The clubs that made England - and the players being inspired to follow them (2024)

Millions dream of it, thousands have the talent to make it, hundreds get anywhere near it — but, on Sunday, only 26 people will live it.

Twenty-six footballers form the squad that will represent England in the final of a major tournament, the first to do so on foreign soil.

Each one has a story to tell, a journey that has involved huge sacrifices and dedicated devotion. None of them are there on talent alone — and none would have made it without the people or the clubs who helped guide them.

Here, The Athletic pays tribute to the clubs that made the players, nurtured them, taught them and gave them their big opportunity.

From Carlisle United to Manchester City, from Barnsley to Liverpool, we also spoke to players from the next generation, the players dreaming of being the next Ollie Watkins or the next John Stones, to ask them what it means to have heroes who have trodden the same path they now hope to take.

These are the clubs that made England — and the players being inspired to follow them.

Jordan Pickford, goalkeeper

Jordan Pickford was eight when he joined Sunderland’s academy, initially trying his hand as a midfielder or a defender. His technical ability had been noted by the club’s scouts, along with the athleticism that made him an accomplished cross-country runner at St Robert of Newminster Catholic School in Washington.

The nickname “Speedy” was taken on but Sunderland always had other plans for Pickford. He soon became a committed goalkeeper, working under academy coach Mark Prudhoe and climbing the age groups of the club he religiously followed with his older brother, Richard.

Pickford was rewarded with his first professional contract in 2011 and, a year later, he began a loan odyssey that would lead him to the Premier League. Sunderland saw little benefit in their highly rated and notoriously confident ‘keeper playing under-age football. The sense was always that bigger things beckoned.

A teenage Pickford played non-League football for Darlington and Alfreton Town before joining Burton Albion, Carlisle United, Bradford City and Preston North End.

The last of those proved Pickford’s abilities in the Championship and a Premier League debut with Sunderland ensured he had played in the top five levels of English football by the age of 21.

The majority of Pickford’s senior career has been played at Everton but one of his England shirts takes pride of place, alongside one donated by Jordan Henderson, in the reception of Sunderland’s Academy of Light training centre.

Matty Young
Sunderland Under-18s, goalkeeper
Age: 18
Born: Durham

“Jordan is an inspiration to all of us young goalkeepers.We all have dreams of playing for our country one day and knowing he started his journey at the Academy of Light gives us the belief that we can do the same.

“I know Jordan was mentored by ‘Pruds’ (Mark Prudhoe), who is still here giving us support every day.

“Having a first loan move to Darlington, just like he did in 2012, was a great start for me in men’s football. It gives you the experience and exposure to push on and try and reach the top just like he has.

“I learn a lot analysing his game. There is so much you can talk about with his technique and skill — but his desire to keep the ball out the net is truly inspiring.”

Phil Buckingham

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Aaron Ramsdale, goalkeeper

Born and raised in Stoke, Aaron Ramsdale was with Bolton Wanderers’ academy until his release at 15.

It was at Sheffield United where his talents blossomed but Ramsdale is the first to admit he was yet to fully develop physically when he arrived in South Yorkshire. His first year as a scholar was nothing special, either, with then-academy manager Mick Wadsworth later describing it to The Athletic as “average”.

Things changed markedly in the second year, with his decision-making and kicking game becoming a key part of the team’s approach. Wadsworth had also worked with Joe Hart at Shrewsbury Town and felt Ramsdale could emulate him and play for England.

A loan spell at a National League-bound Chesterfield helped toughen his character and Bournemouth made an £800,000 ($1m at today’s rates) offer in January 2017, taking Ramsdale to a Premier League club at 18.

Two and a half years later, Ramsdale returned to United for an inflation-busting £18.5million. He stayed for a season, clocking up a third career relegation in the process after also going down with Chesterfield and Bournemouth. He joined Arsenal for £26million in 2021 and, though he has fallen behind David Raya in the pecking order, he remains a hugely popular member of the squad for club and country.

Luke Faxon
Sheffield United Under-21s, goalkeeper
Age: 19
Born: Sheffield

Richard Sutcliffe

Dean Henderson, goalkeeper

Growing up in Cumbria, there was only one team Dean Henderson wanted to play for — Carlisle United.

He joined the Brunton Park youth setup at the age of eight, having been bitten by the football bug as a youngster in neighbouring Whitehaven when playing with his elder brothers.

This meant often being forced to go in goal, even though his preferred position was striker. Henderson was offered two school-of-excellence contracts by Carlisle — one as a goalkeeper and the other as an outfield player. The decision was his, and he wisely chose to wear the gloves.

Henderson developed quickly and was snapped up by Manchester United at 14. He kept progressing through the age groups before senior football beckoned via a series of loan moves. One of those brought a first-team debut at his beloved Carlisle, albeit in the colours of Grimsby Town.

Successful loans with Shrewsbury and Sheffield United helped to earn the Cumbrian a chance at Old Trafford. He made 13 league appearances for United and has since appeared in the Premier League for Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace, whom he joined permanently last summer for £15million.

Thomas Randall
Carlisle United academy, goalkeeper
Age: 17

“It’s fantastic to see a player like Dean Henderson in the England squad with him being from Cumbria and having played in the Carlisle United academy the same as me. It gives us younger players someone to look up to and sets a standard that we can aim to reach ourselves.

“It shows that there is an open pathway if you are willing to work hard and listen to people giving you advice.

“This gives us all hope that we can follow in his footsteps.”

Richard Sutcliffe

Kyle Walker, defender

Spotted by Sheffield United at 11, Walker may have been “about 3ft 2in tall” but he made a big impression when switching from his usual striker role to full-back.

He did such a good job in shackling the opposition left-back that day he never went back up front.

Born in Sheffield, Walker joined United’s youth setup at seven — but it was the switch to defence that proved the catalyst for a stellar career. Walker went on to make his first-team debut at 18 before moving to Tottenham Hotspur in 2011 alongside Kyle Naughton for a combined £9million.

Since then, there’s been another big-money move to Manchester City for £45million, plus a host of trophies, including six Premier League titles, four League Cups, two FA Cups and the 2023 Champions League.

Jack Waldron
Sheffield United Under-21s, defender
Age: 18
Born: Sheffield

Richard Sutcliffe

Kieran Trippier, defender

Kieran Trippier arrived at the City academy at nine and was part of a vintage age group that also included Ben Mee, Dedryck Boyata, Vladimir Weiss and Daniel Sturridge, who have all played top-level football.

Trippier, from Bury, started in midfield but moved to right-back partly due to his incredible ball-striking technique, particularly when crossing. Youth coaches at the time remember his ability to play long or short as well as crossing the ball accurately while on the run, making him an ideal candidate for a wide position.

He continued to play school football for Woodhey High School Ramsbottom, on the advice of former City academy director Jim Cassell, to keep his feet on the ground.

He has been tipped for a future managerial role by those who worked with him and he showed those leadership qualities early in his career.

He played one friendly match for City, against Barcelona, but, like some other City academy graduates, he was deemed surplus to requirements by then-manager Roberto Mancini. He picked up his career at Burnley and never looked back, playing in the Champions League for Tottenham Hotspur, Atletico Madrid and Newcastle United. He has won 54 caps for England.

Lakyle Samuel
Manchester City Elite Development Squad, right-back/centre-back
Age: 18
Born: Manchester

“It’s amazing to see this England team reach the Euros final. Watching Kieran Trippier — a player in my position who came through the City Academy and is performing so well on the biggest stage — is really inspiring.

“I can’t wait to watch the final. I’ll be cheering them on.”

Sam Lee

John Stones, defender

The ‘Barnsley Beckenbauer’ has become a mainstay of the England team at centre-back but started his professional career in less glamorous circ*mstances. After coming through the academy at his hometown club — Oakwell is just eight miles down the road from where Stones grew up in Thurlstone, South Yorkshire — he was thrown into first-team football with Barnsley in a relegation fight.

Stones showed his work rate and good technical ability on the ball even at an early age after being encouraged to play possession-based football by academy coaches. Sergio Busquets and other stars from Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona team were key reference points for a young Stones, who has become a leading man under Guardiola at Manchester City.

Exposure to Championship football at a young age put him on Everton’s radar in 2013, and he joined for £3million. Across 95 appearances for Everton, Stones impressed in the Premier League and earned a nomination for the 2014 Golden Boy award for Europe’s best under-21 player.

There was interest from Chelsea but Stones moved to City for £47.5million, making him the second-most expensive defender in history at the time (August 2016) behind David Luiz. Sixteen trophies have followed, including the treble in 2022-23, as Stones has shown himself to be a smart operator and far more than just a centre-back.

His hybrid role between defence and midfield brought plaudits last season and he has been crucial for Gareth Southgate since being handed his senior England debut in 2014.

Oliver Wilkinson
Barnsley Under-18s, central defender
Age: 15
Born: Leeds

“It’s a great feeling knowing that the pathway is there. Coming through Barnsley’s academy, in the same position, it’s a great feeling. Hopefully, I can follow in his footsteps.

“John’s composure on the ball, willingness to defend — he’s someone I model my game on.”

Nancy Froston

Ezri Konsa, defender

Ezri Konsa has enjoyed a swift rise after breaking into the Charlton Athletic first team eight years ago but has stayed humble and thankful for the club that gave him his break.

“He’s so easy to keep in touch with,” said Steve Avory, Konsa’s academy director at Charlton Athletic. “If we ask Ezri to do anything, he is only too willing to cooperate. A year ago, one of my other coaches asked Ezri to get involved in a parents’ evening and send a video message to the players. I sent him a text after his England call-up and he responded immediately.”

Konsa, who grew up in Newham, east London, started at Senrab, the Sunday league football club with a history of schooling young footballers such as John Terry, Sol Campbell and Ledley King.

Konsa is the middle child of three siblings, with a younger sister and an older brother. His father is Congolese and his mother is Angolan. Konsa credits his older brother, Antonio, for steering him away from trouble.

“My area was rough. Proper rough,” Konsa told The Athletic in 2020. “You heard a lot about kids getting stabbed and things like that, so football helped me, 100 per cent.”

After joining Charlton aged 10, Konsa progressed through the academy to the first team, where his performances caught the eye of Brentford. From there, he followed manager Dean Smith to Aston Villa, where he has become one of Unai Emery’s most reliable players.

He slotted in effortlessly in his start against Switzerland in the quarter-final and his career is continuing to follow an upward trajectory.

Alan Mwamba
Charlton Athletic Under-18s, defender
Age: 17
Born: Croydon, London

“Seeing him and where he is, it’s a big encouragement and inspiration. Knowing that he was once in this position, it makes me feel like I could do the same and progress like he did.

“It shows that everyone’s time is different. As long as you put in the hard work, put the yards in, it will happen eventually. That’s what he’s shown.

“My journey so far has not been easy either, but I’ve been able to do the same, on a lower level obviously. Seeing him drives you to do the same and prove people wrong.”

“I see Konsa in myself because he never stopped working hard. His journey probably wasn’t the best, but he didn’t stop. And this is the outcome, which is great.”

Tom Burrows

Marc Guehi, defender

Marc Guehi’s exemplary attitude, strong capability on the ball and humbleness all stood out from an early age at Cray Wanderers.

“He was so serious and determined,” says Steve Owen, who coached him for four years and then brought him into Chelsea’s pre-academy at under-eight level. “He’s very focused. I’m still looking at the same player I had as a kid. He had an old head at a young age.”

Those few years at Cray with Owen were the beginning of a career that has continued to blossom. He progressed at Chelsea, where he was instrumental in the success of their academy sides, captaining them throughout age groups. His staunch defending provided many clean sheets alongside best friend Conor Gallagher in midfield.

Then, after a successful 18 months on loan in the Championship with Swansea City, the time came to move into senior football in the Premier League with Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021.

He has since thrived, taking the captaincy under Patrick Vieira, establishing himself as one of the best defenders in the division thanks to an excellent partnership with Joachim Andersen and now impressing on the international stage with the England senior team.

Matt Woosnam

Lewis Dunk, defender

There is a turning point in the journey of every player. That moment came early in the career of Lewis Dunk.

As a 12-year-old Brighton boy, Dunk made regular trips to south London with his dad, Mark, a former midfielder at non-League clubs in Sussex, for training sessions with Wimbledon.

It was more attractive to play for the 1988 FA Cup winners back then than for his hometown club. Brighton were nearly relegated from the Football League in 1997, they were homeless for the next two years and had to rebuild a youth system after returning to the city in 1999 at Withdean Stadium, a converted athletics track.

Fate played a helping hand. In 2003, Wimbledon made a controversial move to Milton Keynes, subsequently becoming MK Dons.

Wimbledon had to release all their players up to the under-14s age group. Brighton seized their chance to secure of the lad they had known about through representing Brighton primary schools. They signed Dunk as an under-12.

He made his debut at the age of 18 in the third tier, coincidentally against MK Dons, in 2010. He has gone all the way through with the club to the Premier League, becoming captain in 2019 and leading them into their first European campaign last season.

Andy Naylor

Luke Shaw, defender

Given his struggles with injury and his lack of England caps as a result (33 in the past 10 years) it is easy to forget what a star Shaw was at a young age.

The left-back grew up in Surrey and played at a Chelsea development centre in Guildford as a child, but Chelsea, the club Shaw supported, turned him down for an academy place aged eight.

He joined Southampton instead and progressed through their academy, signing a five-year contract on his 18th birthday.

Shaw, who idolised Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole, had already made 29 first-team appearances at that point despite Southampton being a Premier League side. He was the latest of a large number of future internationals to come through their youth setup, including Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott, Adam Lallana and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Shaw stayed with Southampton for one more season until 2014, the year he was nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award and named in the PFA Team of the Season, leading to Manchester United making 19-year-old Shaw the most expensive teenage footballer ever in a £30million deal (a record broken by Anthony Martial’s United move in 2015 and now held by Kylian Mbappe’s transfer to Paris Saint-Germain).

Shaw was already an England international having ousted Cole to be named in England’s 2014 World Cup squad in Brazil, where he was the tournament’s youngest player.

Shaw has since played more than 200 times for United, with injuries hampering him from making more.

Tim Spiers

Joe Gomez, defender

Joe Gomez overcame a series of serious injuries — setbacks that left him fearing for his career — to make this summer’s England squad.

The 27-year-old has fought back from tearing his anterior cruciate ligament, damaging his Achilles tendon, suffering a broken leg and rupturing his patella tendon.

Yet the quietly determined Gomez has remained an important part of the Liverpool setup that has enjoyed great success under outgoing manager Jurgen Klopp. His best friend, Aji Oluwo, told The Athletic that Gomez celebrated Liverpool’s famous victory over Barcelona in 2019 by playing Monopoly with his friends.

Like Konsa, his journey started at Charlton Athletic, close to where he grew up in Catford, south-east London. When Gomez joined the youth setup at under-10 level, coach Dave Chatwin recalled: “He wouldn’t take his coat off because he was so nervous.”

Yet Gomez’s quiet assuredness meant that, by the age of 17, he had made 24 appearances for Charlton’s first team, which led to his Liverpool move for £3.5million almost a decade ago.

He has since established himself in the England setup and won six major honours with Liverpool, including the Champions League and Premier League.

Ethan Brown
Charlton Athletic Under-18s, defender
Age: 17
Born: Croydon, London

“When you look at Gomez, he’s been in my position, in the under-18s squad, in the same team. Now he’s in a Euros final.

“It inspires me. It shows me that the sky is the limit, really.

“As a defender myself, it’s great to look at his pathway. He started here and he was here for a long time. To see him now playing in Liverpool’s first team, in the England squad, it’s so impressive.”

Tom Burrows

Kobbie Mainoo, midfielder

Kobbie Mainoo emerged on Manchester United’s radar when he was six at sessions in Moss Side put on by the club’s foundation. Manchester City were hovering, but when the time came to choose, the greater freedom of United’s sessions made up Mainoo’s mind. It helped that he was a United fan, too.

On his journey through the academy, he played just about every position further up the pitch than the one he currently occupies. There were spells as a centre-forward, a wide player, a No 10 and a box-to-box midfielder.

What has been consistent is a willingness to take the ball in tight spaces and a preternatural composure beyond his years. Those qualities led Erik ten Hag to re-profile Mainoo as a deep-lying No 6, capable of building up attacks and finishing them off.

This time last year, he was due to become a first-team regular but an ankle injury delayed his first league start until late November. Eight months on, he is likely to start a major tournament final for his country.

On their first week back in training, there has been a buzz among United’s academy players. Not just because of what Mainoo is achieving, but because of what it represents to those on the same journey.

“We’re blessed at this club that we have that kind of chain reaction, where one player goes in and drags the next one along,” says Nick Cox, United’s academy director. “That’s been happening for 90 years. Kobbie will be an inspiration but other boys who are close to where Kobbie’s at… the competitive side of them will be saying: ‘I want to do that too and I can be better.’”

Mark Critchley

Declan Rice, midfielder

Declan Rice has been earmarked as a future England captain, but the midfielder has endured many hurdles in his path to becoming one of Southgate’s key players.

Although he is the talent that West Ham United nurtured after he was released by Chelsea at 14, Rice feared a similar rejection at under-16 level.

Reece Oxford, now at Augsburg, was viewed as the academy’s best prospect. He played at centre-back, like Rice, and coaches were unsure if Rice was good enough to play in midfield.

But he proved his doubters wrong and in December 2015, just over a year after joining the academy, Rice signed his first professional contract with the club.

“At West Ham, I was the last person to be offered a scholarship,” said Rice. “I remember an under-18 match against Fulham. I was 16 and had to prove myself. Everyone else already had their scholarship. It was probably one of my best games. Knowing that every day I’d have to fight has made me into the person I am today.”

On February 13, 2019, a 20-year-old Rice switched international allegiance from the Republic of Ireland to England. Before making the decision, the midfielder was capped three times for Mick McCarthy’s senior side, while also receiving a combined total of 23 youth caps for the Republic of Ireland from under-16 to under-21.

Rice has made 57 appearances for England and has become a hugely important player. The 25-year-old has exceeded expectations since joining Arsenal last summer for £105million. He could not help Arsenal win the Premier League in his debut season, but may have better luck tomorrow with the national team.

Roshane Thomas

Jude Bellingham, midfielder

Jude Bellingham was born and raised in Stourbridge, a market town in the old industrial heartland of the urban Black Country.

Stourbridge has been known for centuries for its glass making, appropriate given the ceiling Bellingham smashed through when he was still just a boy.

He started playing at seven for Stourbridge Juniors, a team coached by his father, Mark, a former police sergeant who scored more than 700 goals as a striker at 15 non-league clubs, including Stourbridge’s first team.

Bellingham wrote in an end-of-year school book that, when he grew up, he wanted to be a professional footballer for England. That journey started to take shape from his first involvement with England’s youth ranks at 13.

He had joined the Birmingham City academy five years earlier and played for their under-18s at 14 and their under-23s at 15, making his first-team debut aged 16 years and 38 days in August 2019.

Pep Clotet gave him his debut. He later told The Athletic of Bellingham: “Paco Herrera (his assistant) said to me: ‘You know, there are people who are born to play football — and when they’re born to play football, they make things happen.’”

Bellingham made such a big impact that when he left for Borussia Dortmund a year later, having played 44 times, Birmingham retired his No 22 shirt. Why 22? Because Birmingham academy coach Mike Dodds had told him: “You can be a No 4, a No 8 and No 10 — someone who can do it all.”

He excelled at Dortmund in the Bundesliga, thrived in the Champions League and just kept raising the bar at Real Madrid.

His rapid rise from Birmingham to Madrid took just three years.

Tim Spiers

Trent Alexander-Arnold, midfielder

As a young boy growing up near Liverpool’s Melwood training ground, Trent Alexander-Arnold used to peer through a hole in the wall to watch his heroes.

Captain Steven Gerrard was his idol and he dreamed of following in the footsteps of the legendary midfielder.

Alexander-Arnold came to Liverpool’s attention when he was a six-year-old pupil at St Matthew’s Primary School in the Clubmoor area of the city. His name was pulled out of a hat to attend a summer camp at the Kirkby academy. After the first day, the coaches were so impressed they approached his mum, Dianne, and invited him to start training regularly there.

He briefly crossed the Mersey divide to train with Everton but Liverpool scout Ian Barrigan, who managed Alexander-Arnold’s Sunday league junior team Country Park, was pivotal in bringing him back into the fold. Their close bond continues to this day.

“Trent was always good as gold off the pitch but a terrible loser,” says Barrigan. “If he lost a game of tiddlywinks he would kick off!”

Jurgen Klopp handed him his debut in a League Cup tie against Tottenham Hotspur shortly after his 18th birthday in October 2016.

He was pivotal in cherished Champions League, Club World Cup and Premier League title triumphs — his quickly taken corner against Barcelona going down in Anfield folklore.

Last summer, he was appointed vice-captain and, at 25, he has already clocked up more than 300 appearances for his boyhood club.

DJ Esdaille
Liverpool Under-18s, right-back
Age: 16
Born: Liverpool

“Like Trent, I’ve been at the academy since a young age, around nine or 10, so I’ve always known about him.

“It’s kind of mad to see a Liverpool lad like myself as part of that squad that could win the Euros.People have been doubting him but when he came on to take the penalty against Switzerland I knew he’d score. He’s got set pieces on lock, hasn’t he?

“We play the same position and it’s been natural to base my game around him — he’s the standard to get to.

“He makes it easier to see myself in that role because we’ve come from the same background.

“This year is all about playing for my shirt, starting every game for the under-18s, and staying injury-free after a tough run last year. One day I hope I’ll get to train with the first team and play on the same pitch with Trent.”

James Pearce

Conor Gallagher, midfielder

Few academy graduates have ever been as embedded in their football club as Conor Gallagher is with Chelsea.

Born the youngest of four Chelsea-supporting brothers and raised in the Surrey village of Great Bookham, a 10-minute drive from the club’s Cobham training ground, Gallagher was spotted playing alongside Reece James for Epsom Eagles as a seven-year-old and invited to join the academy at the age of nine.

Versatility was a standout quality right from the beginning of Gallagher’s journey through the age groups at Cobham. He played on the right wing and at right-back as well as in his favoured central midfield — he modelled his game on idol Frank Lampard — and even once strapped on a pair of gloves when his team’s goalkeeper was injured.

A fierce will to succeed has always been evident, too. His older brothers feared Chelsea might not offer Gallagher a scholarship as he grappled with growing pains in his mid-teens, but he made the cut and rose to captain the club’s under-18s in his second year, before helping England win the Under-17 World Cup in 2017.

In 2018, he underwent an operation to correct an irregular heartbeat, a health scare that only strengthened his determination to maximise his career. After winning Chelsea’s academy player of the year award for 2018-19, he thrived in his first experience of senior professional football on loan at Charlton Athletic, adapting quickly to the physical demands of the Championship.

Subsequent loans at Swansea City, West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace presented incremental steps up. Gallagher made himself indispensable each time. The same has been true at Chelsea, from making his first-team debut in August 2022 to leading the entire squad in minutes played last season, often wearing the captain’s armband.

Liam Twomey

Adam Wharton, midfielder

Not many players make an impact like Adam Wharton did on his England debut against Bosnia and Herzegovina in May. The 20-year-old looked a natural on the international stage despite having only made his first Premier League appearance three months earlier. He completed all 36 of his passes.

Wharton’s rise has been special. A boyhood fan of Blackburn Rovers after growing up in the Lancashire town, he joined the club’s academy at six. Following in the footsteps of older brother and central defender Scott, Wharton progressed through the ranks before signing his first professional deal in 2022.

Once a mascot for Blackburn in a match against Chelsea, Wharton was only eight when Rovers were relegated from the Premier League. He is one of many EFL success stories in the England squad and made his senior debut for Blackburn in August 2022 before racking up four goals in 51 appearances across his two seasons in the first team at the club.

A player of Wharton’s talents was never likely to remain a Championship player for long and Crystal Palace secured his talents in January 2024 for a fee worth £18million plus add-ons. After making his debut, Wharton played in all of Palace’s remaining fixtures until the end of the season.

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Ivan Toney, forward

Ivan Toney was making headlines in football long before scoring England’s fourth penalty in their Euros quarter-final shootout win over Switzerland. The youngest player to represent Northampton Town, aged 16, his breakthrough came in an FA Cup game against Bradford City in 2012.

Playing for his hometown club, Toney scored his first professional goal against Dagenham & Redbridge, then followed it up with a second from a bicycle kick. Toney scored 13 goals in 60 appearances for Northampton before joining Newcastle United, but his first-team role there was limited to just four senior appearances as he was sent on loan to Barnsley, Shrewsbury Town, Wigan Athletic and Sc*nthorpe United.

He won promotion from League One twice during his travels on loan, once via the play-offs while at Barnsley and once as league champions with Wigan. Toney’s loan spells did enough to impress Peterborough United, who signed him in 2018, and London Road proved to be the perfect environment.

His 49 goals in 94 games for Peterborough made him a target worthy of a £5million bid from Brentford two seasons later and, since then, Toney, an outstanding penalty taker, has become a talisman in west London. In his first season, Toney scored 31 times in the Championship as Brentford won promotion to the Premier League and he has been a vital source of goals for Thomas Frank in the period since.

Oliver Evans
Northampton Town Under-18s
Age: 16
Born: Northamptonshire

“As a Northampton Town academy player, we take great pride in seeing Ivan play for England.

“To know he was doing what we are doing now around 10 years ago shows the opportunities that exist.

“Everyone at the club takes great pride that Ivan and Kyle Walker made their professional debuts playing for Northampton Town.”

Nancy Froston

Phil Foden, forward

Phil Foden’s route from the schoolyard to the Manchester City first team was something of a fairytale.

Not only was he a ball boy beyond the usual age group — he loved being around the senior matches so much that he wanted to carry on doing it — he was in the crowd as an 11-year-old when Sergio Aguero scored his dramatic winner against Queens Park Rangers in 2012, and dragged his mum onto the pitch to celebrate afterwards.

He was spotted at the age of five when a City scout attended his primary school to watch older children — including his brother, Callum — but his nimble dribbling was so impressive that the club knew they had to get him on board.

After that, Foden caught everybody’s eye, right through the age groups, and legend has it that when Pep Guardiola arrived at City in 2016 and was watching a youth game, he elbowed sporting director Txiki Begiristain to ask, “Who is that No 10?”

Guardiola spent his first season at City raving to friends about the then-15-year-old’s talents and since then, he has blossomed into an incredible player.

Jaden Heskey
Manchester City Elite Development Squad, forward
Age: 18
Born: Manchester

“It’s great watching Phil Foden and Cole Palmer making such an impact for England. I’ll be backing them all the way on Sunday.

“They are two players I looked up to during my earlier years in the City academy and seeing them now representing their country at the Euros is really motivating.”

Sam Lee

Bukayo Saka, forward

Saka officially joined Arsenal’s academy on May 5, 2010, at the age of eight. Even before then, though, he had trained and played with the club as part of the pre-academy.

Although not necessarily earmarked as the standout player of his age group, Saka was always well thought of. He was quick, powerful and had tremendous shooting ability with either foot.

From around 11, he would regularly be asked to play with older age groups, invariably as a left-back. Although always viewed as an attacking player, playing alternative roles was important in helping Saka develop his football brain.

By the time Saka reached his mid-teens, he was regularly getting international caps in England’s youth teams. In 2018, aged 16, he signed full-time scholarship forms with Arsenal, making the move from their Hale End academy to the training ground at London Colney. That brought with it the occasional opportunity to train with the first team.

At 22, Saka is arguably on course to be remembered as Arsenal’s greatest academy product. He has already made 170 Premier League appearances, scoring 47 goals and creating a further 35. His achievements with England — including how he has responded to the setback of the Euro 2020 final — have won him many fans outside north London, too.

James McNicholas

Ollie Watkins, forward

The first time this writer saw Ollie Watkins in the flesh — quite literally — was when he emerged from a portable cryotherapy chamber outside Exeter City’s St James Park in nothing but briefs and a pair of gloves. His side had just thrashed Crewe Alexandra 4-0 in League Two and, although Watkins did not score that day, he was excellent leading the line in a 4-4-2.

His journey to becoming a professional footballer at Exeter was not linear. He was rejected after a trial as a nine-year-old but returned two years later and didn’t waste his second opportunity.

He broke into Exeter’s first team in 2014 before being sent to cut his teeth at Weston-super-Mare, scoring 10 goals in 25 games in the sixth tier.

In 2017, after Exeter lost in the League Two play-off final to Blackpool, the EFL Young Player of the Year joined Championship side Brentford and went on to form a potent triumvirate with Said Benrahma and Neal Maupay, and then Benrahma and Bryan Mbeumo.

By 2020, Watkins was ready for the Premier League and joined Aston Villa for £28million — the 15 per cent sell-on fee that Exeter had put into his contract raised almost £5m, which helped upgrade their training ground.

Watkins refined his game in the top flight under Dean Smith, Steven Gerrard and, chiefly, Unai Emery, who moulded him into the out-and-out No 9 we see today. His goals — 27 of them — last season helped Villa reach the Champions League. His 90th-minute winner against the Netherlands put England into the Euro 2024 final.

Jake Richards
Exeter City Under-18s/first team, attacking midfield
Age: 16
Born: Exeter

“It’s really motivating for people in the academy.

“He (Watkins) is someone to look up to and the young boys can think it might be them one day, and with hard work and determination they can get there.”

Richard Amofa

Cole Palmer, forward

Cole Palmer was nearly released by Manchester City after a season with the under-16s, only for former academy director Jason Wilcox — now technical director at Manchester United — to intervene, and insist that his talent was more than enough to keep him at the club.

Palmer is over 6ft (183cm) now but was very small in his younger days and that almost curtailed his time at City, where he was also described as a slow burner talent-wise approaching his mid-teens.

He started playing as a left-back in his very earliest days at City but moved up the pitch as he got older, which is fairly unusual in football. It meant that, coming through the ranks a couple of years after Foden, there were always comparisons between the two, especially as both played in central midfield areas.

Palmer always used to, and most likely still does, play football whenever he can, even if that means dipping into an amateur game with friends. By 2022, he had scored in every cup competition for City, leading him to say, “Prem soon come”.

He never did get that league goal for City but he got plenty for Chelsea last season — dare we say, “Euros soon come”?

Micah Hamilton
Man City Elite Development Squad, forward
Age: 20
Born: Manchester

“Seeing two lads from Manchester — where I’m from — reaching a Euros final with England is amazing.

“Phil (Foden) and Cole were players I always looked up to as I was coming through the City academy and I’m wishing them all the best on Sunday.

“It’s so good to see them doing so well and 90 minutes from creating history.”

Sam Lee

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Eberechi Eze, forward

Eberechi Eze has had to overcome rejection, doubters and a serious injury to make the England squad.

Having been released by Arsenal aged 13, he was then turned down by Reading, Millwall and Fulham, before finally joining Queens Park Rangers, where he signed a professional contract aged 18. A loan move to Wycombe Wanderers in League Two followed, before he returned and starred for QPR in the Championship.

“Growing up, being rejected by loads of clubs — they were difficult times,” he said. “Trying to push through to make a name for myself in football — it’s not been easy. It’s been a tough road, a tough journey.”

Eze’s balance, poise and skill on the ball were honed in the cages of south-east London, where he grew up.

After leaving QPR to join Crystal Palace for £19.5million in the summer of 2020, Eze was rewarded for his fine form with a call-up to the provisional squad at Euro 2020 but, on the same day, he ruptured an Achilles tendon. The injury kept him out for six months.

Fighting back and excelling at Palace, Eze playing for England this summer is a story of resilience, never giving up and an unwavering belief in his talent.

Emmerson Sutton
QPR Under-18s, midfielder
Age: 17
Born: Lewisham

“It’s very inspiring for us all here at QPR to watch Eze. I was a ball boy for QPR when Ebere played for us and got the chance to see him playing up close. Just seeing him around the place and how he trained was good.

“He has a presence but a kind spirit; a humility, too. I play in a similar position to him and take great inspiration from his incredible talent.

“He was born in south London, like me, and the way he plays reminds me of playing on the streets, in the cages, like I would do when I was younger.

“We’re all invested in the Euros and talking about how well he’s done. His career to date has been remarkable, especially given the rejection he had as a younger player.

“Here at QPR is where he got his break and where he was trusted to be the player he is today. I got to see that journey and would love to break into the first team, just like he did.”

Tom Burrows

Anthony Gordon, forward

Gordon enjoyed a relatively brief but exciting stint as the next big thing at Goodison Park — the homegrown lad who broke into the first team and heard his name chanted at the Gwladys Street End.

Coming through Everton’s academy, which he joined aged 11 after being released by rivals Liverpool, the Merseysider made his debut in December 2017, in the Europa League against Apollon Limassol. He had to wait until 2020 for regular action, but the buzz around Gordon, so fast and direct, was palpable. Later that year, he signed a five-year contract.

A loan to Championship side Preston North End helped his development and the 2021-22 season was his breakthrough campaign at Everton. He made 40 appearances, scored four goals and was voted the club’s young player of the season.

It was a difficult period for the club, repeatedly battling relegation under a revolving cast of managers, but Gordon developed a fearless hard-running style that caught the eye of clubs such as Chelsea and Newcastle.

He moved to the latter for £40million in January 2023 after an ugly end to his time at Everton. They lost at home to Southampton and some supporters angrily confronted Gordon and team-mate Yerry Mina as they drove away from the ground.

After missing training sessions, he left with a feeling of what might have been, but made a quick transition to life in the north east. He scored 12 goals in 48 appearances in his first full season at Newcastle, earning his call-up to the Euros.

Joel Catesby
Everton Under-18s/Under-21s, right wing
Age: 17
Born: Wirral

“It’s great to see someone like Anthony in the England squad because it gives everyone hope that something like that is achievable.

“Gareth Southgate deserves a lot of credit (for bringing young players like Gordon through). He’s a manager who puts huge faith in young players, especially in this tournament with Cole Palmer, Kobbie Mainoo, Adam Wharton, Anthony — loads of them.

“I’ve been at Everton for more than 10 years so I was part of the academy when Anthony was here.

“I never spoke to him because of the age gap but we both play in the same position so he was a player I looked up to, and I’ve been told I have a similar style to him as well.

“He’s a direct player and that’s how I like to play, too, so of course you’re going to look at people who are similar to you to see what things you can learn to improve your game.”

Greg O’Keeffe

Jarrod Bowen, forward

Bowen is England’s country boy. Born and raised in the Herefordshire market town of Leominster, close to the Welsh border, his father Sam estimates they were “40 minutes from the nearest motorway” for most of his upbringing.

It was his closest club, Hereford United, where Bowen took his first steps in football but only after rejection sharpened his resolve. Aston Villa did not see enough in a 10-year-old Bowen and nor did Cardiff City, who rejected the opportunity to sign him after an extended trial in their under-16s.

Hereford, the club he grew up supporting, eventually offered Bowen a scholarship in their modest youth ranks at the age of 16 and the youngster began his rise up football’s ladder.

Senior appearances came in a successful National League relegation fight, as did a first goal in a 3-2 win over Alfreton Town. Bowen, like all of his team-mates, was going without pay at that stage owing to Hereford’s financial difficulties.

The club’s subsequent collapse in the summer of 2014 saw Bowen leave as a free agent, paving the way for him to join Hull City for the remainder of his academy education — and he later moved to West Ham for around £22million in January 2020.

He remains, though, an ardent fan of Hereford FC, the phoenix club that replaced his first love.

Arwyn Walby
Hereford Under-18s, forward
Age: 17
Born: phu*ket, Thailand

“It’s an inspiration to see someone who used to play for Hereford now playing for England at the highest level.

“It gives me hope and motivation that maybe one day, with hard work and dedication, I could do the same as him.”

Phil Buckingham

Harry Kane, forward

Harry Kane is breaking records with Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga but he will forever be associated with Tottenham Hotspur. The 30-year-old is Spurs’ all-time top scorer, but what people might not know is that he started his career in the academy of their north London rivals Arsenal.

Kane was a member of Arsenal’s under-nines squad but soon returned to grassroots football with Ridgeway Rovers — where David Beckham started — for a couple of years before being given a chance by Tottenham.

The forward never stood out, though. At one point, the suggestion to include him in first-team training was rebuffed. What happened next underlines the importance of hard work and perseverance. Kane went out on loan to Millwall, Norwich City and Leicester City and came back with a better understanding of what is required to survive in senior football.

He broke into the first-team picture under Tim Sherwood and then Mauricio Pochettino during the 2014-15 season, and was named the PFA Young Player of the Year. Kane never looked back and, for a decade, was the club’s central figure. He scored 280 times in 435 appearances before he joined Bayern last summer.

He never lifted a trophy during his time with Spurs but on Sunday evening, he could become only the second England men’s captain to win major international silverware, following Bobby Moore in 1966.

Jay Harris

(Photos: Getty Images/Design: Eamonn Dalton)