As far as high praise goes, James Garner received one of the best comparisons you could ask for as a midfielder in 2026.
After impressing on his England debut against Uruguay on Friday, Garner was lauded by Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel.
Having seen his side draw 1-1 at Wembley after a late penalty from Federico Valverde, the Real Madrid superstar, Tuchel said of Garner: "I'm very happy – he's our mini Valverde. He’s getting there, and he played very, very well.
"I was quite sure that he would play well because he has this natural confidence and he's just very physical. He won a lot of balls.
"I think there are some situations where he can be a little bit more open with his body position and drive maybe a little bit more through midfield, with more confidence.
"I think in the last 10 minutes of the first half, he was involved in some ball losses that cost us a bit of confidence.
"But overall, I was very impressed with the way he trained and the way he behaved. The way he played was good.”
The statistics from Friday’s match tell their own story.
Garner led the game for chances created (four) and passes in the final third (15). He won six of nine duels and had 59 touches.
This was the kind of all-action, energetic display we have become accustomed to seeing from Garner in Everton blue this season, and he transferred those levels to the international stage.
Tuchel was perhaps being a tad over the top when comparing Garner directly to Valverde, who has been instrumental to Madrid’s success over the past decade and has, in the last month, offered everyone a timely reminder of his world class quality.
But, in some ways, the comparison fits.
Garner, like Valverde, is a central midfielder who wants to be involved, who is not afraid to get stuck in and is as comfortable off the ball as on it.
He relies on his engine to get around the pitch and disrupt and hassle the opposition, but as demonstrated by his sublime assist for Beto against Chelsea in Everton’s last league game, possesses the ability to play a pinpoint, slide-rule pass to split a defence open, or deliver a great ball from a set-piece.
And another way in which Garner is similar to Valverde is his versatility.
Sure, he is at his best in the middle of the park, but he is also perfectly adept at full-back — indeed, he is arguably Everton’s best right-back, while he also did well when filling in on the left at the start of the campaign.
He has previously played on the right of midfield for the Toffees, too, and as a wing-back, a role he occupied in that vital game against Bournemouth in May 2023. During England’s successful Under-21s Euros campaign later that summer, Garner played on the right of the defence.
Valverde often finds himself playing up and down the right flank, as well as in midfield.
Another similarity is the ball-striking ability — Garner is not at Valverde’s level yet, of course, but he is capable of a fine shot. The first-time strike against Brighton back in August is evidence enough, and there’s been a couple like that this season from the former Manchester United man.
I have written previously how Garner deserved his shot at this England squad, and how a call-up would be crucial for his chances of making the World Cup.
Well, he has certainly taken his chance to impress, and with Declan Rice having left Tuchel’s squad, Garner should now get another start — likely alongside Elliot Anderson — in the heart of England’s midfield against Japan on Tuesday.
Tuchel’s high praise suggests Garner already has one foot on the plane to North America in the summer. Should he maintain his levels for the rest of the season, then perhaps the “mini-Valverde” shout isn’t too far-fetched, after all.
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Reader Comments (29)
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2 Posted 30/03/2026 at 11:05:08
3 Posted 30/03/2026 at 11:27:24
4 Posted 30/03/2026 at 12:25:27
I think that maxi Garner will be selected because of his flexibility and, of course, his exceptional ability. However, he won't play unless there are injury ravages. He deserves the kudos for his exceptional level of performance and consistency. Just hope he doesnt get injured or have his head turned.
5 Posted 30/03/2026 at 12:38:40
In all seriousness though, Garner is a quality player and I think he'll be the wildcard who goes to the World Cup. He's a tournament player and a managers dream. Plays in numerous positions, box to box, can attack and defend, he has it all.
The kid can play a through ball, puts in a great cross from open play and deadball, can take free kicks and he can score a few. It's a no brainer taking him the the US
6 Posted 30/03/2026 at 13:23:39
My answer to the question "how did the next fella get on, and the next and the next and the next.
That sharp board fired a failure and hired more failures? Brilliant."
Alternatively, we retained a failure for 12 years.
Spurs finished above Everton in 9 out of Moyes 12 years managing Everton btw
7 Posted 30/03/2026 at 13:46:29
8 Posted 30/03/2026 at 13:58:31
£6m. thats' not £6m a year, that's six million in total.
Spurs over the same period was £115m. And we still managed to finish above them a few times. Not bad eh.
9 Posted 30/03/2026 at 14:05:08
While your there, what was Howard's net spend in his first few years before he won us a trophy?
10 Posted 30/03/2026 at 14:12:02
is your position that cos Howard picked up Reid for sixty grand, there's no reason Moyes can't do that now?
11 Posted 30/03/2026 at 14:35:02
12 Posted 30/03/2026 at 14:44:23
13 Posted 30/03/2026 at 15:39:34
14 Posted 30/03/2026 at 16:01:22
Mixed views about him going to WC (injury, tapping up) but I believe he merits inclusion just that I don't think that is shared by the man picking the squad. To make it, he'll need to start tomorrow and do at least as well. Given the mass of injuries to players I think are ahead of him, the former is possible. But given I think Wharton and Mainoo are shoo ins to support Rice and Anderson, the one other spot is versus Henderson. I'd have Jimmy G in an instant but I don't think Tuchel sees it that way. May end up a squad reserve (if they have such a thing).
15 Posted 30/03/2026 at 16:13:07
You have definitely lost me on that one?
Cant understand your point
16 Posted 30/03/2026 at 16:17:40
17 Posted 30/03/2026 at 16:32:44
18 Posted 30/03/2026 at 16:47:08
19 Posted 30/03/2026 at 16:51:03
Course you were Kevin.
20 Posted 30/03/2026 at 16:58:27
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fexternal-preview.redd.it%2Fcost-of-leicesters-title-winning-team-v0-FcdpS_ofVLO5kMCBZwYeJhBvkEOg09slOtSpOi4G7G0.jpg%3Fauto%3Dwebp%26s%3Ddb6bf44ddf56151bd55fe737302733723650f35c&tbnid=n0xj_-DoLl0zBM&vet=1&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.reddit.com%2Fr%2Fsoccer%2Fcomments%2Fft1qa4%2Fcost_of_leicesters_title_winning_team%2F&docid=N_DDmw837g0UUM&w=1024&h=1024&source=sh%2Fx%2Fim%2Fm4%2F0&kgs=1146af2228b9d228#sv=CAMScRoyKhBlLW4weGpfLURvTGwwekJNMg5uMHhqXy1Eb0xsMHpCTToOTl9ERG13ODM3ZzBVVU0gBCoxChtfR3AzS2FlVE9FSS1maGJJUGpaNko2UWdfMzMSEGUtbjB4al8tRG9MbDB6Qk0YADABSgQIARACGAcgl_m30wRKCBACGAEgAigB
21 Posted 30/03/2026 at 17:07:29
I don't have an awful lot of skin in this particular debate but I think Leicester is very much the exception that proves the rule.
The one thing that does arise from that is that unless you can build a solid, consistent revenue base at a high level, then the problem with flash in the pans is that they can end up with going down the pan, as Leicester have (heading for Div 1).
I don't like the word sustainable because it is meaningless but in this context, I think it has meaning.
22 Posted 30/03/2026 at 17:20:01
All this knife to a gunfight crap does my head in.
I don't think Leicester went down as a result of winning the league mate
What's the point of football if we don't believe we can win something.
23 Posted 30/03/2026 at 17:25:16
Something to lighten the mood.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/979353757772863/?mibextid=ZZyLBr
24 Posted 30/03/2026 at 19:00:29
25 Posted 31/03/2026 at 03:42:35
I can't believe that you come onto another thread and start if off all over again and over half the posts on a stream on Garner are from the two of you. Give the rest of us a break FFS or swap email addresses.
26 Posted 31/03/2026 at 04:59:29
27 Posted 31/03/2026 at 05:46:43
28 Posted 31/03/2026 at 07:25:58
Following copied off the UEFA website...
The UEFA Technical Observer panel have confirmed their Team of the Tournament for the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Georgia and Romania.
Champions England provide six of the team, including overall Player of the Tournament Anthony Gordon, with the other five from runners-up Spain.
Goalkeeper: James Trafford (England)
Defender: Juan Miranda (Spain)
Defender: Levi Colwill (England)
Defender: Taylor Harwood-Bellis (England)
Defender: James Garner (England)
Midfielder: Rodri (Spain)
Midfielder: Antonio Blanco (Spain)
Midfielder: Curtis Jones (England)
Midfielder: Sergio Gómez (Spain)
Forward: Abel Ruiz (Spain)
Forward: Anthony Gordon (England)*
*Player of the Tournament
Some interesting names amongst that 11...
Some might find the overall England squad interesting. Some players doing well at senior level now, some not..again copied off a site Englandfootball com
England: 1 James Trafford (Manchester City), 2 Max Aarons (Norwich City), 4 Levi Colwill (Chelsea), 5 Taylor Harwood-Bellis (Manchester City), 7 Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest), 10 Emile Smith Rowe (Arsenal), 11 Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), 14 James Garner (Everton), 17 Curtis Jones (Liverpool), 20 Cole Palmer (Manchester City), 21 Angel Gomes (Lille)
Substitutes: 23 Noni Madueke (Chelsea) for Smith-Rowe 67’, 6 Oliver Skipp (Tottenham Hotspur) for Gomes 74’, 9 Cameron Archer (Aston Villa) for Gibbs-White 74’, 19 Harvey Elliott (Liverpool) for Palmer 82’, 18 Tommy Doyle (Manchester City) for Gordon 82’
Substitutes not used: 3 Luke Thomas (Leicester City), 12 Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), 13 Joshua Griffiths (West Bromwich Albion), 15 Charlie Cresswell (Leeds United), 16 Ben Johnson (West Ham United), 22 Carl Rushworth (Brighton & Hove Albion)
29 Posted 31/03/2026 at 13:31:36
It's why I favour top 4(but not non CL) over a cup win. I know it's only a means to an end but I like the look of the end and I don't think a second outlier is all that likely to happen nowadays, sadly.
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1 Posted 30/03/2026 at 10:15:07