When talking about grassroots successes in football, you don’t have to look far to find motivating stories.
In fact, when we take a close look, more than 85% of the English Euros team started out in grassroots football. It’s a staggering figure, but it shouldn’t be a surprise. With countless grassroots level players in the top leagues – it seems the way to get into high-level football.
Let’s take a look at the current England squad and their grassroots beginnings that helped formed their success today.
English football players with grassroots beginnings
More than 85% of the players that made up the 2020 Euros side started out at a grassroots level.
From the grassroots game to the #EURO2020 final…
Where it all began for the #ThreeLions: pic.twitter.com/UamJAOm5bm
— England (@England) July 9, 2021
We’re going to focus on a handful of the top players that owe their career success to grassroots football and their oh-so-close performance in the most recent Euros, where a valiant squad lost at the final frontier to Italy.
Jack Grealish
Grealish started out his successful football career at Highgate United, before joining Aston Villa at the age of six. A free-spirit trickster in his grassroots football days, he evolved his game slowly but continuously to become the behemoth he is today.
“I used to live and breathe football when I was a kid.”
From playing at Highgate United, summer tournaments in Devon and even a bit of Gaelic football, @JackGrealish spent his childhood playing the sport he loved. ⚽️
Read more about his journey to the #ThreeLions 👇
— England Football (@EnglandFootball) August 6, 2021
The lifelong Aston Villa fan was signed by Manchester City following a transfer fee reportedly worth £100m. This was not only the most expensive transfer fee ever for an English player but the most amount paid by an English club. Although his first season at this new club was below expectations, Grealish should not be ruled out….
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