Back in 2023, The Athletic's writers were tasked with predicting England's starting XI for a home European Championship five years down the line.
One selection leaned heavily on a side built around a young Jude Bellingham before working outwards. The picks blended established names with a handful of eyebrow-raising calls, mixing Premier League regulars with players who, at the time, had barely made a senior breakthrough.
Here's a look back at exactly who was backed to lead England out at Euro 2028.
Goalkeeper and Defence
Aaron Ramsdale; Tino Livramento, John Stones, Levi Colwill, Calum Scanlon
Tino Livramento during a training session with England
In goal, Carl Anka predicted Aaron Ramsdale would no longer be at Arsenal by 2028, but felt he'd have developed into England's number one regardless of his club situation. At full-back, Anka went with Tino Livramento to eventually win what he dubbed England's "right-back war," seeing him learn from Kieran Trippier and overtake Max Aarons, while questioning whether Trent Alexander-Arnold's role would ever be settled, much like it is now.
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With injury concerns already surrounding Reece James and Ben Chilwell, he handed then-18-year-old Calum Scanlon the start at left-back. The Liverpool defender has currently played just 12 professional matches at 21 years old as it stands. John Stones, who is very much an England regular at present, got the nod alongside Chelsea's Levi Colwill, who has been in and around the Three Lions setup as he's dealt with a wave of injuries.
Midfield
Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice, Curtis Jones
Jude Bellingham for England at the 2026 World CupPeter Cziborra via Reuters
Anka's midfield isn't far off what it currently looks like, pairing current England regulars Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice, with the latter tipped to inherit the captaincy from Harry Kane in the years that followed. He predicted a tight battle for the final midfield berth between the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White, Harvey Elliott and Jacob Ramsey, ultimately handing the role to Curtis Jones for his composure on the ball at Liverpool, with Angel Gomes pencilled in as a smart option off the bench.
Current England starter, Elliot Anderson, wasn't a thought at the time. That's likely due to him only just getting a handful of appearances in the Premier League in 2023, before his move to Nottingham Forest the following year.
Forwards
Anthony Gordon, Bukayo Saka, Eddie Nketiah
Eddie Nketiah Crystal Palace Shelbourne
Perhaps the boldest call came in attack, where he backed Eddie Nketiah to eventually succeed Kane as England's central striker, pointing to the forward's decision to knock back Ghana call-ups in the hope of representing his country of birth instead. It's hardly been the career Nketiah would have hoped for since leaving Arsenal. The striker has scored just eight goals in 58 matches since leaving Arsenal in 2024, with most appearances coming from the bench for Crystal Palace. He did make one appearance for the Three Lions in October 2023, but hasn't been involved since.
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He would start with current England wingers Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka either side of him. Alongside Marcus Rashford, both have been consistent choices on the left and right flank. At the age of 24, Saka already has over 50 international caps, and Gordon, who has just sealed a big-money move to Barcelona, had his best performance in an England shirt at the 2026 World Cup, grabbing two assists against DR Congo in 25 minutes, to save England from an embarrassing defeat in the round of 32.
Manager and Coaches
Graham Potter, James Milner, Adam Lallana
West Ham United head coach Graham Potter on the touchline
Rounding things off, it was suggested Graham Potter, the former West Ham manager and current Sweden manager, would be in the England hotseat, working alongside recent retirees James Milner and Adam Lallana as his assistants. England's current manager, Thomas Tuchel, would have been nowhere near anyone's thoughts in 2023. The German was a surprise appointment in 2025 as it was, and was the Bayern Munich manager at the time of the picks being made.
As a whole, it's a selection that's somewhat of a mixed bag, with some picks ageing well, while others who are nowhere near the current squad were favoured ahead of today’s more established options.