London calling B Hylton for England’s U19 national team

CAROLINA ASCENT

Carolina Ascent player B Hilton, 17, of Charlotte has been called to play for England in the UEFA Women's U19 qualifier tournament. Hylton's father, Andy Hylton, a former Charlotte Eagles player, is British by birth, which qualifies her to join England's national team.

Arsenal, Aston Villa, Brighton, Bristol City.

Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham, Carolina Ascent. Which of these is not like the others?

B Hylton, a 17-year-old academy contract player for the Ascent, has been called up to play for England in the 2025 UEFA Women’s U19 qualifiers. She left training on Thursday for a flight to Europe. She will be the only athlete not based in England on the 20-player squad.

Though born and raised in Charlotte, Hylton is eligible to play for England through her father, Andy Hylton, a former Charlotte Eagles player. Hylton made her professional debut during the Ascent’s first match on Aug. 17 against DC Power to help close a 1-0 win. She earned her first start on Oct. 25 at Dallas Trinity FC. 

Hylton joins a bevy of teenage Ascent players who have played on national youth teams. Most recently, goalkeepers Molly Vapensky won bronze at the 2024 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic, while Charlotte Burge, 18, participated in a U.S. U20 training camp. Forward Stella Spitzer, 14, was called up for a USYNT U15 training camp in California. Jaida McGrew, 17, has been in U.S. U17 training camps.

Opeyemi Ajakaye, 19, was on the Nigeria side that advanced to the round of 16 in the 2024 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup and won bronze in the 2022 FIFA U17 World Cup. Isa Franco, 16, has previously represented Colombia on the youth level.

“B deserves this chance,” Ascent coach Philip Poole said. “I’m disappointed that she, at this point, has been overlooked by US Soccer. But you know, US Soccer’s loss is B's gain. I think there's a lot of young players like B in our league. There's three or four that are starting to kind of poke out, but B's been great in the environment.”

Hylton is ready for the challenge.

“This is my first call up so I’m really excited,” she said. “I don't really know what to expect, but I know it'll be a lot different because, because it's for England and not the U.S.”

Hylton was raised on Premier League soccer, which influenced her appreciation for the sport.

“Growing up I've really only ever watched English soccer In the Prem,” she said. “I never really watched MLS or really any American teams. My favorite soccer teams are all English. I love Manchester United and West Ham, so those are my teams, all English.

“It's weird because, I've done really well in high school and club and a lot of us young players have done well here in this environment, even if we're not necessarily getting game time. We've all done really well. I'm really curious to see what it's like overseas.”

The Young Lionesses first face Turkey on Nov. 27, before taking on Italy (Nov. 30) and wrapping up the first round against the hosts Poland (Dec. 3), who have already qualified for next summer’s finals as the host nation.

England is in competition for one of the remaining seven spots up for grabs at the European finals and will move on to the second round of qualification providing they finish in the top three of the four-team qualification group.

“It’s not easy to qualify for a European Championships. You have to be one of the best teams on the continent to do so,” said England U19 coach Lauren Smith. “We’re looking forward to the test and having the chance to play against three strong opponents who each present a different challenge. Playing in tournament finals is so important for young player development in international football, so we’re ready to give it our all to ensure we’re in the hat for the next round of qualifying.”

As the only player not based in Britain, it will be a unique experience for Hylton, who will be meeting her teammates for the first time. They are already a team in form, having recently beaten the Netherlands and Norway to be crowned champions of the Algarve Cup, in what was Smith’s first camp in charge.

Playing time will depend on how she meshes with the existing squad in training and how the team does in matches. Most definitely, just as with her club, her minutes will be earned.

As for what the experience can mean for her, Poole said, “It's a launch pad. Listen, no one has a crystal ball, right. There's no precursor to saying this is, they're on their way. There's a lot of hard work, there's a lot of ups and downs to go.

“B's a phenomenal footballer. She's a cerebral footballer. She loves the game. She watches the game outside of work, religiously. So she’s a footballer in her head. She thinks the game, she understands the game at a young age, and that, for me, is a really good indicator she's going to have a future.”

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