winning the Club World Cup!
Now on Merseyside, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is enjoying life as an established Premier League player, all the more so now that an international call-up seems a real possibility. The Everton man remains determined to earn his first England cap, as he told Sky Sports after the match: “[I’m] sad, yeah, but really proud of myself and how I have reacted. All I can keep doing is putting in good performances and hopefully one day I get the nod, because I’m never going to give up.”
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