First England cap for Jacob

Jacob Watson (5WAL) has returned to school from a football-filled summer, playing on two different continents and receiving his first England cap.

He began his summer of football in Northern Ireland where he played for the Manchester United Academy U17s.  

Jacob, who has been a Manchester United Academy player for more than ten years, joined the squad for the Northern Ireland Super Cup. Playing against teams from around the world, he followed in the footsteps of the likes of Marcus Rashford, David Beckham and Paul Scholes who also played in the prestigious tournament early on in their careers. 

In August, Jacob travelled with Manchester United to Hong Kong where the U16s were hosted by the Hong Kong Jockey Club at the JC Youth Football Academy Summit.

Aiming to promote sportsmanship and cultural exchange, the Manchester United players spent time with local players before playing two matches in front of crowds in excess of 6,000 people. The tour gave Jacob a fantastic experience of playing on a truly international stage, as well as an opportunity to explore Hong Kong.

Shortly after returning from Asia, Jacob ended the summer on a real high when he pulled on an England shirt to represent his country in Italy. He spent eight days with the England Men’s U16s, playing two friendly matches and proudly receiving his first England cap in Rome. 

Director of Sport, Richard Lunn, congratulated Jacob on a successful summer. He said: “We are incredibly proud of Jacob; to earn his first England cap at 15 is fantastic. 

“Jacob is a very talented player who, alongside his other footballing commitments, also proudly represents King’s; we are delighted that he will be playing with our first XI this year.”