Curtis Jones takes ONE game to show he belongs among Ballon D'Or nominees | OneFootball

The fact it took the Liverpool midfielder this long to get on the pitch in an England jersey is astonishing given his ability on the ball and versatility in midfield - an area where England have struggled to find the right combination of players for some time.

Former England boss Gareth Southgate called Jones up to his provisional squad for EURO 2024, but cut him without giving him a minute of game time during pre-tournament friendlies.

Interim manager Lee Carsley has experimented more with the midfield than Southgate did, starting Jones against Greece alongside Conor Gallagher following Declan Rice’s withdrawal from the squad.

Jones capitalised on other players’ absences by putting in an eye-catching performance and scoring an audacious heel flick to wrap the game up late on.

It wasn’t just the goal that has raised Jones’ stock - he was also dominant on the ball, taking the most touches for England with 86 and completing 65 of his 68 passes.

And now a former England international is saying that it could be time for Jones to be rewarded for his form with a regular starting spot once Thomas Tuchel takes charge from January.