If Conor Gallagher’s breakout year on loan at Crystal Palace earned him his first England call-up, returning to Chelsea this season and fighting for his place in a deeper pool of talent threatened to send his fledgling international career into reverse. After being part of every squad since his debut, he was suddenly demoted to the Under-21s in September. The chance to play at the World Cup 2022 felt further away than at any point over the past year.
And yet, despite making just eight starts since being back at Stamford Bridge and Chelsea’s wider struggles, he made the cut. When asked to put a percentage on his pre-squad announcement chances of being on the plane to Qatar, Gallagher turns down the opportunity - “I’m not great at maths” - but he accepts they were slim.
