Manchester City wonderkid Nico O'Reilly has been making waves for both club and country this season.
The 20-year-old only made his first Premier League start in April but was deservedly rewarded with his first England call-up in October. His senior Three Lions debut then came in the victory against Serbia at Wembley last week, and he impressed in a performance that will certainly put him in contention for Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad. His outing in Albania also would have done his chances no harm.
He has become a first-team regular under Pep Guardiola at City despite facing stern competition for places, capping off a remarkable rise from youth prospect to an undroppable over a period of just 12 months. Since making his senior bow in 2024, O'Reilly has been converted into a flying full-back, bristling with attacking intent and defensive nous.
It is no wonder, then, that he has been tipped to play a big role for England over the next decade, while he will hold equally big ambitions in the Premier League. Fortunately, there are plenty of role models he can strive to match, and now, he has named some of them in his all-time English top-flight XI. Here are his picks...
GK: Joe Hart
Appearances: 340
Joe Hart
O'Reilly put City and England legend Joe Hart between the sticks, labelling him a "great keeper".
Hart, now a distinguished pundit and frequent guest on Match of the Day, made 348 appearances for the club over his 12-year spell, having joined from Shrewsbury in 2006 for a meagre £600,000 fee. He eventually became City's undisputed No 1 and was renowned for his acrobatic, eye-catching saves.
Playing a crucial role, he won the Premier League twice at the Etihad, as well as the FA Cup and the League Cup. On the international stage, Hart was capped 75 times by England before hanging up his gloves in 2024.
RB: Kyle Walker
Appearances: 421
Kyle Walker celebrating Manchester City win
Kyle Walker celebrating Manchester City win
Kyle Walker is certainly not a bad example to follow as O'Reilly looks to become an all-rounder at full-back. He was vital in the most successful period in City's history, making 319 appearances in total and winning a host of trophies.
In total, he lifted 18 major gongs, including six Premier League titles, the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, the Club World Cup, two FA Cups, four League Cups and two Community Shields. Walker was also frequently named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year by his peers, courtesy of his lung-busting performances on the right.
He was just as influential for England, playing 96 games and regularly starting at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, as well as the finals of Euro 2020 and 2024.
CB: John Stones
Appearances: 253
john stones
Despite the fact that his future at City is very much up in the air, John Stones was still able to join up with England for international duty and barely put a foot wrong, despite being given freedom to move into unfamiliar attacking positions, particularly against Albania. Justifying his selection, O'Reilly rightly pointed to the centre-back's impressive track record for his club, as well as the Three Lions.
Stones has not been a typical defensive-minded defender under Guardiola. Indeed, he has honed his passing range and often dropped into a midfield pivot to allow City to dominate possession, and these are traits that O'Reilly, a natural central midfielder, of course, will look to replicate.
CB: John Terry
Appearances: 492
john terry chelsea
What more needs to be said about John Terry? An inspirational leader, no-nonsense tackler and surprisingly effective fox in the box, the Chelsea great won five Premier League titles at Stamford Bridge, and 17 trophies in total - including the Champions League.
O'Reilly lauded him as a "legend" and a "great player", and to this day, Terry still stands tall as a shining beacon of defensive prowess. The numbers underpinning his lofty reputation are nothing short of remarkable. He made 492 top-flight appearances and kept 214 clean sheets, throwing his body on the line time and again.
LB: Ashley Cole
Appearances: 384
Ashley Cole looking on through the rain
Chelsea's Ashley Cole
Moving on to his left-back berth, O'Reilly waxed lyrical about Ashley Cole, declaring him: "A legend of the game, one of the best left-backs to play in the Premier League."
There won't be too many critics making an argument to the contrary. After all, Cole was a complete full-back and seamlessly balanced his defensive responsibilities while posing an attacking threat. It is no wonder, then, that he made almost 400 appearances in the top-flight after successful stints with both Arsenal and Chelsea.
Earlier this year, GIVEMESPORT even named Cole as the Premier League's greatest left-back, with his longevity giving him the edge over his competitors.
DM: Steven Gerrard
Appearances: 504
Steven Gerrard celebrates
O'Reilly opted for a deeper midfielder in his 4-3-3 formation and chose Steven Gerrard to act as the anchor for his superteam. Again, this legend needs no introduction.
He possessed everything needed to become a midfielder who would shake up the history books, including goals in his locker and unparalleled technical ability. He was particularly renowned for his silky passing ability, and often dropped the ball onto his team-mates' toes from ridiculous distances.
It is nothing short of a travesty that he never won the Premier League at Liverpool.
CM: Frank Lampard
Appearances: 611
Frank Lampard celebrates scoring for Chelsea
Slotting into the first No 8 spot is Frank Lampard. Arguably the finest player to grace the top-flight during the Premier League era, the iconic midfielder had it all: goals, assists and an unmatched aura that allowed him to drag his side through full-blooded battles on the pitch.
He chalked up over 600 appearances at the top of the game, placing him fourth on the all-time list, and netted more than 200 times on his way to an array of glittering trophies. Lampard is also the highest-scoring midfielder in the league, and has been outgunned by just four forwards, Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney, Andy Cole and Mohamed Salah.
If O'Reilly comes anywhere near matching some of Lampard's achievements over the next decade, he will surely go down as an undisputed legend at the Etihad.
CM: Phil Foden
Appearances: 201
phil foden
According to O'Reilly, Phil Foden can "achieve whatever he wants." Since bursting onto the scene at City in 2017, the 25-year-old has made over 200 appearances for his boyhood side and become a talisman at the Etihad. Clearly, he has no ceiling to his talent.
With six Premier League titles and the Champions League already tucked up safely in his belt, there doesn't appear to be much left for him to strive toward. But Foden has never been one to shy away from a challenge, and he will look to further cement his spot in the upper echelons of world football by scoring more goals and continuing to add to his already jam-packed trophy cabinet.
Who knows, perhaps he could even help England break their lengthy trophy duck at next summer's World Cup?
RW: Raheem Sterling
Appearances: 396
Carabao Cup and Raheem Sterling
On paper, O'Reilly could be accused of straying toward a City bias, but Raheem Sterling's selection here is justified. While his career has unfortunately lost all momentum over the past couple of seasons, the fact that he blessed the Premier League with his wing wizardry for so many years should never be forgotten.
Sterling was nothing short of unplayable on his day. He bullied Premier League full-backs with his trickery on the ball and sheer pace, and had a laser-focused eye for goal. He may have now been cast out by Chelsea, but O'Reilly chose to focus on his previous heroics during his seven-year spell in Manchester.
The stuff he did at City was crazy. Also for England, he's so quick, technical. When I first trained with him, he helped me out a bit.
ST: Wayne Rooney
Appearances: 491
Wayne Rooney after scoring against Manchester City
Wayne Rooney's tally of 208 Premier League goals is surpassed only by Alan Shearer and Harry Kane, and it is a fitting tribute to his legendary status that he remains firmly in conversations around the Premier League's greatest-ever players. He is arguably the finest Englishman to have graced the top-flight, too, so it is no surprise that O'Reilly has placed him up front.
Rooney was scintillating at Manchester United and deservedly boasts five league titles to his name, and the fact that O'Reilly did not hesitate in selecting him despite his United allegiance further highlights how his heroics even transcended rivalries.
LW: Jack Grealish
Appearances: 200
jack grealish
Now a man reborn at Everton, Jack Grealish is showing exactly why City splashed out £100million to sign him from Aston Villa back in August 2021. He has scored one goal and registered four assists since his move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium during the summer, and David Moyes is undoubtedly getting the best out of him.
All of a sudden, he is taking on full-backs at will and causing havoc in and around the penalty area, and looks to have rediscovered his joy for the game. This is only good news for England, too, although Rooney believes he will not be selected in Tuchel's World Cup squad. That would be a bitter blow, indeed.
All statistics collected viaTransfermarkt. Correct as of 17/11/2025**