England U17s kicked off their season with a training camp in Duisburg, Germany, playing three internationals against Venezuela, Israel and the hosts. The gathering, staged with the upcoming 2026 U17 European Championship qualifiers in mind, gave Liam Bramley the chance to assess a 23-man squad in a variety of situations. The Young Lions won all three matches, culminating in a breathtaking 7–5 victory over Germany that showcased the raw talent of Chelsea forward Ryan Kavuma-McQueen, who struck four times and proved the driving force of this age group.
An ambitious squad geared towards European objectives
Head coach Liam Bramley named a balanced, well-rounded group drawn from some of England’s top academies. Three goalkeepers were selected: Roman Dowell and George Mair (both Newcastle United), along with Manchester City’s Ben Vickery. In defence, athletic and technically sound profiles such as Josiah King (Arsenal FC), Calvin Diakite (Chelsea FC) and Archie Thornton (Manchester City) were paired with creative midfielders including Sam Alabi (Newcastle United), Mathis Eboue (Chelsea FC) and Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli (Chelsea).
The attack, meanwhile, was explosive, with Kavuma-McQueen (Chelsea FC), Brian Madjo (FC Metz), Ajay Tavares (Norwich City) and Oliver Boast (Tottenham Hotspur) leading the line. England’s three fixtures in six days ended with a perfect record: a 2–1 win over Venezuela, another 2–1 victory against Israel, and then, a dramatic 7–5 triumph over Germany. That final match will be remembered for its intensity and for Kavuma-McQueen’s outstanding four-goal haul, underlining his credentials as one of the standout prospects of his generation.
Three wins capped by Kavuma-McQueen’s fireworks
The camp opened with a hard-fought 2–1 success against Venezuela, in a contest marred by a racist incident allegedly directed at Mathis Eboue which disrupted proceedings. Trailing early, the Young Lions hit back through Brian Madjo before Kavuma-McQueen pounced on a goalkeeper’s error to turn the game around.
Against Israel, Bramley rotated his squad but England kept their momentum. Eboue broke the deadlock with a precise strike, and Chelsea defender Diakite secured the win deep into stoppage time with a deflected effort.
The final outing against Germany was nothing short of extraordinary. In a free-flowing encounter where attacks ran riot, England emerged 7–5 winners in a thrilling contest. Floyd Samba opened the scoring before Kavuma-McQueen stole the show with a first-half hat-trick – a long-range strike, a coolly converted penalty, and a composed finish in added time that guaranteed him the match ball. He added a fourth straight after the restart, finishing from Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli’s assist to bring his tally to five goals in three matches. Sam Alabi then found the net before Leicester’s Hugo De Lisle wrapped things up late on with the seventh and final goal of the game.
It was a performance that revealed Ryan Kavuma-McQueen as unplayable: pressing, pace, precision and composure in equal measure. At just 16, the Chelsea winger has already announced himself as one of England’s brightest prospects, joining Shumaira Mheuka (U19s) as another Blues youngster to light up the international break for England. Around him, the likes of Sam Alabi, Floyd Samba, Mathis Eboue and Higo De Lisle also impressed, showing the technical depth and mental strength within this age group.
With three wins from three and a collective performance full of promise, England U17s have launched their season in perfect fashion. For Liam Bramley, the camp in Germany laid the foundations for a squad that will largely return in October for the European qualifiers, where the Young Lions will take on Scotland, Lithuania and Sweden. And with Ryan Kavuma-McQueen in this kind of form, they can dare to dream big.
About the Author
