Somerset young footballers earn England chance

By Laura Linham 13th Jul 2026

Local News by Laura Linham 2 hours ago

Eighteen young people from Somerset are celebrating after a strong performance at a national football tournament led to two players being selected to represent England later this year. The group, made up of young people in care and care leavers, travelled to Milton Keynes to take part in the Pro Alliance Champions Cup at MK Dons Stadium.

Somerset was represented by two six-a-side teams in the national competition, which brings together care-experienced young people from local authorities across the country. In the county's first appearance at the tournament, both teams went unbeaten through the group stage before reaching the quarter-finals.

Among those taking part was Lewis, 17, who has played football since he was four and shares a love of the sport with his grandad. He said playing at MK Dons Stadium was more than he had expected from the day.

"MK Dons is a big stadium and a club you hear about, so getting the chance to play there was amazing," Lewis said. "I didn't really know what to expect. I thought it would just be a bit of fun, but when we got there, I realised how big the tournament was. There were loads of teams from all over the country and it was really competitive."

The opportunity was organised through Somerset Council's fostering service and delivered in partnership with Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership, known as SASP. The partnership provided two training sessions before the tournament, although Lewis was unable to attend and arrived without knowing any of his teammates.

Many of the players in his team were Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children, and the group had to overcome significant language barriers during the day. Lewis quickly took on a leadership role, helping teammates communicate on and off the pitch through football signals and support.

"A lot of the players in our team didn't speak much English, so we had to find different ways to communicate," Lewis said. "I used football signals and just tried to help everyone out. It was challenging at times, but we supported each other and were able to work as a team."

The team's performance was spotted by selectors during the tournament. Lewis and another young person from Somerset were invited to take part in an England v Wales representative fixture later this year, as well as a training experience at St George's Park, the official training ground of the England team.

Lewis said the moment he was selected came as a shock. He said: "After one of the matches, someone came up to me and asked if I was Mid-Somerset number three. They showed me their notes and asked if I'd like to play for England against Wales."

"I was shocked when they mentioned St George's Park and playing as part of an England team," he added. "It's an amazing opportunity and I'm really looking forward to it, but I don't think my mates believe me at the moment."

Cllr Heather Shearer, lead member for children, families and education at Somerset Council, said the council was proud of all 18 young people who represented the county. She said they had shown "fantastic sportsmanship" and had been "excellent ambassadors for the county".

"To reach the quarter-finals in our first year was a tremendous achievement, and for two players to go on and earn the opportunity to represent England makes it even more special," Cllr Shearer said. "The experience demonstrates the positive impact that sport can have in building confidence, developing skills and raising aspirations, and I'd also like to thank Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership for supporting our team."

Alex Lyons, young people's sport and physical development officer at SASP, led the team's training before the tournament and supported the players on the day. He described watching Somerset's young people compete in a 30,000-seat stadium as "something truly special".

"The lads represented Somerset brilliantly, both in training and on the day, showing fantastic attitude, support, and sportsmanship towards everyone," he said. "The football they played was outstanding, and the extra bonus of having two players selected to represent England made an unforgettable experience even more special."

Lewis is now looking forward to representing England himself later this year, while also cheering on the national side ahead of Saturday's quarter-final between Norway and England. He said: "England has had a hard run of fixtures but overcome them, Norway will be a tough game, but I think we will beat them quite comfortably."

Somerset Council said it hopes to continue working with SASP and partners to provide similar opportunities in the future. The council said anyone interested in supporting a vulnerable young person as a foster carer can learn more through Fostering in Somerset, with foster carers needing to be aged 21 or over and have a spare room in their home.