The football education of Dunfermline defender Malachi Fagan-Walcott has been laid bare after his name appeared alongside the likes of Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer and Jamal Musiala in a throwback photo.
Fagan-Walcott, who had a spell with Dundee in 2021, joined the Pars in January on loan from Cardiff City and his pedigree was instantly recognisable.
Nine years with Tottenham Hotspur, working under José Mourinho, Nuno Espírito Santo and Antonio Conte, proved his sporting up-bringing.
Then, factor in making his debut in the Champions League against RB Leipzig in March 2020 as a team-mate of Hugo Lloris, Toby Alderweireld, Delle Alli and Eric Dier.
But going further back in time highlights the quality the 22-year-old has already rubbed shoulders with in his fledgling career.
Just came across this team sheet from England U15s back in 2017… The talent in this team is actually crazy 🤯🏴
Jeremy Doku was playing for Belgium in that game too… Madness ✨ pic.twitter.com/GsNnF0ph0W
— Rising Ballers (@RisingBallers_) April 16, 2024
A team-sheet from an England U/15s encounter with their Belgium counterparts from February 2017 has surfaced on social media.
The post from Rising Ballers, which has over two million followers, already has nearly 200,000 likes on Instagram and has been seen nearly 500,000 times on X.
It shows Fagan-Walcott starting alongside the likes of Palmer, Noni Madueke and captain Yunus Musah, with a 13-year-old Bellingham on the bench.
Then Celtic trainee Karamoko Dembélé and future Hoops and Republic of Ireland player Armstrong Oko-Flex, as well as Scotland under-21 cap Lewis Fiorini all featured in the squad.
Whilst some involved have dropped down the ranks or even out of top-level football, there are plenty who have gone on to be household names at the top of the game.
Jude Bellingham
Then a youth player with Birmingham City, Bellingham is now regarded as one of the best players in the world.
After only 44 games for the Blues, the midfielder joined Borussia Dortmund in 2020 at the age of just 17.
Following three record-breaking seasons with the Germans, Bellingham signed for Real Madrid last summer in a move reported to be worth up to €134 million.
Already a superstar on the international stage, England will be pining their hopes on the 20-year-old leading them to Euro 2024 success this summer.
Cole Palmer
Palmer is the name on many people’s lips after the Chelsea midfielder scored four, including the perfect hat-trick 16 minutes apart, in Monday’s 6-0 hammering of Everton.
The Mancunian came through the ranks at Manchester City before leaving for Chelsea on a seven-year contract in September last year.
Already one of the first names on the team-sheet for the Stamford Bridge side, the 21-year-old – with 20 goals – is level-pegging with Erling Haaland in the Premier League’s race for the golden boot.
Palmer is another who could make a huge impact with England at the Euros in Germany.
Jamal Musiala
Musiala was born in Germany to a British-Nigerian father and German mother and stayed in the country until he moved with his family to England aged seven.
The winger was part of the Chelsea academy before leaving to return to Germany as a 16-year-old to join Bayern Munich in 2019.
He made his Bundesliga debut against SC Freiburg the following year to become the youngest player to play for Bayern in the top-flight.
A regular for Munich, he switched allegiances from England to Germany and became the youngest to play for the country in a major tournament at Euro 2020.
He now has 27 caps for Die Mannschaft.
Yunus Musah
Musah was born in New York while his Ghanaian mother was on holiday in the United States and was subsequently brought up in Italy before moving to London aged nine.
Joining the Arsenal academy, the midfielder instantly caught the eye and then joined Valencia at the age of 16.
After racking up over 100 appearances for the Spanish side, Musah signed for AC Milan in August last year and chose the number 80 previously worn by Brazil legend Ronaldinho.
After playing over 30 times for England at youth level, Musah accepted a call-up from the US in 2020 and, following a tug of war with the Three Lions, eventually committed to the Americans in 2021.
A stand-out for his country at the 2022 World Cup, the 21-year-old already has 35 caps for the US.
Noni Madueke
Born in Barnet, Madueke came through the ranks at Crystal Palace and Spurs before rejecting Manchester United and joining PSV in the Netherlands in 2018.
After making his debut aged just 17, the winger made his name in the Eredivisie to earn a £30 million move to Chelsea in January 2023.
Now 22, Madueke is a regular for The Blues and helped England to their triumph in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship last summer alongside Chelsea team-mate Palmer.
He has been heavily criticised by manager Mauricio Pochettino this week for his part in an on-field spat with Nicholas Jackson over who should take Chelsea’s penalty against Everton, which was eventually converted by Palmer.
