Elliot Anderson

A year ago, Elliot Anderson hadn’t made an England squad and it wouldn’t have been too much of an exaggeration to suggest the players ahead of him in the pecking order went into double figures. Now though, the Manchester City-linked Nottingham Forest midfielder is more or less a guaranteed starter for England, beating off Adam Wharton in the squad and Kobbie Mainoo in the lineup. The 23-year-old, who helped Forest into Europe in the 2024/25 season and then avoid relegation alongside a UEFA Europa League semi-final appearance this year, is the metronomic passing figure next to the aggressive and marauding Declan Rice. Technically excellent and efficient in both aspects of the game, Anderson’s ability to simply keep the ball is not something England have possessed in previous tournaments and will be crucial in the heat of a North American summer.