Rio Ngumoha will not feature for England when they open their UEFA Nations League campaign against Spain at Wembley on Saturday evening, despite being part of Thomas Tuchel's full squad earlier this month.

The Liverpool forward, 18, was omitted from the matchday squad for the fixture against the reigning world and European champions, who kick off at 19:45 BST.

A rapid rise to prominence

Ngumoha's journey to the fringes of the senior England setup has been remarkable. He first came to national attention last summer when he was among five supplementary players invited to join the senior squad's pre-World Cup training camp in Florida.

During that trip, Ngumoha was handed an unexpected debut in a 1-0 friendly victory over New Zealand, delivering an impressive second-half cameo that made him the fifth youngest player ever to wear an England shirt.

His rise at club level has been equally swift. He became the youngest player in Liverpool's history to start a first-team match when he lined up in the FA Cup against Accrington Stanley during the 2024-25 season — just 16 years old at the time.

He then made his Premier League bow in unforgettable fashion, scoring a stunning late winner in Liverpool's 3-2 comeback victory at Newcastle United last season.

Limited minutes at Liverpool so far this season

The teenager has featured three times in the league for Andoni Iraola's Liverpool this season, though only one of those appearances has come from the starting lineup. His involvement at international level will now have to wait a little longer, with Saturday's Nations League opener against Spain proceeding without him.