Credit: Imago

Harri Burton

Sat 28 March 2026 17:45, UK

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Harvey Barnes was finally rewarded for his Newcastle United form as the winger made an appearance in England’s clash with Uruguay.

The 28-year-old was not included in Thomas Tuchel’s original squad, but after Eberechi Eze was ruled out through injury, his services were required for friendly fixtures against Uruguay and Japan.

Although he didn’t start on Friday, 27 March, he replaced Marcus Rashford for the final 20 minutes at Wembley Stadium, playing for the Three Lions for the first time since October 2020.

Eddie Howe will hope the tricky winger returns fully fit for Newcastle’s clash with Crystal Palace after the international break, and his confidence should be at an all-time high after returning to the pitch for England.

Harvey Barnes returns to England for the first time in six years

He last played for England in a friendly against Wales nearly six years ago, but with 14 goals and five assists, Tuchel rightly gave him the chance to prove himself on the international stage again.

Taking to Instagram (28 March), Barnes wrote: “Loved being back out there,” with an England flag, triggering a response from Bruno Guimaraes, who simply commented with a red heart emoji.

Jake Livermore also replied, writing, “Love it, mate,” while England and Newcastle fans came together to congratulate the player on his substitute appearance against Uruguay.

There was talk of Barnes switching allegiances to Scotland. However, it is pretty clear that he only wants to play for the Three Lions, with every chance of being on the plane for the 2026 World Cup.

How did the Newcastle United star perform vs Uruguay?

It was an indifferent display from the 28-year-old, with Uruguay keeping a lot of the ball in the closing stages while attempting to find an equaliser at Wembley.

Of course, that finally came from the penalty spot. Fede Valverde stepped up after Ben White was punished for a kick on Federico Vinas, with the game ending in a 1-1 draw.

It still would have been a good experience for the winger, given that he’s been away from the national team for quite some time, and it would have been an important moment ahead of the World Cup.

If he has any chance of joining the squad this summer, he needs to impress in the upcoming friendly against Japan, but it remains to be seen if he’ll be given the minutes to do so.