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:
9. Bukayo Saka began his senior career at Arsenal in 2018. He began representing England U16’s prior to this in 2017.
Bukayo Saka (R) during an Academy match between Arsenal U15 and Swindon Town U15 on September 01, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images) | Arsenal FC via Getty Images
10. Marcus Rashford began his senior career at Manchester United in 2015. He began representing England U16’s years earlier, in 2012.
Marcus Rashford (L) in action during the FA Youth Cup Third Round match between Manchester United U18s and Bury U18s on December 16 2014 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images) | Man Utd via Getty Images
11. James Maddison began his senior career at Coventry City in 2013. He began representing England U21’s in 2017.
James Maddison in action during the U21 Professional Development League 2 North match between Coventry City U21 and Nottingham Forest U21 on March 7, 2014 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
12. Harry Kane began his senior career at Tottenham Hotspur in 2009. He began representing England U17’s a year later, in 2010.
Harry Kane runs off with the ball during a Behind Closed Doors Friendly Match between Northampton Town and Tottenham Hotspur on October 19, 2010 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images) | Getty Images