England U20, managed by Ben Futcher, take on Italy this Friday in an international friendly as part of the March break. The only fixture of the camp, the match—scheduled for 3:30pm (local time) at the Riano Athletic Centre in Rome—offers the Young Lions a valuable opportunity to measure themselves against high-level opposition, following their draw against Japan last November.
The squad is built around a well-established core of players who are already gaining regular exposure to senior football or featuring consistently at first-team level. In defence, Jayden Meghoma—on loan at Rangers from Brentford—continues to play a key role despite reduced minutes in recent weeks. Further forward, England’s attacking threat is expected to revolve around lively and direct profiles such as Jimmy-Jay Morgan and Joel Ndala, both capable of stretching defences and making an impact in one-on-one situations.
This camp also provides an opportunity to integrate new faces into the set-up. Midfielders Preston Fearon and Isiah Dada-Mascoll are experiencing their first taste of international football at this level, as is forward Errol Mundle-Smith. Meanwhile, right-back Kevin Pinto, who plays for Benfica and is also eligible for Portugal, is set to earn his first minutes in an England shirt. All will be eager to seize their opportunity in what promises to be a competitive and demanding encounter.
England U20 starting XI to face Italy
- Finlay Herrick (Boreham Wood)
- Zach Abbott (Nottingham Forest)
- Ayden Heaven (Manchester United)
- Jayden Meghoma (Rangers FC)
- Kevin Pinto (SL Benfica II)
- Kieran Morgan (QPR)
- Callum Olusesi (Tottenham Hotspur)
- Jimmy-Jay Morgan (Peterborough United)
- Joel Ndala (Sheffield Wednesday)
- Thomas Watson (Millwall)
- Kadan Young (Reading)
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