Archie Gray is seen by many as the future of Tottenham Hotspur, and it appears that he may be viewed similarly in the England set-up.Sometimes versatility can work against young players, as it perhaps does not allow them the chance to develop in their favourite role.That is what we have seen for Gray at Spurs since his switch from Leeds United in 2014, with the youngster having been used all across the backline rather than having the chance to learn the ropes in midfield.That has been the case this season too, with the youngster featuring as right-back, and he is likely to continue operating in that role over the coming weeks after Pedro Porro suffered a hamstring injury.Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty ImagesTottenham star Archie Gray captains England U21 for the first timeRoberto De Zerbi has named Gray as part of Spurs’ leadership group, and the youngster wore the captain’s armband in the club’s Premier League season opener against Brentford.That made the 20-year-old the youngest-ever player to captain Tottenham in a competitive fixture across the club’s history.England U21s have also recognised Gray’s leadership qualities, handing him the armband for the first time on Friday.The Young Lions were held to a 0-0 draw by the Slovaks at the Bet365 Stadium, even though they utterly dominated proceedings, having 16 shots to the away side’s four.Another Spurs academy graduate, Will Lankshear, who made the move to Middlesbrough in the summer, also made his first start for the U21s.Archie Gray captains England U21s for the first time and Will Lankshear – who I think we, #THFC, can still claim as one of our own – makes his first start at that level. https://t.co/YKFwShtUwS— George Sessions (@GeorgeSessions) October 2, 2026Another Spurs starlet is also captaining England’s age group sideFellow Tottenham youngster Mikey Moore has captained England’s U20s during the international break, and has played a starring role.The captain’s armband has not weighed heavily on the youngster, with Moore scoring two in two for England’s U20s in their recent wins over Italy and France.Additionally, Spurs academy defender Jun’ai Byfield has captained England at U17 and U18 level. It thus appears that the Hotspur Way academy system is producing plenty of leaders.READ MORE: ‘Tottenham was reborn’ – Sandro Tonali’s agent reveals how Spurs beat Man City in £100m raceThe post Tottenham star Archie Gray earns a career-first on duty with England U21s this week appeared first on Spurs Web.