The England squad has been announced. | Image: The FA
Internet Desk: The wait is over. England names a star-studded squad for next month’s FIFA U17 World Cup in India, led by Head Coach Steve Cooper.
A 21-man group will make the trip to India for the competition, where they will face Mexico, Chile and Iraq in the first round, based in Kolkata.
Our squad for the #FIFAU17WC has been confirmed!
Find out about the 21 #YoungLions who’ll represent us in India: https://t.co/hg8qaz6xdc pic.twitter.com/8stlLaap4b
— England (@England) September 26, 2017
Cooper has been able to call upon most of the players who helped England to qualify for the World Cup, after reaching the final of the U17 European Championship last season.
The squad enjoyed two warm-up games in September, drawing with Brazil in Shrewsbury before suffering a 2-1 defeat by South Africa in Leek.
Added to that group is Jadon Sancho, who missed the September get-together whilst completing a switch from Manchester City to Borussia Dortmund.
There is a first England call-up for Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, who has impressed with his form at Stamford Bridge for their U18s.
The Young Lions enjoyed a strong campaign last time around, reaching the Euro Finals in Croatia with distinction before suffering their first defeat of the season after a penalty shootout in the final against Spain.
They will travel to India later this week for a pre-World Cup training camp in Mumbai, where they will play a warm-up game with New Zealand on Sunday 1 October.
After that, they will transfer to their base for the group stages in Kolkata where they open their World Cup campaign against Chile on Sunday 8 October.
The second game will see them up against Mexico three days later before their final group match with Iraq on Saturday 14 October.
Ironically, England’s previous two U17 World Cup expeditions have been hosted by two of their group opponents, Chile and Mexico.
The Young Lions travelled to South America for the 2015 edition of the competition in Chile, when Cooper was on the staff as Neil Dewsnip’s assistant coach. Unfortunately, after beating the host nation in a pre-tournament friendly in Santiago, a squad featuring the likes of Everton’s Tom Davies and Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold went out after the group stage.
Prior to that, England’s 2011 campaign saw John Peacock’s side reached the quarter final in Mexico. That squad contained players such as Jordan Pickford, Nathaniel Chalobah, Nathan Redmond and Raheem Sterling.
England Squad:
Goalkeeper: Curtis Anderson (Manchester City), Josef Bursik (Stoke City), William Crelin (Fleetwood Town).
Defenders: Timothy Eyoma (Tottenham Hotspur), Morgan Gibbs White (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Lewis Gibson (Everton), Marc Guéhi (Chelsea), Joel Latibeaudiere (Manchester City), Tashan Oakley Boothe (Tottenham Hotspur), Jonathan Panzo (Chelsea), Steven Sessegnon (Fulham).
Midfielders: Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Angel Gomes (Manchester United), Nya Kirby (Crystal Palace), George McEachran (Chelsea)
Forwards: Rhian Brewster (Liverpool), Philip Foden (Manchester City), Callum Hudson Odoi (Chelsea), Danny Loader (Reading), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Emile Smith Rowe (Arsenal)