O'Reilly eyes midfield return after thriving as England's first-choice left-back at World Cup

Nico O’Reilly has revealed he expects to eventually return to midfield after establishing himself as England’s first-choice left-back at the 2026 World Cup, with the 21-year-old Manchester City defender set to face Ghana in Boston on Tuesday as England look to reach the knockout stage.

O’Reilly made his senior England debut against Croatia last Wednesday, carrying the confidence that defined his club season — one in which he scored twice in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley to help City win a domestic cup Double. That reputation as a big-game player is something he openly embraces.

“Yeah, I love a big occasion, I think it brings more out of me when I am stepping up to the bigger stages and I like playing under pressure,” O’Reilly said. “I feel like I thrive off it and just enjoy it. Just taking the game and playing free, really, playing with a smile on my face and enjoying the experience.”

Despite nailing down the left-back role at both club and international level, O’Reilly was clear that he does not see himself as a conventional defender. “I think in the future I will be back in midfield — my profile, everything fits there, and maybe as a box-to-box midfielder,” he said. “But left-back I have been enjoying it and it has got me here now to a World Cup.”

He also noted that his interpretation of the left-back role already blurs the positional lines. “Playing at left-back I have been playing in the middle for most of it anyway, so it’s not like I am playing as a traditional left-back. Even in England, I am still coming inside and allowed to drift in and drift out wide, so it is a bit more relaxed.”

England were slow to find their rhythm against Croatia, something O’Reilly acknowledged was inevitable in a tournament opener. “Obviously it was the first game of the tournament, everyone was a bit shaky, and it was bound to happen. Maybe people were scared to misplace a pass or make a mistake,” he said. “But when we started to pin them in and play our football it was a lot more enjoyable. They couldn’t get out, we were getting shots off and corner after corner. It felt like they couldn’t breathe.”

O’Reilly also credited a strong support network — including his family, who have travelled to the United States to watch him — as central to his rapid rise. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t have my support and that right behind me, going in the right direction, giving me advice,” he said.