Sunday, June 6, 2021

Declan Rice was Irish, Jude Bellingham was in Year 8, and Harry Maguire was in the stands as a fan – Where England stars were in 2016

Do you remember where you were when England were dumped out of Euro 2016?

The Round of 16 loss to Iceland was a miserable affair and one which will be long remember, no matter how successful this current crop of talents is.

The Three Lions failed to roar in France and were thunder clapped all the way home

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The Three Lions failed to roar in France and were thunder clapped all the way home

After negotiating a group, including Wales, Slovakia, and Russia, the Three Lions fell at the first hurdle in the knockout phase.

A tame 2-1 defeat to the footballing minnows left England’s superstars feeling shame, but some are still around to tell the tale.

Harry Kane, John Stones, and Raheem Sterling will still feel the pain of that exit and do their all to ensure it doesn’t happen this time.

But where were some of their current teammates when they tumbled out of Euro 2016? talkSPORT.com takes a look and, spoiler alert, you’re going to feel old…

Bukayo Saka and Jack Grealish represent a new generation talents and it’s an exciting time for the country

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Bukayo Saka and Jack Grealish represent a new generation talents and it’s an exciting time for the country

Jordan Pickford

He might be the England no.1 right now, despite some decent competition, but in 2016 he wasn’t even Sunderland’s first choice.

Pickford had just debuted for the Black Cats but was still behind Vito Mannone in the pecking order.

And by starting against Tottenham in the Premier League in January of that year he completed the impressive feat of playing in England’s top five leagues before the age of 21.

Pickford’s England place is secure ahead of Euro 2020

AFP or licensors

Pickford’s England place is secure ahead of Euro 2020

Declan Rice

Defensive midfield ace Rice had just signed a professional deal with West Ham United but was playing his international football for Republic of Ireland’s youth teams.

He even played for the senior side on three occasions before swapping nationalities in 2019. Now he’s one of the first names on the team sheet – much to Roy Keane’s annoyance.

Rice made the decision to play for England after three caps for Ireland – all in friendlies

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Rice made the decision to play for England after three caps for Ireland – all in friendlies

Harry Maguire

Okay, he’s not one of the youngsters but, having just won promotion to the Premier League with Hull City, Maguire celebrated in style.

He went to Euro 2016 – but not as a player – he followed England with his family and friends as a fan!

Jack Grealish

Right now, the Aston Villa man is on a high and is England’s no.7 for the tournament, but in 2016 this outcome looked a long way off.

The Villans had just been relegated from the Premier League and poor Grealish lost all 16 matches he played in as they finished bottom of the table.

It’s been quite a turnaround!

Marcus Rashford

He’d only just made his Manchester United debut but so precocious was his talent, England coach Roy Hodgson took him to Euro 2016, aged 18.

Rashford came off the bench against Wales and broke Wayne Rooney’s record to become England’s youngest ever player at a European Championship.

Now he’s making an impact off the pitch and has an MBE as he attempts to defeat child poverty.

While England were dumped out of Euro 2016 by Iceland, Rashford made an impact

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While England were dumped out of Euro 2016 by Iceland, Rashford made an impact

Dean Henderson

Having played the first nine games of his senior career at Stockport County, the 19-year-old was set to go on loan to Grimsby from Manchester United.

Kalvin Phillips

The Yorkshire Pirlo had been making the odd appearance in the Leeds side but was about to have his breakthrough season in the Championship.

Not even Phillips will have thought by 2021 he would be about to go to a tournament with England

Sportsfile

Not even Phillips will have thought by 2021 he would be about to go to a tournament with England

Jadon Sancho

The Borussia Dortmund wonderkid was yet to make a senior appearance for Man City, a year after being signed from Watford.

It’s astonishing to think he’s now been sensational for three-and-a-half seasons in the Bundesliga.

Sancho was also starring for England at Under-16 level

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Sancho was also starring for England at Under-16 level

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

When Euro 2016 was being played out, the striker was still on the books at Sheffield United after spending a season on loan with Northampton Town in League Two.

He would make his bow as an England youth international at Under-20 level later than year, just after signing for Everton in a £1.5m deal.

Calvert-Lewin sported a fresh-faced look back in 2016 – not that he looks much older now!

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Calvert-Lewin sported a fresh-faced look back in 2016 – not that he looks much older now!

Mason Mount

The only football young Mount had played this time five years ago was for Chelsea’s academy and England’s Under-16s and Under-17s.

It would still be a year before he first made his name out on loan with Vitesse Arnhem in the Eredivisie.

Mount had scored in the 2016 FA Cup Youth final first leg, and Chelsea beat Man City to that trophy too

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Mount had scored in the 2016 FA Cup Youth final first leg, and Chelsea beat Man City to that trophy too

Phil Foden

Manchester City’s magical young midfielder still hadn’t signed pro-terms with the club, that would come in July 2016.

His first involvement with the senior side would be at the end of the year, though, as an unused substitute against Celtic in the Champions League.

Foden’s talent means he was destined to play for England and was involved at Under-16 level in 2016

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Foden’s talent means he was destined to play for England and was involved at Under-16 level in 2016

Ben Chilwell

It may seem like the former Leicester ace has been around for a while now, aged 24, but he hadn’t even played a league game for the Foxes by the time Euro 2016 rolled around.

He had, though, just played nine games for Huddersfield in the Championship.

Chilwell’s time at Huddersfield saw him get league football under his belt

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Chilwell’s time at Huddersfield saw him get league football under his belt

Trent Alexander-Arnold

Still just an academy ace, the young right-back was yet to make his first-team debut when Euro 2016 began.

He would start against Tottenham in the League Cup that October, marking the beginning of his stunning ascent which has seen him win the Premier League and the Champions League by the age of 22.

Reece James

Hard to believe it considering that Champions League final performance but James wasn’t even a professional at Chelsea in the summer of 2016.

James has been tipped to get even better since the Champions League final win

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James has been tipped to get even better since the Champions League final win

Bukayo Saka

The Arsenal starlet was just 14(!) when England were last in a European Championship.

So, while current teammates were losing to Iceland, he hadn’t even taken his GCSEs.

Jude Bellingham

If you though Saka was young, get a load of this…

Borussia Dortmund ace Bellingham, now just 17 – had just finished Year 8 at school at the time of the tournament and wasn’t even 13.

Now we feel really old…

Bellingham has played for England at Under-16, Under-17 and Under-21 level but was early into his secondary school education during Euro 2016

Getty Images - Getty

Bellingham has played for England at Under-16, Under-17 and Under-21 level but was early into his secondary school education during Euro 2016

talkSPORT and talkSPORT 2 will have live commentary of EVERY game of Euro 2020. You won’t miss a thing as we bring you round the clock coverage, reaction and analysis from June 11-July 11. Listen online HERE.

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