2017 was the year that England’s younger generation proved on the world stage that they may be a force to reckon with as the years go on.
England smashed Spain 5-2 in the final – after going 2-0 down inside 31 minutes – which took place at the Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata, resulting in the England U17 head coach Steve Cooper and his side lifting the U17 World Cup trophy on Indian soil.
Evidently, Cooper’s side possessed a significant amount of talent to go all the way and win the competition outright.
However, where are the players who were in that England U17 squad and what happened next?
(GK) Curtis Anderson – Manchester City
Starting in the final in England’s victory over Spain, arguably Anderson’s greatest moment came when he both saved and scored in the Round of 16 penalty shoot-out win against Japan.
He is currently still training with both the Manchester City U18 and U23 set-ups and has got himself into the England U19’s, making three appearances to date.
(GK) Josef Bursik – Stoke City
After sealing a transfer from AFC Wimbledon to then Premier League outfit Stoke City in the summer of 2017, Bursik travelled with the U17’s to India for the World Cup tournament but didn’t get any minutes under his belt.
The 18-year-old is currently on-loan at local side Hednesford Town in an attempt to get some first-team football experience.
(GK) William Crellin – Fleetwood Town
The youngster made just one appearance at the U17 World Cup because of Steve Cooper’s trust in Curtis Anderson.
The Fleetwood goalkeeper has only made one domestic showing for his club but has played some fixtures for both the England U18’s and 19’s.
(RB) Timothy Eyoma – Tottenham Hotspur
The London-born right-back made three appearances at the U17 World Cup and 15 outings for the side overall.
Subsequently, he made his senior debut for Spurs at their 2018 pre-season tour of the United States but is yet to play a competitive game for Mauricio Pochettino’s men.
(CB) Lewis Gibson – Everton
Another player to earn a move in the summer prior to the tournament – swapping Newcastle United for the blue half of Merseyside, Gibson was handed the captaincy of the Under-23s by former boss David Unsworth at the end of the 2017 season, despite being just 17-years-old.
He is currently part of the England U18 set-up.
(CB) Marc Guehi – Chelsea
The Chelsea man played every minute of the World Cup finals and even scored England’s fourth goal in the final, putting the game out of reach for the Spaniards.
Featuring 30 times for the youth team throughout the 2017/18 campaign – completing a fantastic quadruple – Guehi is contracted to the club until at least the end of the 2019/2020 season.
(CB) Jonathan Panzo – AS Monaco
The former Chelsea defender started the final and was a real presence in the England backline throughout the successful campaign.
Swapping the city lights of London for the warm coastal breeze of Monaco this summer for £2.5m, Panzo is currently in the England U19 squad and learning his trade in the Monaco youth system.
(CB) Joel Latibeaudiere – Manchester City
Latibeaudiere was given the responsibility of England captain and he duly delivered some fine performances at the back for the Three Lions.
After playing every minute in last year’s competition, Latibeaudiere was rumoured to have been unhappy with ongoing contract negotiations with City and rumours circulated of a potential departure for the young leader.
(LB) Steven Sessegnon – Fulham
The twin brother of the highly-regarded Ryan, Steven played in five games – including the final where he provided two assists – in England’s winning year.
The Fulham defender is yet to make a first-team league appearance for the Craven Cottage club but has played small parts in the Football League Cup.
(CM) George McEachran – Chelsea
The Blues midfielder lasted 87 minutes in the final with the game already won for Cooper’s side. After winning the U17’s World Cup, McEachran went on to win four more trophies at youth level that season.
He is yet to make a first-team appearance for Chelsea.
(CM) Phil Foden – Manchester City
A highly talented playmaker, Foden scored two goals in the final to cement his place as one of the best players of both the final and the competition as a whole. Ultimately, Foden then won the Fifa U17 World Cup Golden Ball award following England’s triumph, followed by the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year.
Pep Guardiola has put a significant amount of faith in the youngster who has made 17 appearances for the first-team to date. Very much one to watch as he goes from strength to strength for City.
(CM) Tashan Oakley-Boothe – Tottenham Hotspur
Having made his first-team debut for Spurs in the League Cup prior to the competition, Oakley-Boothe played six games in India including the final.
He is currently plying his trade for the Spurs U23’s side where he has played 15 games.
(AM) Angel Gomes – Manchester Utd
The youngster made his first-team debut earlier in 2017 at just 16 years and 263 days old. In doing so, he became the youngest player to represent Manchester United since Duncan Edwards in 1953.
Four games, two goals and one assist at the U17 World Cup, Gomes is now hovering around the first-team with two games under his belt for Jose Mourinho’s side.
(LW) Jadon Sancho – Borussia Dortmund
Sancho withdrew from the England squad after the group stage but my word has the former Manchester City youngster gone on to do well.
Established in the Dortmund first-team, Sancho has evolved into one of the most exciting prospects in European football. With 13 games, five goals and eight assists this season for the Bundesliga leaders, Sancho’s form convinced England manager Gareth Southgate to call him up to the full England squad, making his debut against Croatia this month.
(CM) Nya Kirby – Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace youngster made late appearances off the bench for England as they ran away as tournament winners.
Recently, Kirby has been involved in Crystal Palace’s pre-season fixtures but as the season has progressed, he is yet to make a single first-team appearance for the Eagles, despite his positive reputation at youth level.
(LM) Emile Smith Rowe – Arsenal
Three appearances in total in India, the promising Arsenal youngster has had a few brief tastes of first-team football under new manager Unai Emery.
Making his debut against Vorskla Poltava in the UEFA Europa League, the 18-year-old become the first Arsenal professional to play for the club who was born in the 2000s.
(LW) Callum Hudson-Odoi – Chelsea
Another player who is highly regarded as one of the most exciting prospects in English football, bagged himself two assists in the final.
The pacey wide-man has broken through the Chelsea ranks and played the majority of pre-season for the Blues. A Community Shield start and six games for the Chelsea first-team, big things are expected of the talented winger.
(CM) Morgan Gibbs-White – Wolverhampton Wanderers
A starter for Cooper in the final – subbed off in the 81st minute after bagging himself a goal to draw England level 23 minutes earlier – Gibbs-White has had a chance to showcase his talents for Wolves this season.
With four Premier League appearances for Wolves this campaign, Gibbs-White has already made 29 appearances in all competitions for the Midlands side to date.
(CM) Conor Gallagher – Chelsea
On for the last few minutes in the final, the Chelsea midfielder came home from India with a valuable winner’s medal to propel him through the Chelsea ranks.
Having signed his first professional contract earlier on in 2017, Gallagher’s current deal expires at the end of this campaign. He is yet to make an appearance for the Blues.
(ST) Rhian Brewster – Liverpool
Successive hat-tricks in the quarter-finals and semi-finals against the USA and Brazil respectively, followed by England’s first goal in their final win, Brewster’s eight U17 World Cup goals won him the highly-respected ‘Golden Boot’ award and the Bronze Ball for his individual performances.
Despite his excellence for his country, he is yet to make a first-team appearance for Liverpool, such is the extent of the club’s brilliant attacking options.
(ST) Danny Loader – Reading
Two games and two goals for Loader who had to play second fiddle to the talents of Liverpool’s Rhian Brewster.
Reading are struggling at the root of the Championship this season but Loader has yet to be called upon by Paul Clement to the starting XI.
The post What happened next? England’s U17 World Cup winners from last year appeared first on Squawka News.
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