England manager Thomas Tuchel believes Liverpool youngster Rio Ngumoha is even more deserving of his latest international call-up than his previous selection, insisting the teenager has a genuine opportunity to compete for a starting place.

Ngumoha has continued to attract attention with his performances for Liverpool, with the highly rated winger earning another place in Tuchel’s England squad for the upcoming internationals against Croatia and Spain.

The teenager was involved in the previous international camp, but his continued inclusion has raised questions about whether he is now being viewed as a genuine option for the starting XI rather than simply gaining experience around the senior squad.

Speaking at Wembley on Friday, Tuchel was asked by GIVEMESPORT what progress he had seen from Ngumoha in recent months and whether the Liverpool youngster was now competing for a starting place.

The England boss made it clear that every player selected is expected to fight for minutes, regardless of their age or experience.

“That’s always the goal for every player who comes,” Tuchel explained.

“You can be glad to get the call-up and you can be glad to be first time in camp or be relatively new in camp, but then once training starts everyone fights for a starting place.

“This is the culture that we want to have. Everyone fights for minutes and everyone has the chance.”

One Liverpool performance proved decisive for Ngumoha

Tuchel then highlighted Ngumoha’s development between international camps, pointing towards his increased involvement at Liverpool and an impressive Champions League performance against Atletico Madrid.

“Rio got the call-up last time and I think now, in between these two camps, the four or five weeks, he deserves it maybe even more than before last camp because he got crucial minutes.

“He got a man-of-the-match performance, I think, against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.”

The German believes Ngumoha’s confidence and ability to influence matches have improved, making him an increasingly valuable option for England.

“He’s in a good space, he’s decisive, he’s full of confidence and he showed his quality in the US in prep camp.

“He showed it again in the last camp. He’s an option on both sides for us.”

Tuchel was particularly complimentary about the teenager’s ability to beat defenders in individual situations, describing those qualities as increasingly difficult to find.

“He’s an electric player, a player who loves to take on players, good in one-on-ones, brings something that is very, very rare,” he added.

The comments suggest Ngumoha is being assessed on the same competitive basis as his more experienced international teammates.

His ability to operate on either flank could also provide Tuchel with valuable tactical flexibility, particularly in matches where England need greater attacking unpredictability.

Although there is significant competition for places in England’s forward line, Tuchel’s latest assessment makes clear that Ngumoha is not simply being included for his long-term potential.

For the Liverpool youngster, another international camp represents an opportunity to turn growing confidence and club performances into a more prominent role for his country.