How one magical night at Wembley changed everything

Arsenal teen Myles Lewis-Skelly makes history with a goal on his England debut, capping a meteoric rise to stardom.

Five months ago, England Under-21s kicked off their EFL Trophy campaign with Myles Lewis-Skelly quietly holding down a starting role against MK Dons.

Fast forward to now, and the 18-year-old has gone from promising academy prospect to scoring on his senior England debut at Wembley.

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A star is born at Wembley

It was a fairytale start to life on the international stage for Lewis-Skelly, who netted the opening goal in a 2-0 win over Albania – the first goal of the Thomas Tuchel era and one that made him the youngest player in history to score on debut for England, aged just 18 years and 176 days.

“He is fearless,” said Arsenal and England team-mate Declan Rice as per BBC.

“He does everything right off the pitch and he is only 18. I knew he was going to play like that tonight because of the confidence he has. He has kept his feet on the ground and it is only the start for him.”

The teenager latched onto a pinpoint pass from Jude Bellingham in the 20th minute, slotting past the Albanian keeper with the composure of a seasoned pro.

Immediately after the final whistle, a stunned Lewis-Skelly admitted he was “lost for words” as he soaked in the moment under the Wembley lights.

New England manager Thomas Tuchel was full of praise for the Arsenal starlet, both for his impact on the pitch and his attitude off it.

“He was amazing in camp,” said Tuchel.

“He is full of confidence and very full of humour and such an open and mature character. Everything you see on the pitch you see off the pitch. He was straight away part of the group, it’s very impressive.”

Harambee Stars fought hard in a tense Group F match staging a strong comeback but ultimately settling for a dramatic draw.

Despite playing out of position at left-back, the Islington-born youngster did not put a foot wrong.

Originally a central midfielder, Lewis-Skelly has thrived in an ‘inverted’ full-back role under Mikel Arteta showcasing his tactical intelligence and versatility.

From hale end to the headlines

Former England defender Matt Upson was in awe of Lewis-Skelly’s performance, naming him his player of the match.

“I think he was absolutely superb,” Upson said on BBC Radio 5 Live.

“To manage and handle that occasion in the manner he did, with the very limited senior football he has had, really speaks volumes about how good a player he is and how far he can go.”

It has been a whirlwind season. After impressing on Arsenal’s US pre-season tour, Lewis-Skelly made his competitive debut against Manchester City in September.

Since then, he has racked up 26 appearances for the Gunners – a meteoric rise for a player who began the campaign in the academy setup.

Grounded by family, guided by mentor

Per Mertesacker, Arsenal’s academy manager, has watched Lewis-Skelly’s journey since the age of nine and believes his ability to handle pressure is what sets him apart.

“With Myles, whatever challenges we put in front of him he seems to be really comfortable and ready,” Mertesacker said.

“That’s probably for me his main trait. If you can stay as cool as possible in those challenging moments then you have a good chance to get an opportunity.”

His mother, Marcia Lewis, has also played a pivotal role. Through her platform NO1Fan.Club, she’s provided support to parents of young players navigating the volatile world of youth football.

“He backs himself, we back him, but the realities are what they are… he is competing with multi-million pound players all over the world,” she told BBC Sport.

Harambee Stars will shift focus to their World Cup qualifier against Gabon in Nairobi on Sunday and here is everything you need to know about the must-win clash.

For Myles Lewis-Skelly, this is only the beginning of a journey that already feels destined for greatness.