SKOPJE was the unlikely setting for the beginning of Wayne Rooney’s goalscoring greatness for England.
Twenty years on, the mountainous capital of North Macedonia staged what, in years to return, might resemble one other momentous second with Rico Lewis’ Three Lions debut.
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Although not like Rooney’s excessive of breaking his duck in 2003, poor Lewis’ massive day was ruined by a ridiculously harsh VAR name.
However that farcical determination apart, there was greater than sufficient from {the teenager}’s show right here to see why there’s a lot buzz surrounding him.
And why it isn’t past the realms of chance that he goes to the Euros subsequent summer time.
Manchester Metropolis’s whizkid grew to become the seventeenth youngest starter in his nation’s historical past as he crammed in at left-back in the future shy of his nineteenth birthday, which he celebrates as we speak.
Rooney nonetheless holds the document aged 17 years 160 days towards Australia at Upton Park again in February 2003.
However Wazza didn’t internet his first aim for England till seven months later in a 2-1 win at what was identified again then because the Metropolis Park Stadium.
It was the primary of a trail-blazing 53 for his nation, a feat later surpassed by Harry Kane, who had the uncommon expertise of beginning a qualifier on the bench right here.
Who is aware of if Lewis can have wherever close to the sort of worldwide affect Rooney had or Kane continues to be having.
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There have been others even youthful than the Bury lad to start out for England whose star shortly misplaced its shine after such a vivid starting, like Micah Richards, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Jadon Sancho.
However given how blown away Pep Guardiola has been with the versatile teenager, dubbing him among the best he has ever coached, the hype is comprehensible.
Lewis has mentioned he sees his finest place as a No8 in midfield.
But with Gareth Southgate going through a dearth of left-backs, that was the place he lined up final night time, on the team-sheet a minimum of.
In actuality, Lewis performed as a central attacking midfielder at occasions when England had the ball, in an analogous method to how Ange Postecoglou deploys Future Udogie for Tottenham.
Communicate to individuals near Lewis and so they speak of his self-confidence, which is powerful although not bordering on vanity.
That was clear from the off, whether or not it’s how blissful he was to obtain possession in tight areas, tackle pictures when alternatives arose and even how gave an encouraging high-five to Declan Rice after the Arsenal man had gained a throw-in.
Heck, even how he cheekily booted the ball into an empty internet after the whistle had gone after the break.
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Lewis appeared a pure match at this stage, exhibiting why he’s the primary participant to leapfrog the Beneath-21s, barring the odd cap, to the seniors since Jude Bellingham.
Kyle Walker, his Metropolis team-mate and England captain for the night time, allowed Lewis to carry the England pennant for the crew photograph earlier than exchanging it with Macedonian skipper Enis Bardhi earlier than kick-off.
Bardhi was then the beneficiary of the weird VAR-assisted name to deem Lewis to have caught Aberdeen striker Bojan Miovski within the face whereas profitable a header, firing dwelling the ensuing penalty after his preliminary strike had been saved.
Lewis had achieved nothing improper, leaping with eyes just for the ball, and his efficiency didn’t deserve such a call.
Nobody outdoors of Metropolis’s academy had heard of Lewis over the past Euros.
He solely made his membership debut final August.
However given what an asset he appeared right here, his versatility and Southgate’s left-back points, being on the airplane to Germany in seven months would now not be an enormous shock.