World Cup 2026: Alex Scott’s England call-up a proud moment for Guernsey – Matt Le Tissier

Premier League legend Matt Le Tissier believes Alex Scott being called up for England duty last night was a proud moment for his native Guernsey – and Non-League football as a whole.

Scott – one of a quartet of Thomas Tuchel’s ‘training players’ out in Miami – was expected to make his national team debut last night as the Three Lions took on New Zealand in a World Cup warm-up.

It completes a whirlwind rise to the top for the 22-year-old, who started his career playing for the Green Lions of Guernsey FC before reaching the dizzy heights of the Premier League with Bournemouth, via a three-year spell at Bristol City.

If Scott was to get on the pitch, as The NLP went to press, then he would become only the second Guernsey player to represent England and the first since 1997 when Le Tissier won his eighth and final cap.

Progression

The Southampton legend has closely followed Scott’s career after being alerted of his talent by his brother Mark Le Tissier, who was chairman of Guernsey FC for over six years.

“Mark spoke very highly of him,” Le Tissier, now an associate director at Southern League Premier South side Sholing, told The NLP.

“I saw him play a couple of times and have watched his career at Bristol City and then at Bournemouth.

“It’s been wonderful to see his progression and I can only see him getting stronger and stronger and better and better as he gets older.”

Scott is one of four of England’s World Cup “training players” – along with Fulham’s Josh King, Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha and Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri – but is the only one who can be promoted to the full squad in case of injury.

BIG STAGE: Alex Scott training with England in Florida
PICTURE: Alamy

Call-up

Le Tissier believes the Channel Islander can feel aggrieved not to have made the squad outright after an excellent season at the Vitality Stadium, but believes his recognition is a victory for the strength of the English pyramid.

“He’s probably another one of those guys whose form perhaps warranted a call-up – I know he’s very close,” he added.

“Indeed, if there’s any injuries to any of the midfielders, then I think he’s the first cab off the rank to jump into the squad.

“It would be great to see him make his international debut because we haven’t had a player from Guernsey play for England since 1997 I believe, so that would be great.

“I watched him play for Bournemouth against Brentford a few weeks back and I was really impressed with his game.

“He’s a really good player and came from Non-League through Guernsey FC so it would be amazing for him to go on that journey all the way up to the national team.”

Next week, Matt Le Tissier talks England and Sholing