It is not often that England win a World Cup, so there’s a good reason why the England under-17 class of 2017 stand out in the Three Lions’ recent history as a special bunch.
The way they claimed the trophy was pretty special too, coming from 2-0 down against Spain to win 5-2 in Kolkata, India. The man at the helm that day five years ago was Steve Cooper – the manager now charged with trying to keep Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.
Success in youth football is no guarantee of success down the line. The best footballers in academy football sometimes fade as they grow older, with injuries and personal circumstances preventing them from rising through the ranks.
