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Young Lions Ready to Roar: Which 2025 FIFA Club World Cup stars could make England bid for 2026 FIFA World Cup?
Thirty-two teams begin their pursuit of glory this weekend as they look to be crowned champions at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, with every game live to watch free with DAZN.
But for several English players set to feature at this summer's tournament, they have had to turn down the chance to impress at an international event half the world away instead.
Multiple stars from several clubs have turned down the chance to represent England's Young Lions at the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship this month in Slovakia.
Two years after Lee Carsley's side defeated Spain in Georgia to claim a third tournament title, the ex-Three Lions interim boss will have to do without several key faces.
Yet those players are not just gambling on club success in the United States - they are bidding to push themselves into the frame for Thomas Tuchel's senior plans next year too.
With England looking to finally end their six-decade wait for glory at the 2026 FIFA World Cup across North America, a host of faces hope to book their place on the flight there.
Here, DAZN News looks at some of the starlets looking to submit audition tapes for a tournament now less than a year away - and what their chances are to make the cut as well.
Liam Delap
Marc Atkins/Getty Images
- Club: Chelsea
- Age: 22
- Position: Forward
There's plenty of pressure on the shoulders of the former Manchester City academy product, who arrived at the Blues on the eve of their departure from relegated Ipswich Town.
Delap was one of the bright sparks for the Tractor Boys in their doomed Premier League return last term, scoring a dozen goals for the club in the top-flight with shrewd maturity.
His move to Chelsea not only gives him European football nex term - it allows him to further underline his shop window status as a potential understudy for Harry Kane up front.
With lingering questions over just who can function as the de-facto number two to the Three Lions skipper, a bright start to life here in America could seriously boost Delap's hopes.
Jobe Bellingham
Getty
- Club: Borussia Dortmund
- Age: 19
- Position: Midfielder
One Bellingham has already lit up world football - and now it is the turn of the other, as Jude's younger brother makes the move to the European big leagues from Sunderland.
The teenager was the 2024-25 EFL Championship Young Player of the Season as he helped fire the Black Cats back to the Premier League through the Play-offs at Wembley.
Capped only a handful of times by the Young Lions so far, it feels more of a stretch than Delap to assume that Bellingham could join his sibling in the senior ranks so soon.
But if he can deliver on his much-vaunted promise for Dortmund and make a positive impact stateside here, it could be a springboard to a first senior cap sooner rather than later.
Rico Lewis
Getty
- Club: Manchester City
- Age: 20
- Position: Defender
With almost half-a-dozen senior caps to his name already, the Premier League-winning defender is already a likely contender to make the cut for Tuchel in North America next year.
But at the same time, a good showing at the FIFA Club World Cup will not hurt his chances, especially with the German yet to give him any minutes in the middle of the defence.
After a friendly loss to Senegal that sparked questions over his backline, Lewis will be one of several players pushing to earn a major recall and figure in those tournament plans.
If he can put the frustrations of a tough season with City behind him and turn out some assured performances, he might be the closest in this list to booking a spot on the plane.
Jamie Gittens
- Club: Borussia Dortmund
- Age: 20
- Position: Winger
Given the clamour for overseas-based Three Lions stars in Europe's biggest leagues to feature regularly, it feels strange the Borussia Dortmund winger has gone under the radar.
A member of the Young Lions' 2022 UEFA European Under-19 Championship-winning squad, Gittens swapped Manchester City for Germany in his youth days half-a-decade ago.
Since then, he's racked up more than a hundred games across all competitions for the Bundesliga giants, and continues to go from strength to strength for them on the pitch.
The biggest stumbling block is his place - England remain blessed with a surplus of big names in his position - but he could use the FIFA Club World Cup as a springboard to success.
Carney Chukwuemeka
- Club: Chelsea / Borussia Dortmund
- Age: 21
- Position: Midfielder
One of the more intriguing Young Lions passing on a chance to figure in Slovakia is the Blues man set to end his loan tenure in Germany with this one last tournament.
While questions rumble over Chukwuemeka's future, the star will know that if he can get on the pitch, he can turn heads and further underline his promise as a star of the future.
He spent the second half of the 2024-25 campaign on loan with Dortmund, thereby missing out on the UEFA Conference League triumph that Chelsea secured last month.
There's plenty of promise however, though like Gittens, his biggest stumbling block may be a surfeit of talent ahead of him in the pecking order to figure under Tuchel next year.
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