England stars' journeys to EURO 2024 final

The 26 members of England’s UEFA European Championship squad stand on the brink of history, with the chance to win the nation's first men's major trophy since 1966 in Sunday’s EURO 2024 final against Spain. 

All of them have incredible journeys and stories to tell, ones that the Premier League is proud to have played a part in. 

“What a thrilling journey it has been watching England reach the EURO 2024 final and I wish them the best of luck against Spain on Sunday night,” Richard Masters, the Premier League’s Chief Executive, said.

“The team has grown stronger as the tournament has gone on and the players produced a fantastic performance to overcome the Netherlands in the semi-final. They have also shown incredible resilience and delivered moments of brilliance when they were really needed.

“Huge credit goes to Gareth Southgate, his coaching staff and everyone at The FA for the hard work that has resulted in England continually reaching the latter stages of major tournaments in recent years.

“To make a second-consecutive European Championship final is a great achievement and I hope England can now go one step further and lift the trophy.”

Premier League proud to support England heroes

When Southgate selected his team for the European Championships, he chose a squad of players who have benefited from transformative changes in the English Player development pathway under the Premier League’s Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP).

What is EPPP? It was implemented by the Premier League in 2012 in partnership with the EFL and FA in the aftermath of England’s failure to qualify for EURO 2008 and a disappointing 2010 FIFA World Cup campaign. The plan was simple in its ambition: the English professional game needed to produce more and better homegrown players through the development of a world-leading Academy system.

Of Southgate’s 26 players, 19 have spent time in the Academy system following the implementation of the EPPP from the 2012/13 season. But all 26 members of England’s squad have been helped in some way by the support of the Premier League through the English football pyramid. 

Indeed, 24 of England’s 26 squad members currently play in the Premier League, while the other two - Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, two global superstars - have either come through the ranks at a PL club or felt the benefits of the work the Premier League does to help develop world-class players in academies across the country.

Here, Adrian Kajumba takes a look at the range of routes England’s heroes have taken to the top and the clubs whose outstanding work has helped develop them.  

Goalkeepers

Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace)

“If I didn't [go out on loan], I'd probably be in League One now, just going out on my first loan,” Henderson said two years ago, having reached Manchester United’s first team. “I fought for it and I stand by it, the best decision of my life.” 

Henderson is someone who has made full use of the opportunities that exist in England’s football pyramid.

After six years at Carlisle, Whitehaven-born Henderson joined Man Utd and, rather than just be content to be on a big club's books, he pushed to go out on loan in pursuit of crucial, career-defining first-team experience. 

Henderson graced five of England’s top six tiers on his way from the National League North to the Premier League at Stockport County, Grimsby Town, Shrewsbury Town and Sheffield United.

After also featuring in the Premier League for Man Utd and Nottingham Forest, Henderson is now at Crystal Palace with over 200 career appearances to his name, an impressive tally for a 27 year-old goalkeeper.

Jordan Pickford (Everton)

Pickford is renowned for his exploits with England, Everton and Sunderland, whose academy he came through. 

But the first-team foundations for the Washington-born goalkeeper’s career were laid elsewhere. 

Pickford took the positives and learnings from his time at Darlington and an “eye-opener” of a spell at Alfreton Town, both in the National League.

He then progressed through the EFL at Burton Albion, Carlisle United, Bradford City and Preston North End before making a hard-earned Sunderland debut in 2016 from which he has not looked back. 

Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal)

Ramsdale put himself on the map at AFC Bournemouth and made his England breakthrough in the summer he left Sheffield United for Arsenal. Though he was shaped by events lower down in the pyramid. 

Born in Stoke-On-Trent, Ramsdale found the benefits in being released by Bolton Wanderers for being too small - that “gave me backbone, character” he told The Daily Mail - while back-to-back relegations during loans at League Two Chesterfield and League One AFC Wimbledon from Bournemouth were also valuable experiences.

From his stint in south London, Ramsdale returned renewed and his journey to Arsenal and England began after two seasons as first choice at Bournemouth and Sheff Utd. 

Defenders 

Lewis Dunk (Brighton)

Virtually a one-club man, Dunk has still had the chance to experience different levels of the pyramid. Bar a handful of matches during loan spells at Ryman League Bognor Regis and in League One with Bristol City, Dunk has spent his entire senior career at Brighton.

But he has represented the Seagulls in the top three divisions from League One up to the Premier League and displayed the player development that can occur along the way, rising to the challenge by improving with every step up to become an accomplished top-flight defender and captain his local club. 

Joe Gomez (Liverpool)

First showed his potential to become a future Premier League defender and international at Charlton Athletic in League One. Gomez has proved those predictions to be correct since joining Liverpool in 2015, in a variety of positions too. 

Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace)

One of the standouts of England’s EURO 2024 campaign, Guehi came through the ranks at Chelsea. But it was a successful 18-month loan period at Swansea in the Championship that first exposed Abidjan-born Guehi to senior football, accelerated his development and caught the eye of Palace in the process.

Regular Premier League football at Selhurst Park has further helped Guehi fulfil his youthful promise and earn him his elevation to the international scene.

Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa)

Like Gomez, Konsa is another product of Charlton’s renowned academy but one who has been on a slightly longer journey to the top.

After playing League One football at Charlton, Konsa sampled the Championship during one season at Brentford before making the step up to the Premier League with Aston Villa in 2019 and proving himself to be a consistent top level performer.

Luke Shaw (Man Utd)

The Kingston-born left-back is also from a club with a respected academy in Southampton. He joined the south coast club aged seven and was tipped for big things.

He made his first-team debut aged just 16. And, despite having to battle serious injury, Shaw's longevity at the highest level during a 10-year - and counting - stay at Man Utd is a further indication of his talent that was developed on the south coast and refined in the north west. 

John Stones (Man City)

A gradual climber up the English pyramid whose game has steadily improved as he has risen.

Started at hometown club Barnsley in the Championship where he made his debut aged just 17. Moved to Everton where he spent three and a half years and became an increasingly regular Premier League player then developed into one of England’s elite and a consistent defender under one of the game’s greatest managers in Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. 

Kieran Trippier (Newcastle)

Success at the highest level took a while for Trippier to enjoy with his career journey showing the value of an EFL start. After leaving Man City without making an appearance, it was during spells at Barnsley and then Burnley that Bury-born Trippier first tasted regular senior football.

They provided the foundations for a top-division career for Trippier, the level he has remained at with Tottenham Hotspur, Atletico Madrid and now Newcastle. 

Kyle Walker (Man City)

Synonymous with Spurs and Man City, but forged in the Steel City of Sheffield. It was at the Bramall Lane club in the Championship where it all began for Walker, with a League One loan at Northampton also part of his early development before being snapped up by Spurs in 2009 and then became a decorated defender at Man City.

Lower league loans in the Championship back at Sheff Utd and QPR were significant too before he was deemed ready to become a fully-fledged first-teamer at Spurs. 

Midfielders

Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)

Latest poster boy for Liverpool’s academy and a modern-day benchmark of the quality of talent they are capable of producing. Born in the city, spotted aged six and progressed all the way through the club’s youth system to reach the first team, win trophies and also, on occasions, have the honour of leading out his local club.

Conor Gallagher (Chelsea)

Gallagher Made his first senior appearances during Championship loans at Charlton and Swansea. Further temporary spells at West Bromwich Albion and Palace exposed him to Premier League life before becoming a Chelsea regular in the last two seasons, while also occasionally captaining the Blues.

Kobbie Mainoo (Man Utd)

After joining Man Utd’s academy aged nine, midfielder Mainoo is one of two players in the England squad whose entire academy career has unfolded since the introduction of EPPP. Subsequently he has benefitted from the initiative’s improvements in coaching standards for his entire journey through the Old Trafford club’s system.

Declan Rice (Arsenal)

His release by Chelsea aged 14 is well documented. And how the kid from Kingston, Surrey bounced back is proof of the opportunities to thrive that can exist elsewhere in the pyramid.

Was eventually picked up by West Ham United and developed into a captain as well as a key part of their midfield. Now in the same role at Chelsea’s London rivals Arsenal hoping to help drive them to a first league title since 2004. 

Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)

Shares the same distinction as Mainoo by also having a post-EPPP introduction journey through all the academy age groups. However Wharton developed at Blackburn Rovers before stepping up seamlessly to the Premier League with Palace. Wharton is just one of many examples of the elite talent educated in the EFL and primed for the Premier League. 

Forwards

Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)

Has become a superstar abroad at Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid but indebted to where it all began. Stourbridge-born Bellingham joined Birmingham as an under-8, became their youngest ever player (aged 16 and 38 days) and then scorer (16 years and 63 days) before departing for Dortmund after less than 50 appearances.

Eyebrows were raised when Birmingham retired his No 22 shirt but it all makes sense now given what he has gone on to become. And it all started in the EFL. 

Jarrod Bowen (West Ham)

Jarrod Bowen has reached the highest level now and it is periods such as his time at Hereford, where he made his senior debut aged 17 in the Conference Premier, that he considers crucial. That, he says, “stood me in good stead because I had that non-league changing room feel, what it means to win games and what’s at stake.”

Another six-season spell away from the bright lights learning his trade at Hull before joining West Ham was also part of a journey that makes Bowen an example to others. He has said: “I didn’t have the same academy experience and level of coaching maybe as other players but I had other things. It is important for youngsters to see players with those journeys.” 

Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace)

Now starring in the Premier League for Palace in a manner that makes you wonder how he got released four times earlier in his career. After all the setbacks, it was after joining QPR that his fortunes finally changed.

They gave Eze the stage on which to shine - with a little help from a League Two loan at Wycombe Wanderers - and eventually earn the move to Palace that has put him firmly on the map.

He told The Independent: “They’ve given me the platform to enjoy myself and helped nurture me into the player they always believed I could be.” 

Phil Foden (Man City)

Having only ever played club football for Man City since joining aged four, 2023/24 EA Sports Player of the Season, Stockport-born Foden, is another example in the current England squad who is living proof of the quality of academy coaching at the highest level and that it remains possible to make it all the way through the system.

Anthony Gordon (Newcastle)

Spent most of his career at the upper end of the pyramid having been part of Liverpool’s academy before graduating from Everton’s and then joining Newcastle. But winger Gordon can also look back on a half-season loan spell in the second tier with Preston North End in 2020/21 as a crucial step in his career before becoming a Premier League regular.

Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)

Prolific in record-breaking fashion for so many years at Spurs, Bayern Munich and England it is hard to imagine the goals did not always flow so freely and things go to plan for Three Lions captain Kane.

But his early EFL loans at Leyton Orient - not far from his Walthamstow birthplace - Millwall, Norwich City and Leicester City were still all valuable in shaping one of the game’s great goal-scorers. “My loan spells were the biggest part of my physical development,” he once said.

“They just made me realise how much I need to improve if I want to play at the highest level. Thankfully I was able to do that.”

Cole Palmer (Chelsea)

Now starring for Chelsea but a product of Man City’s academy, who he joined as an eight-year-old. The champions can take some pride in his rise and the heights Hublot Young player of the Season Palmer is reaching even if the Manchester-born attacker is now doing so elsewhere in the Premier League.

Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)

A major success story for Arsenal’s academy. The Ealing-born winger’s development has been handled expertly by the Gunners’ coaches who have ensured his potential has been maximised as he has completed the journey from joining aged seven to becoming first-team talisman. 

Ivan Toney (Brentford)

Things may not have worked out the first time Toney reached the Premier League but opportunities are abundant in the pyramid, affording him the opportunity to return a second time.

Toney was prized away from his hometown club Northampton by Newcastle in 2015 but left St James’ Park after making just four appearances.

However, via five different clubs (Barnsley, Shrewsbury Town, Scunthorpe United and Peterborough) and seven seasons in League One and one in the Championship with Brentford, Toney scored his way back to the top. And, at the second time of asking, he is here to stay. 

Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)

Watkins has provided a timely reminder of the importance of the English football structure. His dramatic semi-final winner against the Netherlands has earned England’s players a shot at immortality and has led to a light being shone on his winding route to becoming a national hero.

The Torquay-born frontman’s journey has included stops in the Conference South at Weston-super-Mare, four seasons in League Two with Exeter City, three in the Championship with Brentford and, so far, another four in the Premier League with Villa.

“I never thought I’d be playing in the EUROs for England,” Watkins said of his dreams while at Weston-super-Mare 10 years ago. “It’s taken a lot of hard work to get to where I am now.”