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The Young Lions With An Outside Shot Of The 2018 World Cup


If there were ever an England squad that fails to inspire, it’s this current squad. After all, even the manager can’t shake a 20-year-old penalty miss.

With so many players pulling out ahead of the Germany and Brazil fixtures this week, it highlighted even further a severe lack of depth in the set up and put at England’s World Cup odds very high indeed.

What the Three Lions do have however, is a plethora of young hopefuls who have proved themselves over the last few years down the England food chain.

Both the Under-20s and Under-17s won their respective World Cup’s this summer, while the Under-21s reached the Semi-Final of their European Championships.

Naturally, it could be a few years before we see any players come through the ranks and into the first team, but a few could well be knocking on the door come Russia 2018…

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Calvert-Lewin is perhaps seeing the most action of that England Under-20s squad and is highly thought of at Everton.

He’s been an ever-present in the first team and while they are struggling at present, should they turn their season around and Calvert-Lewin plays a part of that, he could be up for selection.

It might take a series of injuries within the England first team with the likes of Kane, Rashford, Sturridge and Vardy likely to be the four strikers heading to Russia. He has scored in a World Cup Final however, and few in England’s history can say that!

Jordan Pickford

Another Everton regular, Pickford will be one of the favourites to make the step up and go to Russia after featuring in the Under-21s’ run to the Euro’s Semi Final.

It could be argued that he should now be ahead of Joe Hart in the pecking order, although Jack Butland would likely be number one among most fans.

He has made the England squad in recent call ups and is likely a shoe in to go, but game time may stand at zero.

Tammy Abraham

Tammy Abraham has been in fine form for Swansea this season and has been rewarded with a call up for the upcoming friendlies.

He looks all set to feature too and Abraham’s odds to score against Brazil will well be worth looking at.

A good week in an England shirt and a continuation of his form for the Swans could see the 20-year-old board the plane.