Last month, manager Gareth Southgate handpicked 26 of the best English football players to be apart of his FIFA 2022 World Cup squad.
Fast forward and England are in Qatar preparing to play France in the quarter finals on Saturday (10 December).
The Three Lions finished top of Group B after beating both Iran and Wales, and drawing with USA. They then beat Senegal 3-0 in the knockout rounds which took place on Sunday (4 December).
Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson and Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling are competiting in the World Cup for a third time, whilst the likes of Jude Bellingham, Kalvin Phillips and Phil Foden are new to the stage of the biggest football tournament.
However, no matter if it’s their third or first World Cup, each football star started at the very bottom and had years of training in the youth academy’s across the county before making their senior teams debut.
Let’s take a look at where the 26 England World Cup players started off:
5. Eric Dier began his senior career at Sporting CB in 2012. He began representing England U18’s the year before.
Eric Dier (C) heads the ball during the Portuguese league football match SC Braga vs Sporting CP on April 1, 2013 in Braga. (Photo by MIGUEL RIOPA/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
6. Luke Shaw began his senior career at Southampton in 2011. That same year he began representing England U16’s.
Jonathan Walters (R) and Luke Shaw (L) during the Barclays Premier League match between Stoke City and Southampton on December 29, 2012 in Stoke on Trent, England. (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Getty Images) | Getty Images
7. Callum Wilson began his senior career with Coventry City in 2009. He began representing England U21’s in 2014.
Callum Wilson in action during the FA Cup with Budweiser Second Round Replay between Coventry City and Hartlepool United on December 17, 2013 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
8. Raheem Sterling began his senior career at Liverpool FC in 2012. He began representing England U16’s years earlier, in 2009.
Raheem Sterling celebrates during the FA Youth Cup match between Liverpool and Southend United on February 14, 2011 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) | Getty Images