Vaughn Covil: England or the USMNT?

Vaughn Covil’s name may not ring a bell to most soccer fans, but two powerhouses already have his name on their books for the future. The Hull City player is back in action after suffering a cruciate ligament injury that kept him out of action for over 230 days. The 20-year-old winger - who plies his trade in the English Championship - has England and the United States battling it out to see who can convince him ahead of an international career.

Representing two countries

Born to an English father and an American mother, Covil is torn between one national team and the other, having already played for both. An international with England at U15 level, but then going on to represent the United States and even considering playing in last summer’s U20 World Cup (where he would have gone but for injury), Covil shared his hopes with The Athletic. “I’ve grown up in England, but there’s a lot of people rooting for me in America. So when I put on the shirt and go out to play, I’m an American. I sing the national anthem with a lot of pride and to put on the shirt and represent the 333 million people is a huge blessing and a privilege,” he said.

However, being born on American soil (California) and having more international caps at youth level means that the United States would have a slight advantage over England. “I know there might be a point of a decision, and it’s happened with players such as Folarin Balogun. My dad’s always going to want me to play for England — that won’t change. They say never close the door on anything. But, for me, I’m American and they’re the people who have shown they’re interested in me all the time. I can only pay that back by being loyal to them.”

Joining Hull

Covil’s career has been a rollercoaster of emotions. Starting out in Southampton’s academy at the tender age of 10, he had to wait six years for his first professional contract. At the age of 16, he made his professional debut with Forest Green in League Two before attracting the attention of Hull. In 2022 he signed for the Tigers but an unfortunate injury would keep him out of the spotlight his first year.

In August 2022, in a league game against Coventry City, Covil was stretchered off after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament and partially tearing his medial collateral ligament, saying goodbye to the season in the process. He has slowly but surely been making his way back, winning a bronze medal at the 2023 Pan American Games with the United States, and at 20, has time on his side to move forward with his career and the country of his choice.