Japan call up Wolverhampton talent Luke Rollings after switching from England

The Japan Football Association has successfully signed young talent Luke Rollings, a midfielder for Wolverhampton Wanderers, to its national teams project, after he became available to represent Japan instead of England at the international level, despite his previous appearances with England's youth teams.

Rollings was born in Tokyo, Japan on April 4, 2008, and is 18 years old. He plays as a defensive midfielder, excelling in the role of a pivot. Despite being born in Japan, his football career developed in England after joining Wolverhampton's academy when he was thirteen.

The player previously represented England at U16 and U17 levels, and played five matches with the U17 team, according to Wolverhampton. However, this experience did not prevent him from switching to represent Japan, as participation with youth teams does not necessarily mean a final commitment to the national team throughout the international career.

Rollings has shown remarkable development at Wolverhampton, having played his first match with the under-21 team in March 2024 when he was just 15 years old. He signed his first professional contract with the club in April 2025, before extending his contract for an additional year in April 2026, linking him to the club until June 2028.

The player has gained the trust of the coaching staff of the Under-21 team and has captained the side for long periods this season, after showing good performances in youth competitions. The club revealed in April that he participated in 33 matches with the Under-18 and Under-21 teams during the 2025-2026 season, in addition to being called up six times to the first team squad for Premier League and FA Cup matches, without having played an official match with the first team until that announcement.

In a new development, the Japan Football Association announced on November 9, 2026, the call-up of Rawlings to the Japan U19 national team for a friendly tour in the United States, which will take place in the city of Atalanta from November 9 to 18.

Japan is set to play three friendly matches during their camp, against the United States on November 12, Paraguay on November 14, and Colombia on November 16, giving the player the opportunity to appear in the Japan national team jersey for the first time, after his previous experience with England.