If Sunday’s Euro 2024 final is half as good as the last time an England and Spain side met in a men’s international final, we’re in for a treat. A nerve-shredding treat, but a treat nevertheless.
That’s because the two countries met in the final of the 2017 Under-17 World Cup, when Steve Cooper’s Young Lions came back from 2-0 down to trash the Spaniards 5-2 in India, thanks to goals from Rhian Brewster, Morgan Gibbs-White, a Phil Foden brace and Marc Guehi.
That saw England win a second youth World Cup in five months, following the under-20’s win earlier that year.
With this crop entering what should be their peak years, here’s a look at the starting XI that tasted glory seven years ago.
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England’s U-17 World Cup-winning team: GK: Curtis Anderson
One of the unfortunate rules of youth football is that even some of the most promising prospects don’t make it in the game. Goalkeeper Curtis Anderson is the only member of this squad not to be still involved in the professional game, as the former Manchester City academy star now works as a financial advisor in Lancaster.
After parting ways with City in 2018 he headed stateside to second-tier side Charlotte Independence, but his career stalled and heading back to England during the COVID-19 pandemic did not help matters. He signed for Championship side Wycombe Wanderers before loan spells at Walton Casuals and Eastbourne Borough before joining Lancaster City. He now plays part time at Northern Premier League Division One West side Bootle.
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RB: Steven Sessegnon
A product of the Fulham academy, where he rose through the ranks alongside his twin brother Ryan, Steven was unable to kick-on at Craven Cottage after making his debut as a 17-year-old. Loans at Bristol City, Plymouth Argyle and Charlton Athletic ensued before he joined Wigan last summer.
CB: Marc Guehi
Our first success story of the list, as Marc Guehi should be lining up to face Spain in the European Championship final on Sunday evening.
After coming up through the Chelsea youth system, Guehi was reunited with Steve Cooper for two promising loan spells at Swansea City, where his performances convinced Crystal Palace to shell out £18million for his services. England’s lack of options at the back this summer presented him with an opportunity to stake a claim in Southgate’s side and he has done this with aplomb, being one of the Three Lions’ best performers in Germany.
DF: Joel Latibeaudiere
England’s vice-captain in India, Latibeaudiere was another Manchester City prospect that was unable to breakthrough at the Etihad. After a year on loan with Dutch side FC Twente, he also linked up with Cooper at Swansea and became a Championship regular. Made a move to Coventry City last summer and has also swapped his international allegiances to Jamaica, becoming a Reggae Boys regular.
DF: Jonathan Panzo
Pranzo’s post-World Cup path has been an interesting one, as he left Chelsea for Monaco in 2018 and then headed out to Belgian side Cercle Brugge on loan 12 months later. A 2020 move to Dijon followed, but after failing to cut the mustard there, he also answered a Steve Cooper call in January 2022, with his former Three Lions boss now at Nottingham Forest.
More loan spells have followed, as he joined Coventry for the 2022/23 season and spent last season at Cardiff City and Standard Liege.
MF: George McEachran
Another Chelsea hopeful who was unable to make the jump from the academy to the first-team. Loan stints at Dutch sides Cambuur and MVV Maastricht yielded only a handful of appearances in 2020 with his next taste of first-team football coming at Swindon Town, who he signed for in 2023. He was released this summer, but has just been signed by League Two side Grimsby Town.
MF: Tashan Oakley-Boothe
A key part of the 2017 World Cup winners and yet another talent that found it hard to break through at one of the Premier League’s so-called ‘big six’, as he turned out just once in the League Cup for Spurs. He joined Stoke City in January 2020 and looked to be making progress in 2020/21 season before a back injury ended his season early.
After starting last season at Blackpool, he moved to Portugal in January, signing for Primeira Liga side Estrela da Amadora.
MF: Phil Foden
You don’t need us to tell you where Phil Foden is now, do you? After winning a sixth Premier League title before his 24th birthday this season, the Manchester City star is preparing for the Euro 2024 final. Was arguably the best player in the Premier League last season and already has 270 senior club appearances to his name.
MF: Morgan Gibbs-White
Gibbs-White made a Premier League debut for Wolves at the start of the 2018/19 season and would go on to make the most out of loan spells at Swansea City and Sheffield United as he worked his way up the England youth ranks.
Nottingham Forest snapped him up in the summer of 2022 in a deal that could be worth as much as £42million, with this latest Steve Cooper reunion coming up trumps as he was voted as Forest’s player of the season last year.
FW: Callum Hudson-Odoi
Hudson-Odoi found more first-team success than a lot of his Chelsea academy teammates, earning a steady trickle of Premier League appearances and even three England caps by 2019. He would spend the 2022/23 season on loan at Bayer Leverkusen, before Steve Cooper welcomed him to Forest in September 2023, as he signed a three-year deal at the City Ground.
FW: Rhian Brewster
The 2017 U-17 World Cup Golden Boot winner, as he bagged eight times in India, leading to hopes that he would follow in the footsteps of the likes of Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen to be Liverpool’s next homegrown star striker.
Injuries stalled his progress however, with – yes, you guessed it, Steve Cooper signing him on loan for Swansea in January 2020. His promise convinced Sheffield United to sign the forward for £23.5million later that year, but he has continued to struggle with injuries.
Manager: Steve Cooper
Steve Cooper stayed with the England U17 team until July 2019, when he landed his first job in club management at Swansea City, where he would lead the Welsh side to consecutive playoff appearances.
He left after losing the 2020/21 playoff final to Brentford, but soon found himself in charge of Nottingham Forest, leading them to promotion via the playoffs and keeping the midlands side up the following season. The axe fell in December 2023 after a poor run of form, but he will be back in the Premier League with newly promoted Leicester City this season.
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