Who was expecting to mark Jason Steele being called up by England off their 2026 Brighton bingo card? Not me.
Several Albion players had been put forward for an opportunity in the March internationals. Danny Welbeck, obviously. Dat Guy has hit double figure goals for the second season in succession as he ages like a fine Malbeck.
Lewis Dunk has enjoyed a decent season. Jack Hinshelwood would have been a left field choice having helped the Under 21s become European Champions last summer.
WAB even made the case as long ago as *checks notes* two days ago that Carl Rushworth should be considered by England for his performances on loan at Coventry City this season.
We were at least half-right about a Brighton goalkeeper getting an England call up – we just picked the wrong one in putting forward Rushworth over Jason Steele.
Every other football fan in England also seems to have been caught off guard by the announcement. Steele has been named by Thomas Tuchel in an extended 35 man squad for the March internationals against Uruguay and Japan.
Steele is one of five goalkeepers picked alongside Jordan Pickford, Dean Henderson (boo), Aaron Ramsdale and James Trafford. Which means his chances of making an international debut aged 35 look very slim.
But Steele is not there to usurp Pickford as number one. He has instead been called up for what be brings off the pitch, around the squad and on the training ground. And it might yet see him head to the World Cup this summer.
Thomas Tuchel on Jason Steele
Tuchel explained: “Jason is a particular one because we are planning to take four goalkeepers to the World Cup and the fourth goalkeeper has a special role.”
“So the three goalkeepers will compete and support each other for the matches. The fourth goalkeeper in the World Cup is then a specialist.”
“He will support the goalkeeper group. He will support the goalkeeper coach. He will support a penalty-taking group and take a lot of workload off the other shoulders. That’s why we need an experienced guy.”
It is a role which sounds tailor-made for Steele, who has earned a reputation as one of the best number two goalkeepers in the Premier League.
Steele has not played a Premier League game this season. But he has shone when called upon away from the bread and butter of top flight football.
He recorded clean sheets in the Carabao Cup against Oxford United and Barnsley. In the FA Cup, Steele was the best Brighton player on the pitch as the Albion won 2-1 against Manchester United in the third round.
Steele made two excellent saves inside the first 10 minutes, without which a famous victory at Old Trafford may not have been possible.
England call completes a whirlwind eight years for Jason Steele at Brighton
Even though his chances of playing are slim, just to be called up by England represents quite the career turnaround for Jason Steele since he joined Brighton in 2018.
Steele was initially signed as third choice behind Maty Ryan and David Button. The sort of box ticking exercise Premier League clubs like of acquiring an English goalkeeper with no intention of playing them but who counts towards the homegrown quota.
The idea of Steele actually appearing in the Premier League seemed scary at the time. Especially if you had watched Sunderland Till I Die.
Steele became an unwitting star of the documentary following the Black Cats as they were relegated from Championship to League One.
Things got so bad at the Stadium of Light that Steele was described as the second-worst goalkeeper in Sunderland history by the guys at Roker Report.
Yet here we are. Steele rebuilt his confidence and career at Brighton. Became a Roberto De Zerbi favourite. Helped the Albion finish in the top six and played Europa League football for the club. In the process, becoming one of the most popular players at Brighton.
And now he is in the England squad with a real chance of going to the World Cup. What a whirlwind eight years.
About The Author
