After a much heralded call-up to the England senior side during this international window, Thomas Tuchel wasted no time adding Everton midfielder James Garner to his starting XI.
The Three Lions will take on Uruguay this evening at Wembley Stadium, a matchup of two top-twenty teams according to FIFA's rankings. Both countries have already earned their place in the 2026 World Cup, with England playing in Group L and Uruguay in Group H.
Still, even if the outcomes of the matches don't matter, it will be an opportunity for players who have yet to see much, or any, of the pitch for Tuchel's England side. Garner is chief among them, along with Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford, who'll also make his debut for his country.
Whether or not Garner will have time to impact Tuchel's thoughts about his World Cup roster remains to be seen, especially since the England midfield is so jam-packed, with the likes of Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, and others filling up the spots.
But that doesn't mean that the Everton midfielder can't make a case for himself during this period, which also includes a contest against Japan at Wembley on Tuesday evening, even though the split nature of the squad (several players will join camp after today's match) may impact how much Garner sees the field.
In either case, Garner will hope this will be the beginning of a long career as part of the England side, something that continued growth as part of Everton's squad can help to shape. Garner only just turned 25, so he's got a chance to increase his name in Tuchel's estimation, leading into the 2030 World Cup in Morocco, Portugal, and Spain.
If nothing else, it's a major accomplishment for Garner to grab Tuchel's attention at this juncture, because it does suggest there's an outside shot he can make the cut for the World Cup roster, even if he isn't a regular starter or sees much of the pitch.
Tune in to watch the match on Fox Sports or Fox Sports 1 in the United States, or on ITV1 in the United Kingdom. Kickoff is in just a few minutes. Evertonians everywhere will be rooting for Garner's continued success and for him to play well today in the match.