England boast one of the most star-studded squads in international football – and it should come as no surprise to fans.
But for many Three Lions supporters, they will be rueing the fact that two of their former starlets have switched international allegiances.
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One squad list from February 2017 shows the quality that England had at their disposal – with many going on to become world class players.
In a photo that constantly does the rounds on social media, England’s Under-15 clash against Belgium seven years ago, which ended in a 4-3 defeat, boasted many household names today.
Jude Bellingham, who cost Real Madrid over £88million in 2023, was included in the matchday squad aged just 13.
He was named amongst the substitutes, along with close friend and fellow midfielder Jamal Musiala.
Musiala was on Chelsea’s books at the time, before he opted to link up with Bayern Munich in 2019, where he is regarded as one of Europe’s top playmakers.
It was a move that ultimately swayed him in choosing to represent Germany at senior level having been born and raised in the country until he was seven, before relocating to the UK.
Speaking of his decision in 2021, he said: “I have a heart for Germany and a heart for England, both hearts will continue to beat – I’ve thought a lot about this question.
“In the end, I listened to my feelings saying it’s the right decision to play for Germany. But it wasn’t an easy decision for me.”
His Bayern teammate – and England captain – Harry Kane has since joked he could have persuaded him to play for the Three Lions if they had rubbed shoulders beforehand.
Musiala isn’t the only high-profile player from the seven-goal thriller with Belgium that elected to represent a different nation, with Under-15 captain Yunus Musah doing the same.
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After going on to play for England’s Under-18s, he switched to play for USA, where he has made 41 caps since making his debut in 2020.
A product of Arsenal’s Hale End academy, he left England – just like Musiala did in the same summer in 2019 – to join Valencia.
And after three successful seasons in their first team, he linked up with European giants AC Milan in a £17m move in 2023, where he is a key player for the San Siro outfit.
But thankfully for England fans, a number of players from that now famous Under-15 clash have gone on to become senior internationals – with another waiting for his chance.
One of those is Chelsea’s attacking midfielder Cole Palmer, who has been a revelation since linking up with the Blues from Manchester City last year.
He was named in the starting XI against Belgium at St George’s Park behind strikers Rafael Garcia and Armstrong Oko-Flex.
His Blues teammate Noni Madueke featured alongside him in an advanced role, with the winger contracted to Tottenham at the time.
And who would have thought that seven years later the pair would be arguing on the pitch over who got to take a penalty during a top-flight fixture.
Along with Bellingham, both Palmer and Madueke have been named in Lee Carsley’s Nations League squad for the upcoming clashes against Greece and Finland.
But surprisingly, there was no room in the squad for Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers.
The 22-year-old was another that started from the bench against Belgium.
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But he is certainly no bench-warmer at Villa Park, with Rogers establishing himself as a key player under Unai Emery.
Another standout player that was included in the matchday squad, who so far is yet to live up to the hype at the time, was Karamoko Dembele.
At just 13, the exciting winger was already playing for Celtic’s Under-20 side, which saw both England and Scotland in a tussle for his allegiance.
Dembele, who would later feature for both England and Scotland’s Under-17 teams, recently signed for QPR on loan from French side Brest.
Elsewhere in England’s Under-15 side, Stockport star Lewis Fiorini, who started in central midfield, would later represent Scotland from Under-16-Under-21 level.
As for Belgium, they had a certain Jeremy Doku captaining their side, with the winger now on City’s books – featuring ten times under Pep Guardiola this term.
With so many players from that match going on to become world beaters, how many of the current Under-15 crop will become senior regulars in the years to come?