The England U21’s victory over Spain in the Final of the UEFA U21 European Championships gave the England youth set-up their first competition victory since the U17 team won the U17 World Cup back in 2017.
As big as the win back in 2017 was, any success in youth tournaments is usually measured in the careers that follow such success.
Curtis Anderson started his youth career at Blackpool in 2009 before making a £15,000 move to Manchester City, where he would spend seven years of his career. Anderson had only made three appearances for the England U16s before being called up for the U17s for the World Cup.
In India, Anderson made appearances in all of the games this tournament, most notably saving a penalty as well as converting his own during the shootout against Japan. Anderson was also in goal for the Final, seeing England through to the end.
However, since winning the U17 World Cup, Anderson has been unable to find his feet in senior football. The goalkeeper has had stints at Charlotte Independence, Wycombe Wanderers, Lancaster City and currently plays his football at Northern Premier League club Bootle.
Since his senior debut, Steven Sessegnon has been playing the loan game that many young footballers find themselves in. Sessegnon’s parent club is Fulham, a club in which he made his senior debut back in 2017 after joining the club’s youth set-up back in 2008.
Sessegnon made ten appearances for the U17, five of those coming at the U17 World Cup, including the Final.
Now 23 years old, Sessegnon has played for Bristol City, Plymouth Argyle and Charlton Athletic all on loan. His most recent loan move was his most successful, making 33 appearances, promising an even better 2023/24 season.
Joel Latibeaudiere was one part of the centre-back pairing for the U17 World Champions, and had a successful youth career at Manchester City. Latibeaudiere was also a part of the U17 team that lost the U17 European Championships to Spain, including missing a penalty in the Final.
He redeemed himself with another appearance in a Final, this time ending the game as Champion. Latibeaudiere now plays his senior international football with Jamaica rather than England.
Since the U17 World Cup in 2017, Latibeaudiere made his senior debut for Man City, though never making an appearance for the club, before heading out on loan to FC Twente and then completing a move to Swansea City in 2020 where he’s been ever since.
One of the key players for Steve Cooper’s side, Marc Guehi has enjoyed a very successful career since the U17 World Cup.
Having captained the U17 side to their runners-up position at the U17 Euros, he was called up again for the World Cup, scoring a goal in the 5 - 2 win over Spain in the Final.
Guehi’s senior career has been successful, playing two seasons on loan with Swansea before completing his permanent move away from his parent club Chelsea and to a fellow Premier League club Crystal Palace in 2021, where he is a permanent fixture in the starting XI.
Another youngster who came through Chelsea’s ranks, Jonathan Panzo has played all over Europe since winning the U17 World Cup.
Panzo was a big piece of the U17 set-up, overall making 20 appearances over the U17 Euros and World Cup, then going on to captain the U19 team.
Panzo left Chelsea in 2018, moving his talents to Monaco II where he played one season before going on loan to Cercle Brugge and then making his senior debut for Monaco. Since 2020, Panzo has played for Dijon, Dijon II, Nottingham Forest and most recently Coventry City.
This Tottenham youngster played in the Final of the U17 World Cup, helping the team to victory, something especially satisfying as a head injury prevented his appearance in the Final of the U17 Euros.
Tashan Oakley-Boothe made his senior debut with Tottenham in 2017, where he stayed for three years not making a single appearance for Spurs. He went on to Stoke, where he spent another three years, this time managing 18 appearances before moving on loan to Lincoln City for the 2022/23 season making 16 appearances.
At one point George McEachran was considered the next big thing to come out of Chelsea’s successful youth system. This hype was even bigger after helping England to the U17 World Cup win.
However, this hasn’t exactly translated to the senior career some would’ve expected. In 2020 he was sent on loan by Chelsea to Cambuur where he made just two appearances before moving to MVV on another loan, making three appearances for them.
Most recently, McEachran made a permanent move to Swindon Town who since 2023, he has made 16 appearances.
Perhaps the most well-known name on this list, Phil Foden has experienced extreme levels of success since winning the U17 World Cup. Foden was named player of the tournament and scored twice in the Final
Making his senior debut for Manchester City in 2017, Foden has gone on to make 129 appearances, scoring 35 goals. Foden’s honours also include five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four EFL Cups, two Community Shields and a Champions League title.
Morgan Gibbs-White was another stand-out of the U17 World Cup, scoring twice, including once in the Final. Gibbs-White is still within the England youth set-up, being included in the U21 squad that just won the U21 Euros.
Between the two competition wins, Gibbs-White made his debut for Wolves, making 68 appearances with loans to Swansea and Sheffield United in the five-year stretch. The midfielder now plays his football in the Premier League with Nottingham Forest.
Another product of the Chelsea youth system, Callum Hudson-Odoi established himself at the U17 World Cup, appearing in every game and scoring a goal.
Since 2017 Hudson-Odoi has been on the periphery of the Chelsea team, making his full debut in the 2018/19 season. His consistent appearances for The Blues has given him a Champions League title, a Europa League title, a Super Cup, and a FIFA Club World Cup title.
A serious injury derailed his involvement at Chelsea, and Hudson-Odoi spent the 2022/23 season on loan at Bayer Leverkusen, making 21 appearances and scoring once.
Brewster was one of the stars of the tournament for Coopers’ side, as Rhian Brewster won the golden boot at the U17 World Cup, scoring eight goals. This included back-to-back hat tricks against Brazil and the US as well as a goal in the Final.
Though he never made a Premier League appearance for Liverpool, Brewster is credited with a Champions League title and a Super Cup. Brewster played most of his football on loan at Swansea before moving to Sheffield United where he has scored four times in 57 league appearances.
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