THE European Championship is finally here, with players already writing themselves in national folklore with the group stage underway.
For England, Raheem Sterling’s goal saw them win their first-ever Euros tournament opener against Croatia.
The Three Lions winger is used to playing in the biggest games having forged his career in the youth ranks at Liverpool before moving to trophy-hungry Manchester City.
But for other players at this summer’s tournament, the road to the top has been considerably more gruelling.
Wales were indebted to Kieffer Moore after his goal saw Rob Page’s squad snatch a point against Switzerland.
While Moore is now a hero in Wales, you don’t have to delve too far into the history books to find the striker plying his trade in non-league in front of a smattering of supporters and their dogs.
And the Welshman isn’t the only former non-league hero at this summer’s tournament either – check out just seven of the best, below…
JORDAN PICKFORD
NOW unquestionably England’s most-experienced No1, the Everton stopper has experienced it all.
Pickford started his career at Sunderland, but was quickly loaned out to Darlington, then in the Conference Premier – now known as the National League.
The goalkeeper played 17 times during his half-season loan, before Darlington were relegated to the sixth tier of English football.
Pickford returned to Sunderland only to be loaned to Conference side Alfreton Town, Burton Albion (League Two), Carlisle United, Bradford (both League One) and Preston (Championship).
The now-England man quickly established himself as Sunderland No1 before his move to Everton in 2017.
By the time he’d moved to Goodison Park – making the England squad for the first time that same summer – Pickford had already played in every tier of English football from the very top to the fifth.
Now England’s No1, Pickford started the 1-0 win over Croatia with a convincing display at Wembley.
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TYRONE MINGS
LIKE Pickford, the now-Aston Villa defender started – and played the full 90 minutes of – the 1-0 win over Croatia.
Mings showed his mental toughness as he put in an assured performance after a pair of shaky warm-up matches.
But it should be no surprise to anyone that Mings was unfazed.
After all, he’s experienced plenty of setbacks during his career.
Mings, now 28 and 6ft 5in, was released by Southampton’s youth academy in 2009 after eight years for being too small.
The defender then spent two years at school before returning to football with then-eighth-tier Yate Town in 2011-12.
Mings – then working as a barman and mortgage advisor to make ends meet – nearly quit football before joining Southern League Premier Division side Chippenham Town in the seventh tier.
The centre-back – then playing as a left-back – was signed by Ipswich in a deal worth £10,000 to serve as backup to Aaron Cresswell.
But a surge in form and a growth spurt saw him quickly become a towering centre-back, joining Bournemouth in 2015 for what would be their first-ever season in the Premier League.
Four years on the south coast saw him move to Aston Villa in 2019, where he has since gone on to become a crucial member of Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions squad.
DOMINIC CALVERT-LEWIN
MUCH like Pickford – team-mate for club and country – Calvert-Lewin’s route to Premier League and international football was a slightly longer journey than most.
The striker joined Sheffield United’s academy in 2005 aged eight, before spending nine years in the youth squad, then as a box-to-box midfielder.
Calvert-Lewin broke into the senior set-up in early 2014, with the Blades still in League One at that time.
With club bosses believing he needed more senior game-time under his belt, the forward was shipped off to sixth-tier Stalybridge Celtic on loan in December of that year.
However, after scoring six times in just five games for their first team, his loan was cut short and he returned to Bramall Lane in February 2015.
Calvert-Lewin signed a new long-term contract before being sent on loan to then-League Two side Northampton, with Sheff Utd believing he was ready for the jump in standard.
Despite never scoring for the Blades at a senior level, Everton saw his potential and brought him to Merseyside in the summer of 2016.
Fast forward five years and Calvert-Lewin has four goals in just ten games for England.
The striker even came off the bench late in the 1-0 win over Croatia to replace goal-scorer Sterling.
CHE ADAMS
CAPPED twice by England’s Under-20s in 2015, Adams is now arguably the No1 striker in Scotland’s squad for Euro 2020 after switching allegiances earlier this year.
While Adams has been on the books of Southampton and Birmingham in recent seasons, he didn’t always have it easy.
Before moving to Sheff Utd in 2014-15, the striker was on the books of ninth-tier Oadby Town, then in the United Counties League.
Adams then moved on to another non-league side, Ilkeston Town, making his senior debut against Jamie Vardy’s old club, Stocksbridge Park Steels in October 2013.
After close to 100 matches in non-league, Adams was snatched up by Sheff Utd, despite competition from Premier League and Championship clubs.
KIEFFER MOORE
MOORE hasn’t been a regular starter for Wales of late.
In fact, the Cardiff striker had made the starting XI in just three of the nine games leading up to Euro 2020.
But he started the tournament opener against Switzerland and Wales boss Page was rewarded as Moore nodded home the equaliser to snatch a potentially crucial point.
Of all the footballing journeys listed here, none are quite as fascinating – and long – as Moore’s.
Born in Torquay, Moore kicked off his career in the south-west of England with Paignton Saints in the 14th TIER – the South Devon League Division Two.
The striker scored 47 times in just 43 games before moving to Truro in the Conference South (sixth tier) for the 2012-13 season.
Midway through the season, Moore moved to league rivals Dorchester Town.
He was then snapped up by then-Championship side Yeovil in the summer of 2013.
In two seasons at Yeovil, the club was relegated TWICE, to slip back down to League Two, with Moore released.
The forward joining Norwegian top-flight side Viking for one season, before snubbing offers from League Two sides Exeter and Leyton Orient to sign for National League club Forest Green.
One-cap England C international Moore joined then-Championship side Ipswich for £10,000 a year later before moving to Barnsley and then Wigan – all for one season apiece.
He joined Cardiff last summer and has since become a key part of both the Bluebirds and Wales set-ups, having scored six times in 18 games for his country.
Moore scored 20 times in 42 Championship games for Cardiff in 2020-21.
DANNY WARD
WARD was preferred to Wayne Hennessey for Wales’ draw with Switzerland – despite not playing a league fixture since 2016-17.
Starting from the beginning, the Welsh goalkeeper started his career at then-Conference Premier side Wrexham – also loaned to league rivals Tamworth.
Ward joined Liverpool in 2012 and was even the club’s second-choice, behind Simon Mignolet, for much of the 2014-15 season.
But the goalkeeper only ever played three matches – with two of those in the Premier League – and was loaned out to Morecambe, Aberdeen and Huddersfield.
In 2018, then-fourth-choice at Anfield, Ward was sold to Leicester for £12.5million.
Ward has never played in the Premier League for the Foxes, but is unquestionably No2 to Kasper Schmeichel.
In 2020-21, seven of his 12 appearances in all competitions came for his country.
Ward played two FA Cup games, two Europa League matches and one Carabao Cup clash for Leicester.
TOM LOCKYER
STUCK on the bench for the game against Switzerland, behind Chris Mepham and Joe Rodon, Wales ace Lockyer has non-league experience of his own.
The centre-back joined Bristol Rovers’ youth academy from Cardiff in 2011.
Lockyer quickly broke into the first-team for the then-League Two side, but was part of the squad who dropped out of the Football League in 2013-14.
The 6ft 1in defender – released by Cardiff for being too short – helped Bristol Rovers to back-to-back promotions as they stormed up to League One.
In 2019, Lockyer joined then-Championship side Charlton, where he spent just one year before moving on to Luton, where he played 20 times last season ion the second tier.
The 13-cap Wales international was handed the No5 jersey for Euro 2020 and is expected to play a big role as they aim for another appearances in the knockout stages.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
