Bournemouth Defender James Hill Receives First England Call-Up

Bournemouth defender James Hill has earned his first-ever call-up to the England senior squad. The 24-year-old center-back was added to manager Thomas Tuchel's roster ahead of Thursday's UEFA Nations League match against Croatia at Wembley Stadium.

Hill's inclusion comes as a defensive reinforcement following fitness concerns within the squad. Arsenal defender Ezri Konsa was ruled out of the upcoming fixture against Croatia after sustaining a knee injury during a Champions League match against Slavia Prague.

Although Konsa played the full 90 minutes in a victory over Hull over the weekend, he will sit out Thursday's game while following an individual training program. Team officials expect him to return to full training later in the week ahead of Sunday's match against Spain in Madrid.

Hill becomes the second late addition to England's central defense for the international break. On Sunday, Newcastle United defender Dan Burn was called up to replace Marc Guehi, who withdrew from the squad due to a hip injury sustained while playing for Manchester City.

Hill has enjoyed a strong run of form with Bournemouth, playing every minute of the club's Premier League campaign this season and featuring in every match of their Europa League run. His consistent performances have helped propel the Cherries to an eight-match winning streak across all competitions.

The defender has previous experience representing England at the youth level. He made four appearances for the Under-20 team between 2021 and 2022 and earned a single cap for the Under-21 squad during a match against Kosovo in June 2022.

With the latest additions, Hill will compete for a spot in central defense alongside fellow call-ups Dan Burn, Jarell Quansah, and Jarrad Branthwaite as England prepares for its upcoming international encounters.