England U17s World Cup Winning Squad | Where Are They Now?

Article By: Callum Moseley (@CallumMosMedia)

When England U17s won the FIFA World Cup back in 2017, it gave the nation a much needed boost, especially in the world of football, with the U19s and the senior team having much improved luck in their respected competitions. 

21 players competed in the squad for a three lions side managed by current Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper. England won the tournament by beating Spain 5-2 in the final. However, where are these players now? Let’s find out… 

Goalkeeper - Curtis Anderson (Lancaster City)

Beginning the side in goal, we had England’s number one Curtis Anderson. Having just turned 17 before the tournament began, Anderson was then on the books at Premier League champions Manchester City as a goalkeeper for their youth side, still without signing a professional contract with the club. He returned to City after the tournament and stayed there until March 2019, when he left the club and made the long move over to the USA to join second division side Charlotte FC. He made ten appearances in his debut season in America before swiftly returning to England in 2020. 

Upon his return to England, Anderson signed a two-year contract with Wycombe Wanderers who had just been promoted to the Championship. However, he failed to make a senior appearance for the club, and ended up having two separate loan spells away from Adams Park. The first was to Walton Casuals, who sadly don’t actually exist anymore. The second was with Eastbourne Borough in 2021. He was released by Wycombe in the summer and subsequently joined Lancaster City who play in the seventh tier of English football, quite the fall from being a World Cup winner just five years earlier. 

Goalkeeper - Josef Bursik (Stoke City)

The second choice goalkeeper at the tournament was Josef Bursik who was and still is on the books at EFL Championship side Stoke City, although he had only just joined them from AFC Wimbledon two months prior. Following the tournament, Bursik has had six separate loan spells away from the Bet365 Stadium. This began with a youth loan to Hednesford Town in 2018 and then a stint at AFC Telford United in the sixth tier of the English football pyramid. 

From there, he spent the 2019/20 season, on loan at League One side Accrington Stanley where he made sixteen league appearances for the club. In 2020, he had another loan stint, this time with fellow League One side Doncaster Rovers but was limited to just ten league matches. He ended that season on loan at Peterborough United as well as moving on an emergency loan deal to League One side Lincoln City. However, he is now the clubs number one keeper and has made 41 appearances in total for the Championship side. At 22, he still has his whole career ahead of him and he’s already performing at a very high level. 

Goalkeeper - Billy Crellin (Everton FC)

The third and final goalkeeper selected by Steve Copper was current Everton FC goalkeeper Billy Crellin. The 22-year-old joined the Premier League side in the summer. At the time of the tournament, Crellin was on the books at Fleetwood Town, featuring in their youth sides. He failed to make any appearances in the actual tournament for the three lions. Following the tournament, he had a brief loan stint at FC United Of Manchester, making seven league appearances. 

He then had another loan stint with Chorley FC in 2019, before competing as Fleetwood’s number two for the remainder of that season. Crellin’s first real break was back in 2020 when he joined Bolton Wanderers on a season long loan for the 2020/2021 season. He made 11 senior appearances for the club before his return to Fleetwood. He made five league appearances for the club in total, until he was sold to Premier League side Everton, where he currently features in the clubs youth side. 

Defender - TJ Eyoma (Lincoln City)

Kicking off with the defenders, we have TJ Eyoma who featured in a large amount of England’s matches during the World Cup tournament. Back in 2017, the 22-year-old was on the books at Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, featuring as one of their brightest prospects at youth level. Originally playing as a full-back, Eyoma returned to Spurs following the conclusion of the tournament, exactly where he remained for the next few seasons and even signed his first professional deal back in 2018.

In 2020, Eyoma signed for Lincoln City for a few months towards the end of the 2019/2020 season, and despite barely playing much, he seemingly impressed the staff at the club. This saw him re-join the club on a season long loan deal for the 2020/2021 season. Here he made 39 league appearances as well as scoring his first professional goal. Following the conclusion of the season, Eyoma completed a permanent transfer to Lincoln following the expiry of his contract and remains as one of League One’s most underrated defenders. 

Defender - Lewis Gibson (Bristol Rovers, On Loan From Everton)

Up next, is one of England’s best players in the tournament, which was defender Lewis Gibson. The 22-year-old had just joined Everton from Premier League rivals Newcastle United in the youth setup. Following the conclusion of the tournament, Gibson spent two years at youth level before signing his first professional deal in 2019. This was followed by an immediate loan to League One side Fleetwood Town, where he made nine league appearances before returning to Goodison Park. 

For the 2020/2021 season, Gibson signed for Championship side Reading FC on a season long loan, which was a major step up for the player, but due to injuries, he was limited to just 13 league appearances. Last season, Gibson went back out on loan, this time joining League One side Sheffield Wednesday under manager Darren Moore. He was apart of a side that suffered defeat in the play-off semi-final to eventual winners Sunderland. In the summer, Gibson signed for League One side Bristol Rovers on a season long loan, where he has made four senior appearances to date. 

Defender - Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace)

At the heart of the three lions defence was Marc Guehi and it’s fair to say, his career in particular has very much rose to the potential he had back in 2017. At the time, Guehi was on the books at Chelsea, where he featured often for the clubs U17s, winning several chances along the way. However, he didn’t sign his first professional contract until 2019. After a season in the youth setup, Guehi joined Championship side Swansea City on a season long loan deal, making twelve league appearances. 

After returning from the Liberty Stadium, he was given the opportunity to return to the club for the entirety of the 2020/2021 season. Back at Swansea, he made 40 league appearances and became one of the best performing defenders in the entire EFL. This caught the eye of Premier League side Crystal Palace who swooped in and signed Guehi on a permanent deal for a fee of approximately £18 million. He has made almost 50 total appearances to date, scoring twice and making his England mens team debut earlier this year and has since earned three caps for his country.

Defender - Jonathan Panzo (Coventry City, On Loan From Nottingham Forest)

Completing the typical three lions defence was pacy defender Jonathan Panzo, who was then on the books with Chelsea and was the second youngest player in this squad. He remained on the books at Chelsea until 2018, when he completed a move to French side AS Monaco II. In his debut season, he made 22 appearances before being promoted to Monaco’s first team. He had a season in the first team before joining Belgium side Cercle Brugge on a season long loan, where he made 17 appearances.

In 2020, Panzo was sold to Ligue One rivals Dijon, where he made a further 22 appearances after making the £2.5million move. However, he was briefly demoted to the clubs B team for the 2021/2022 season for unconfirmed reasons. However, in January 2022, Panzo signed for now Premier League side Nottingham Forest for £1.8 million but was limited to appearances due to fitness issues. In the summer, he signed for Championship side Coventry City on a season long loan as well as featuring for England’s U21s. 

Defender - Joel Latibeaudiere (Swansea City)

The first substitute defender was centre-back Joel Latibeaudiere who was on the books with Premier League champions Manchester City at the time of the tournament in 2017. The now 22-year-old remained with the City youth setup until 2018, before signing his first professional contract at the end of the 2017/2018 season. From here, he remained with the clubs youth setup until 2019, when he was loaned out to Dutch side FC Twente on a season long loan deal. 

In Holland, he made five league appearances, as well as grabbing his first professional goal for the club. Upon his return to the club, he was immediately sold to Championship side Swansea City. He joined the Welsh side for an undisclosed fee, originally as a cover option for the club. However, he has risen to become one of the key defenders under Russell Martin. He has made 41 league appearances for the club, and has also made his debut on the international stage, but not for England. He instead plays for Jamaica where he made his debut earlier this year. 

Defender - Steven Sessegnon (Charlton Athletic, On Loan From Fulham)

The final player in the World Cup winning squad, was full-back Steven Sessegnon. The defender was and still is on the books with newly promoted Premier League side Fulham FC. He signed his first professional deal just before the World Cup began, and he celebrated it in style that’s for sure. He remained in the youth setup with the club until 2020, even after his brother Ryan left the club to join Tottenham Hotspur. In 2020, he joined Bristol City on a season long loan deal. 

With the Robins, Sessegnon made 16 league appearances for the Championship side but struggled to really stake a claim in the starting eleven under Nigel Pearson. He then spent six months back at Fulham before joining League One side Plymouth Argyle on a six month loan deal in January 2022, where he made ten appearances as the club narrowly missed out on the play-off places. This summer, Sessegnon went back out on loan, joining fellow League One side Charlton Athletic and has made four league appearances at the time of writing. 

Midfielder - Phil Foden (Manchester City)

Up next is the midfielders for Steve Cooper’s side was one of Manchester City’s star midfielders Phil Foden. The then 17-year-old had an outstanding tournament and was firmly amongst the goals. At the time of the tournament, Foden remained as a scholar until after the tournament where he was awarded his first professional contract at Manchester City. Along the way, he has made his Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup debut for his boyhood club. 

Alongside this, Foden has also played for every England youth side except the U20s as he jumped straight to the U21s and then competed for the mens first team. He made his England debut in September 2020 against Iceland in the UEFA Nations League. During his time under Pep Guardiola, Foden has won four Premier League titles, four League Cup titles, an FA Cup win as well as the community shield and a champions league runners-up medal. I think it’s fair to say that Foden is definitely the most successful player from this squad, the boy from Stockport did good. 

Midfielder - George McEachran (Free Agent)

The second midfielder in this squad is the then Chelsea FC youngster George McEachran. At 17, McEachran had the world at his oyster and played a big role for the three lions throughout the tournament. At the time of the tournament, he was still a scholar with the Blues and was constantly pushing for his professional contract at the London club. This finally occurred in 2018, when he signed his pro deal at Chelsea following years in the clubs youth system, progressing through the ranks. 

He spent four years at Chelsea  but failed to make a first team appearance for the club. He stayed at the clubs youth system for a further two years before taking the leap to Dutch side Cambuur on a season long loan. He made just two appearances for the club and he struggled to make that all important impression. Months later, he signed for MVV on loan, who were also in the Dutch second division at the time but only made three appearances. He was released by Chelsea in June 2020 and is yet to find a new club. 

Midfielder - Tashan Oakley-Boothe (Lincoln City, On Loan From Stoke City)

Up next, is attacking midfielder Tashan Oakley-Boothe who was playing for Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur at the time of the tournament in 2017. Oakley-Boothe signed his first professional deal with Spurs shortly before the tournament began and went into the World Cup full of confidence. He played very well at the tournament and definitely caught the eye of the Spurs staff, even though he never making a first team appearance for Tottenham Hotspur. 

He remained with Spurs until 2020 when he was eventually released after his contract expired. Within weeks, Oakley-Boothe joined Championship side Stoke City on a free transfer following a successful trial. In his two years at the club so far, he has made 18 league appearances for the club but is yet to find the back of the net for the club. During the summer just gone, Oakley-Boothe joined League One side Lincoln City on a season long loan deal and has made nine senior appearances for the club so far this season. 

Midfielder - Angel Gomes (Lille FC)

At the time of the tournament, then Manchester United playmaker Angel Gomes was one of the worlds most highly rated footballers and seemingly had the world at his feet. He also had a tournament to remember and immediately caught the eye of his clubs staff. He signed his first professional tournament shortly after the tournament and it was definitely deserved although he had already made his Premier League debut for Manchester United a few months earlier, at the end of the 2016/17 season. 

He remained at Old Trafford until the summer of 2020, when he joined French side Lille for an undisclosed fee. He spent the first season(2020/21) on loan at Portuguese side Boavista where he had a brilliant season. In Portugal, Gomes scored six goals in 30 league matches which was a brilliant return for someone in his first proper senior full-season. He’s since returned to Lille and made 32 appearances to date in the league, as well as progressing through the England youth setup, and currently features for England’s U21s.

Midfielder - Jadon Sancho (Manchester United)

Operating as an out-and-out winger, Jadon Sancho is the next name on this list, and at the time, had just left Manchester City to sign for German giants Borussia Dortmund. In the tournament, he started very strongly but was withdrew from the squad after the group stages as requested by his German club. He originally played for Borussia Dortmund II in the third tier but after just three games, he was promoted to the first team following his impressive performances. 

On the 21st October, Sancho made his first team debut and became the first Englishman to play in the league for the club. He started brilliantly and was constantly linked to Manchester United for numerous transfer windows. He scored 38 goals in 104 league games before making an £80 million move to Old Trafford shortly after the 2020 European Championships. He’s made 35 appearances for United as well as earning 23 caps for the English National side, scoring three goals in the process but is currently struggling to live up to his price tag so far.  

Midfielder - Nya Kirby (Free Agent)

Winger Nya Kirby is the next midfielder that made Steve Cooper’s side. At the time of the tournament, Kirby was on the books of Premier League side Crystal Palace, having just made the move from Tottenham Hotspur weeks earlier. However, he was still a scholar at the time of playing and remained as a substitute option throughout the tournament. Following the tournament, Kirby signed his first professional contract at Selhurst Park, lasting until June 2022. 

He spent a couple of seasons with the clubs youth system before joining Blackpool on loan in 2019. He scored once in eleven league matches in a spell which was unfortunately dominated by injuries. He remained with Crystal Palace until 2021, when he was loaned out for a second time, this time joining Tranmere Rovers, where he was limited to just six appearances. He was released by Crystal Palace in June 2022 after his contract expired, and remains a free agent at the time of writing. 

Midfielder - Callum Hudson-Odoi (Bayer 04, On Loan From Chelsea)

One of England's brightest prospects at the tournament was Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi. The 22-year-old went into the tournament as one of the countries best young players and he definitely made a lasting impression. Just before the tournament, he signed his first professional contract and made his Premier League debut in the months following the tournament as well as making his FA Cup debut the week before. His professional debut was as an 81st minute substitute against Newcastle United in the FA Cup. 

His Premier League debut came against AFC Bournemouth in a three-nil defeat. He continued to break strides at Chelsea but unfortunately, he always gave the impression as being a player with an undeniable ability but never got the breaks he deserved as well as not taking his chances when they did fall his way. In the summer, Hudson-Odoi joined German side Bayer 04 on a season long loan, with an eye to get regular first team football. He has also made his senior team debut for England, earning three caps so far. 

Midfielder - Emile Smith Rowe (Arsenal FC)

Arsenal's brightest talent Emile Smith Rowe had a tournament to remember for England back in 2017. At the time of the tournament, Smith Rowe was an academy scholar. However, after having a standout display for his country, he signed his first professional contract with the gunners in 2018. After making his tournament debut during an EFL Trophy match against Coventry City, he immediately made his European debut, featuring in a Europa League match against Vorskla Poltava just two weeks later. 

Months later, Smith Rowe joined German top-flight side RB Leipzig on a six month loan deal. In Germany he made three league appearances but was limited due to a hamstring injury and he swiftly returned to Arsenal. In 2020, he made a loan switch to Championship side Huddersfield Town where he stood out, scoring twice in 19 league appearances as well as several assists. He signed a long-term deal at Arsenal in 2021 as well as taking the clubs legendary number 10 shirt. He has also made his three lions senior debut, earning three caps as well as scoring 12 Premier League goals to date.

Midfielder - Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest)

Originally used as a cover/substitute option, then Wolves midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White certainly impressed at the 2017 World Cup. He signed his professional contract just weeks before the tournament began and he celebrated it in style thats for sure. One year after the tournament, Gibbs-White made his Premier League debut on the opening day of the 2018/19 season against Everton but had to wait until December 2018, for his first league start, which came during a match against Chelsea. 

He spent the 2020/21 season on loan at Championship side Swansea City, after falling down the pecking order due to a change in tactics. He impressed it in the Championship but didn't make enough appearances to win over his club and was sent out on loan the next season. This time he joined Sheffield United on loan, scoring twelve goals in a season, where his performances really came to life. In the summer, Gibbs-White was involved in a transfer saga, which saw him join newly promoted Nottingham Forest for almost £50 million, reuniting with the U17s tournament manager Steve Cooper. 

Midfielder - Conor Gallagher (Chelsea FC)

The final midfielder in Steve Cooper's side, was Chelsea's Conor Gallagher. He was another scholar in the Blues youth setup, struggling to make that leap to either a loan move or a place in the first team picture. Gallagher had to wait until 2019, to sign his first professional contract with the club, before being sent on loan to League One side Charlton Athletic. With the Addicks, Gallagher scored six goals in 26 league appearances which first brought the media attention to the midfielder. 

He was recalled by Chelsea and sent to Championship side Swansea City for the remainder of the 2020/21 season. Despite failing to score, Gallagher has always said this move is the one that really benefitted him the most to begin with. He spent the 2020/21 season, on loan at then Premier League side West Bromwich Albion making 30 appearances, and scoring twice in the top flight. Last season was his best season yet, scoring eight goals in 34 league games for Crystal Palace under Patrick Viera and has since broke into the Chelsea and England squads on a more consistent basis. 

Forward - Rhian Brewster (Sheffield United)

The first of two forwards in the squad was then Liverpool youngster Rhian Brewster. The 17-year-old finished the tournament as the top scorer, with eight goals. This included back to back hat-tricks in the Quarter and Semi Final against the USA as well as Brazil, before scoring the opener against Spain in the final. He quickly agreed a professional contract and attracted media attention from across the world. He was an unused substitute during the 2019 Champions League final against Tottenham Hotspur but still collected a winners medal. 

He made his competitive debut for Liverpool during a 2019 Carabao Cup match against MK Dons, but a few months later, Brewster was loaned out to Championship side Swansea City in search of regular game time. With the Swans, Brewster scored ten goals in twenty matches, but even that couldn't convince Jurgen Klopp to take a gamble on him. Within weeks of his return to the club, Brewster was sold to newly promoted Sheffield United for £25 million and remains there to this day. However, three goals in 51 games proves that maybe he wasn't all that he was cracked up to be. 

Forward - Danny Loader (FC Porto)

Completing the squad, was striker Danny Loader who was playing for Championship side Reading at the time of the tournament. Just weeks before the tournament began, Loader was due to move to Wolverhampton Wanderers, before the deal fell through last minute with Reading having a change in heart. He remained at the Madjeiski Stadium until 2020, and finished his time with the Championship side, netting just one goal in 28 league matches, which in truth is a disappointing return. 

Therefore, it was a massive surprise when he was sold to Portuguese giants FC Porto that summer. With an eye to following in the foot-steps of the likes of Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham by moving abroad, he originally linked up with the clubs B team. He scored 22 goals in 63 appearances, before making the move to the first team in 2021. The 22-year-old has scored once in four league appearances for Porto and a future in Portugal long-term currently looks unlikely, with him struggling to mark his authority. 

Honourable Mention - Rico Henry (Brentford FC)

Now, despite full-back Rico Henry being named in the original squad list, he was forced to withdraw through injury just days before the tournament kicked off. He was one of the more senior players in this squad, having completing a move to Brentford from Walsall FC in 2016. Therefore, his withdrawal from the squad, did originally spark some concerns, but those concerns were clearly channelled into motivation for his teammates to go on and win the entire tournament. 

Henry still remains with Brentford to this day, and played a very important role in helping his side gain promotion to the Premier League and he continues to be linked with a call-up to the senior squad as well as a potential call-up to the Jamaican national team, which he has already admitted is of interest to him. He's made over 150 appearances for the Bees and remains an active part of their starting eleven under Thomas Frank and he could have had a world cup winners medal, if it wasn't for his injury. 

Manager - Steve Cooper (Nottingham Forest)

The mastermind behind the 2017 U17s World Cup win, was manager Steve Cooper. Despite being Welsh, Cooper's tactics were a major talking point throughout the tournament. He was in his second year of managing the England U17s, and remained in that role until 2019, when his excellent managerial performances, rewarded him with his first role in club management. This was a return to South Wales, to manage Championship side Swansea City. 

At the Swans, Cooper started immediately strong and won the Championship manager of the month in August 2019 as well as helping Swansea to their best league start to a season in over forty years. In January 2020, Cooper brought back the World Cup vibes when he signed Chelsea duo Conor Gallagher and Marc Guehi as well as Liverpool's Rhian Brewster all on loan. However, they lost in the play-off semi-finals to eventual winners Brentford. He left Swansea in July 2021, and two months later, he was appointed manager of Nottingham Forest and took them from rock bottom to the Championship play-off final, which they won against Huddersfield Town to take the Reds back into the Premier League and is a firm fans favourite.