Remember the time England took Jordan Henderson to the World Cup, aged 36, ahead of Alex Scott, and Thomas Tuchel tried to talk us into believing it was a good idea?
We are only 90 minutes – 70 as a starter in the 7-0 win over Croatia and 20 as a substitute in the victory over the Czech Republic – into Scott’s England career. But the fact Henderson went to the World Cup ahead of him already seems like a bad joke. Give it another year or so and it will appear even more absurd.
That is not a reflection on Henderson, who has had an excellent England career and has been a big influence on a host of players. But how has it taken until now for Tuchel, the head coach, to properly catch on to Scott’s talent?
Kobbie Mainoo went to the World Cup ahead of Scott and did not play a single minute. Reece James was deployed out of position when Declan Rice was laid low by illness during the tournament, and also suffered his own injury problems. Henderson’s tournament will be best remembered for breaking his arm during celebrations after beating Mexico.
Better late than never, but Scott’s performance on his first start for England in Rijeka must confine Henderson to international history. Barring an unprecedented injury crisis, there can be no way back in a playing capacity for the Chelsea veteran.
Luka Modrić has made more than 200 appearances for Croatia and will not have finished many of them, if any, as the second best player on the pitch wearing a headband. But the 41-year-old will know he was upstaged by Scott on Saturday night, when he was put out of his misery in the 57th minute.
England have plenty of personalities and leaders in the squad. What they have lacked is control and Scott helped Tuchel’s team produce a dominant display in the thrashing of Croatia.
The Bournemouth midfielder dropped deep, pressed high, beat his man more than once and had a hand in England’s first goal, scored by Harry Kane in the eighth minute.
Only left-back Lewis Hall made more tackles than Scott and only Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka played more passes ending in the final third than him.
“It was his first start and what a start,” Tuchel said on Scott’s performance. “He is so smooth on the ball, his decision making. He plays with so much confidence. He is so active. The work-rate off the ball makes him the complete package. We had a lot of variety in the centre of the pitch.”
None of this should have come as a surprise, given Scott had already excelled for England’s Under-21s next to Elliot Anderson and has been outstanding for Bournemouth for well over a year.
Chelsea failed with more than one big-money bid for Scott in the summer transfer window. Bournemouth are determined to hold on to him in January and there could be a huge scramble for his signing next summer.
Tuchel cooed over Scott’s ability in his pre-match media duties before the Croatia match, and the England head coach will surely think he should have handed the 23-year-old a first start earlier in his reign.
Henderson is big and honest enough to know that Scott may well have sent him to international retirement, while Rice might even have watched England’s victory from his sofa with a slight feeling of nervousness.
Rice has, along with Kane, Jude Bellingham and Jordan Pickford, been one of England’s untouchables for some time. But the way in which Scott and Anderson linked up in the middle of the park suggests he has some real competition for a place in the national team at last.
It was in an answer to the competition Pickford now faces from James Trafford that Tuchel, from nowhere, raised the subject of Rice not necessarily having a guaranteed place in his England team.
Tuchel said: “Is Declan still for me a fixed point in my team? Yes, but some other players are coming and impressing and it’s an ongoing competition.”
Rice withdrew from this England squad and it is fair to assume that Tuchel was referring to Scott among his “other players” who are now ready to put some pressure on Rice’s place.
For parts of the World Cup, England’s vice-captain was running on empty and would have benefited from having someone like Scott around to help lift the load on him. Moving forwards, he surely now has that and Rice will no doubt rise to the challenge of having somebody push him.
England have missed Rice’s set-piece delivery during these Nations League games, but, with Scott available, Tuchel can live without him or go with horses for courses.
Rice will be more determined than ever to be part of Tuchel’s squad for the November Nations League games against Croatia and Spain. Scott will surely be there too and must now start a second successive game against the Czech Republic at Wembley on Tuesday night.