6 Levi Colwill

Levi Lamar Samuels Colwill (born 26 February 2003) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Chelsea and the England national team.

Early and Personal Life

Colwill was born in Southampton, Hampshire, on 26 February 2003.[3][4] His uncles, Barry and Byron Mason, won the 2014 FA Vase final with Sholing, with Colwill walking out as a mascot at Wembley Stadium.[5] Another uncle, Daniel Mason, also plays for Sholing and works for Southampton.[6][7]

Club Career

Chelsea Academy and Early Career

Colwill joined Chelsea at under-nine level,[2] having previously played for Sunday League team City Central alongside Jamal Musiala.[8] He signed his first professional contract with Chelsea in February 2020, on his 17th birthday.[2]

Loan to Huddersfield Town

On 25 June 2021, Colwill joined Championship club Huddersfield Town on loan for the 2021–22 season.[9] He made his debut on 1 August in a 4–2 penalty shoot-out win against Sheffield Wednesday in the EFL Cup[10] and played his first league match on 7 August in a 1–1 away draw with Derby County.[11] On 21 August, he scored his first professional goal in Huddersfield’s 2–1 win at Sheffield United.[12] During the season, Colwill struggled with ankle, knee, and hip injuries, as well as COVID-19.[5] On 29 May 2022, he scored an own goal in Huddersfield’s 1–0 loss to Nottingham Forest in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.[13]

Loan to Brighton & Hove Albion

On 5 August 2022, Colwill joined Brighton & Hove Albion on loan for the 2022–23 season.[14][15] He made his debut on 7 August in a 2–1 win against Manchester United, coming on as a stoppage-time substitute.[16] He earned his first Premier League start on 13 November in a 2–1 home defeat to Aston Villa.[17] Colwill played a key role in Brighton’s historic qualification for the UEFA Europa League, making 13 league starts.[18] On 1 June 2023, Chelsea rejected a £30 million bid from Brighton for Colwill.[19] He later praised Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi for his influence on his development.[20]

Return to Chelsea

On 2 August 2023, Colwill signed a six-year contract with Chelsea, with an option for an additional year.[21][22] He made his official debut on 13 August, playing the full match in a 1–1 home draw against Liverpool in the opening game of the 2023–24 Premier League season.[23] On 3 December, he scored his first Chelsea goal in a 3–2 victory over Brighton.[24] Three days later, he captained Chelsea for the first time in a 2–1 loss to Manchester United.[25] Throughout the first half of the season, he was often deployed as a left-back.[26]

International Career

Youth Career

Colwill won the Syrenka Cup with England U17 in 2019.[27] He debuted for the England U19s on 10 November 2021, captaining the side in a 4–0 win over Andorra in the UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualifiers.[28] Six days later, he scored his first goal for the U19s in a 2–0 win against Sweden.[29]

On 27 August 2021, Colwill received his first England U21 call-up.[30] He made his debut on 25 March 2022 in a 4–1 win over Andorra.[31] He played a key role in England’s 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship triumph, starting five of six matches as England won the tournament without conceding a goal.[33][34] He praised the team’s strong camaraderie.[35]

Senior Career

Colwill was first called up to the England senior squad in June 2023 for a UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier against Malta.[36][37] On 31 August, he received another call-up for matches against Ukraine and Scotland.[38] He made his senior debut in a friendly against Australia on 13 October.[39]

After being named in the November 2023 squad, he withdrew due to injury.[40][41][42][43] Although he was not selected for UEFA Euro 2024, he returned to the England squad for the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League, making his first competitive senior appearance against the Republic of Ireland on 7 September 2024.[44]

Style of Play

Colwill primarily plays as a centre-back but is also comfortable as a left-back or wing-back. He is a ball-playing defender known for his composure in possession.[2] He has been compared to Chelsea legend John Terry due to his academy background, playing style, and wearing the No. 26 shirt during the 2023–24 season.