ENGLAND fans might remember 2010 as the year the Three Lions crashed out of the World Cup in the last-16 to Germany on the back of a highly contentious no-goal decision.
But that same summer, the Young Lions were victorious at the Under-17 European Championships in Liechtenstein.
England’s youth team fought back from a goal down to beat a Spain team featuring the likes of Paco Alcacer and Gerard Deulofeu 2-1 in the final.
Many of the players in the squad from that day were tipped for big things in the future.
However, despite their early promise, the starting XI have mostly flopped at senior level. We take a look back at the starters from that May day in 2010 and where they are now.
JACK BUTLAND
Heralded as a potential goalie legend, Butland started off his career at Birmingham before moving to Stoke City in a £3.5million deal.
He made his full debut for England in a 2012 defeat to Italy – and is still to this day the youngest goalie to ever play for the Three Lions.
In 2015, he was handed the No1 jersey by Mark Hughes when Asmir Begovic left for Chelsea.
However, a series of injuries to a bothersome ankle hampered his progress.
Still only 30, Butland has move to Rangers in Scotland after a spell at Crystal Palace.
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BRUNO PILATOS
Originally a promising Middlesbrough full-back, Pilatos signed for Swedish side Ytterhogdal in 2016 after failing to secure first-team football.
He was released again in 2017, and in 2018 spent two months in Scotland with Livingston FC, according to his LinkedIn page.
Pilatos was last known to be plying his trade for non-league Bishop Auckland.
LUKE GARBUTT
Predicted to be the heir to Leighton Baines, Garbutt was an attacking left-back in a similar mould to the Everton legend.
But he failed to establish himself with the Toffees, and was sold to Blackpool in 2020.
He also had several loans with Ipswich Town – and has enjoyed loan spells at Fulham, Wigan and Oxford United in the past.
Garbutt now plays his football for Salford City.
NATHANIEL CHALOBAH
When Chalobah was starring at centre half for England’s U17 team he was a promising Chelsea starlet, alongside brother Trevoh.
In 2012 he enjoyed a loan at Watford, impressed at Middlesbrough and Reading, which led to a move to Napoli.
Five years later, upon his return to the Blues, he was sold to Watford.
Chalobah was signed by Fulham in 2021, before moving to West Brom in the January transfer window.
ANDRE WISDOM
The central defender managed to make 22 appearances with Liverpool, often at right-back.
But it was always going to be a big ask to break into a Reds side brimming with talent.
He was playing in the Championship with Derby from 2017 after impressing on loan there during the 2013-14 season, but quit the club in 2021 and has been a free agent since.
CONOR COADY
Coady failed to make the grade at Liverpool.
However, at Wolves he became a steady Premier League player and captained the side.
In August 2020 he was called up to Gareth Southgate’s England senior side and went on to be part of the Euros squad.
Last season, he was loaned out to Everton where he helped the side avoid relegation on the final day of the campaign.
Leicester recently splashed £7.5million on the centre back, as they look to bounce back from relegation.
WILL KEANE
The Manchester United starlet played three times at Old Trafford, but was never good enough to make the grade.
Most of his career has been spent plying his trade in the Championship with QPR, Sheffield Wednesday, Preston North End, before he signed for Hull and Ipswich.
He now plays for Wigan. He has also made himself available for the Republic of Ireland.
ROSS BARKLEY
The cream of the crop after breaking into the Everton side as a teen, Barkley showed flashes of brilliance that saw him compared to Paul Gascoigne.
Sadly, he never managed to sustain his form with the Toffees, and a move to Stamford Bridge in 2018 for £15million was seen as a chance for him to start afresh.
He didn’t live up to expectation at Chelsea, and was shipped off to Aston Villa on loan.
With Dean Smith’s side, the 29-year-old did show glimpses of the old magic, but that failed to earn him a permanent move.
Nice bought him last year, but he was released by the French club at the end of June.
JOSH McEACHRAN
Chelsea product McEachran was dubbed a class outfit at youth level for the Blues because of his brilliance on the ball.
The tidy midfielder managed to play 11 times for the West Londoners, before he was sold to Brentford in 2017 for £750,000. In 2019, he moved to Birmingham for a free transfer.
He was released at the end of the January transfer window in 2021 and had a spell at Milton Keynes Dons.
This month, McEachran signed for Oxford United.
BENIK AFOBE
The former Arsenal starlet was once targeted by Barcelona before committing a deal as a youngster with the Gunners.
Following a series of loans, most successfully at Wolves when they were in the Championship, Premier League Bournemouth paid £10million for Afobe’s services.
He failed to live up to standards of the top division, and was loaned out to Turkish club Trabzonspor.
He has since gone on to play for DR Congo, but a spell at Millwall couldn’t reignite his career.
Afobe has since set up home in Dubai, where he plays for Hatta Club.
CONNOR WICKHAM
After showing promise with Ipswich in the Championship, the powerful centre forward signed for Premier League Sunderland in a deal worth £12million in 2011.
In his four years with the Black Cats he struggled for goals – scoring just 15 times in 91 games.
In 2015, Crystal Palace signed Wickham for £9million – but a serious knee injury put pay to his progress in South London.
His fall from grace has now seen him play for Milton Keynes Dons, then Forest Green Rovers and recently Cardiff City until the end of the last campaign.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
