Tino Livramento: Newcastle United star says he’s in ‘best place’ possible as he discusses England ambition

Newcastle United right-back Tino Livramento has enjoyed a great start to life at St James’ Park, which has quickly seen him develop into one of the country's very best young full backs.

The 21-year-old, who arrived from Southampton in the summer of 2023, has already racked up 48 appearances in black and white gaining experience in Champions League nights along the way.

His form over the last few months has catapulted him ahead of Kieran Trippier into Newcastle’s starting line-up and has even seen him gain a place in the England set-up in the last two squads after the veteran’s retirement at international level.

Livramento has watched on from the subs bench in all of Lee Carsley’s four games in charge of the England senior team but has high hopes of picking up his first cap in the upcoming Nations League matches against Greece and the Republic of Ireland. The Croydon born youngster is no stranger to the England setup and has racked up 35 appearances across various age groups ranging from Under-15 to Under-21.

His international journey started as a 15-year-old back in 2016 and he has reflected fondly on the pathway that he’s made into the first team over the last six years.

Livramento told the England website: “The pathway is amazing. When you first get picked you’re meeting so many players from so many different areas of England. Obviously when you’re at a club in the south and you’re only 14 or 15, you don’t really play a lot of the northern teams so you don’t know too many of their players.

“All of sudden you’re seeing these players who are absolutely unbelievable! It seems crazy to think about that now. I was so young at the time that my parents would be the ones who would be told I was in the squad – my mum and dad would always know before me. You would know when the call would be coming so you’d be waiting nervously for that conversation.

“I’ve got so many happy memories from that time. The first time you put on an England shirt is just crazy. Even though you’re under-16, the feeling is just incredible. Coming through every age group and making an appearance for every one is something that I’m really proud of. There probably aren’t too many players who have done it, so it’s very special. The people you meet and the coaches you have all the way through, they’re the memories that really stay with you.” 

Livramento is the latest in a long line of talented England right-backs which include Kyle Walker, Reece James, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ben White and the now retired Trippier.

The Newcastle star has always maintained his passion for the position since his days in the Chelsea academy and has praised the work that Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall have put into improving his defensive work in recent months.

He said: “I’ve always had that defensive instinct. When I was a kid, I would love tackling someone and then passing it. I wasn’t really that bothered about going forward too much. Even now, I still enjoy the defensive side of being a full-back, even though I get forward a lot more.

“In the Premier League, you’re coming up against quality players week after week. That defensive work was one of the areas that Eddie [Howe] and Jason [Tindall] wanted me to work on when I first went to Newcastle. If I can keep improving and keep taking on board what they’re telling me then I think that’s definitely going to help me as a player. 

“I would do athletics at primary school, and I’ve always been quite quick – my mum still probably has all my medals from sports day. I moved house the other day and she asked me if I wanted them. I told her she could keep them at home!”  

Livramento left his boyhood club Chelsea to complete a move to Southampton in 2021. He enjoyed an impressive debut season with the Saints but missed almost the entirety of his second year with an ACL injury.

“The goal was always to be playing in the Premier League as early as possible,” he says.

 “I left Chelsea and got that experience straight away at Southampton. I had some tough times with injuries but the club and the fans were great to me. Now I’m at a place I absolutely love – the atmosphere, the supporters, the manager, it feels like I’m in a great place at Newcastle. I’m in the best place I could be to learn and develop as a footballer.”

Lee Carsley will pick his final squad as interim England boss on Thursday 7 November before Thomas Tuchel’s arrival as Three Lions boss in January. Livramento will be hopeful of making the team after a tremendous display against Arsenal alongside fellow Chelsea academy graduate Lewis Hall.

The pair made a total of seven tackles between them and were not dribbled past throughout the entire 90 minutes as the Magpies restricted the title chasing side to just one shot on target.