Here are seven Sunderland players who could have a chance at playing for England in the EURO 2028 tournament.
England have announced their EURO 2024 squad this afternoon, with Sunderland academy graduates Jordan Pickford and Jordan Henderson both preparing for their upcoming friendlies against Brazil and Belgium.
The 25-man squad also consists of a number of players who have made their way up the EFL to where they are now – with the likes of Harry Maguire, James Maddison, Jarrod Bowen, Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney all coming from lower leagues.
It gives a lot of hope to players that are currently impressing in the Championship or League One, while there is certainly already a number of stars that many will picture in an England shirt in years to come.
Despite Sunderland’s poor form, there is no denying that we also have a list of young talents who are certainly capable of playing international football in the future.
Here are seven Sunderland stars who could be in with a chance of featuring in EURO 2028…
Sunderland lads who could star in EURO 2028
Jack Clarke
Jack Clarke is the most obvious one, with the winger likely to catch the eye of the England manager once he inevitably earns his place in the Premier League.
The winger hasn’t featured in the international set-up since playing six times for the U20s between 2019-20, but if he can reach his potential over the next few years then he could well be in with a chance.
The Three Lions do have a wealth of attacking talent though, so battling for his place in the squad will be difficult.
Anthony Patterson
Anthony Patterson has already been linked with a move to Liverpool, but he will likely need to be in a starting position for a Premier League club to earn the call-up.
The 23-year-old is certainly one of England’s brightest talents in that department, but becoming number one is definitely one of the hardest positions to master.
Dennis Cirkin
Dennis Cirkin definitely has the potential to eventually play for England, especially given the country’s lack of decent full-backs.
This could well depend on two things though. The first one is his injury record, as he has constantly been on the sidelines since joining Sunderland and definitely won’t reach the heights expected of him if this continues.
Secondly, it is whether he decides to play for Republic of Ireland first. Cirkin was born in Dublin and could still opt to play for them if he can’t get into the England set-up.
Aji Alese
I would argue Aji Alese is our best left-back when fit, but like Dennis Cirkin, his injuries are a problem.
If the defender can sort his fitness out, then I can see him playing in the Premier League and could well have eventually starred for West Ham if he didn’t leave.
His versatility across the back four could also give him an advantage if he wants to play for the Three Lions.
Jobe Bellingham
Definitely not in the form he’s playing in now, but Jobe Bellingham has a lot of potential and will be eager to reach the England set-up like his brother.
It would be a huge surprise if he makes the rapid progress Jude Bellingham has over the next four years, but if he can begin to find his feet again then we could eventually see him joining a top club.
Whether EURO 2028 is too soon for him is another question, but he will surely make his international debut at some point.
Dan Neil
Dan Neil is guaranteed to follow Henderson and Pickford’s footsteps from Wearside to St George’s Park eventually.
The midfielder is brilliant and will likely leave for the Premier League if we don’t win promotion in the next couple of seasons.
He could well become a regular starter for England in four years time.
Chris Rigg
This could be the most ambitious given that he is only 16 years old, but I can’t begin to imagine the quality Chris Rigg will have by the time EURO 2028 comes round.
It seems extremely unlikely that the ‘remarkable’ youngster will still be at Sunderland, while it wouldn’t surprise me if he was starting for a team like West Ham or Brentford.
Rigg is guaranteed to be a huge star on the international stage in the future, it just depends how quickly he can develop.