A NUMBER of players have written themselves into international folklore while representing their nation.
For England, several men became icons as Gareth Southgate’s men came within a penalty shoot-out of winning the Euros in 2021 – only to suffer heartbreak against Italy.
APItaly were crowned Euro 2020 champions after beating England on penalties[/caption]
But for every superstar who was tipped for stardom from a young age, there were other players whose road to the top had been considerably more gruelling.
Wales were indebted to Kieffer Moore after his goal saw Rob Page’s squad snatch a point against Switzerland two years ago.
Moore is now a hero in Wales.
But you don’t have to delve too far into the history books to find the striker plying his trade in non-league in front of a smattering of supporters and their dogs.
And the Welshman wasn’t the only former non-league hero at this summer’s tournament either.
Check out just seven of the best, below…
JORDAN PICKFORD
PA:Empics SportPickford spent time on loan at non-league Darlington during his early days at Sunderland[/caption]
GettyPickford is now England’s No1[/caption]
NOW England’s most-experienced No1, the Everton stopper has experienced it all.
Pickford started his career at Sunderland, but was quickly loaned out to Darlington, then in the Conference Premier – now known as the National League.
The goalkeeper played 17 times during his half-season loan, before Darlington were relegated to the sixth tier of English football.
Pickford returned to Sunderland only to be loaned to Conference side Alfreton Town, Burton Albion (League Two), Carlisle United, Bradford (both League One) and Preston (Championship).
The now-England man quickly established himself as Sunderland No1 before his move to Everton in 2017.
By the time he’d moved to Goodison Park – making the England squad for the first time that same summer – Pickford had already played in every tier of English football from the very top to the fifth.
Now England’s No1, Pickford was exceptional in the run to he final.
TYRONE MINGS
(C)Richard ChappellTyrone Mings played for non-league Yate Town and Chippenham earlier in his career[/caption]
THE now-Aston Villa defender started – and played the full 90 minutes of – the 1-0 win over Croatia in the opening group game.
He then played the following two group games before Harry Maguire took his spot.
Mings showed his mental toughness as he put in an assured performance after a pair of shaky warm-up matches.
But it should be no surprise to anyone that Mings was unfazed. After all, he’s experienced plenty of setbacks during his career.
Mings, now 30 and 6ft 5in, was released by Southampton’s youth academy in 2009 after eight years for being too small.
The defender then spent two years at school before returning to football with then-eighth-tier Yate Town in 2011-12.
Mings – then working as a barman and mortgage advisor to make ends meet – nearly quit football before joining Southern League Premier Division side Chippenham Town in the seventh tier.
The centre-back – then playing as a left-back – was signed by Ipswich in a deal worth £10,000 to serve as backup to Aaron Cresswell.
But a surge in form and a growth spurt saw him quickly become a towering centre-back, joining Bournemouth in 2015 for what would be their first-ever season in the Premier League.
Four years on the south coast saw him move to Aston Villa in 2019, where he has since gone on to become a member of Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions squad but did miss out on the 2022 World Cup.
The SunTyrone Mings partnered John Stones in defence vs Croatia, putting in a strong showing[/caption]
RexDominic Calvert-Lewin came off the bench late on vs Croatia in the Euros[/caption]
DOMINIC CALVERT-LEWIN
MUCH like Pickford – team-mate for club and country – Calvert-Lewin’s route to Premier League and international football was a slightly longer journey than most.
The striker joined Sheffield United’s academy in 2005 aged eight, before spending nine years in the youth squad, then as a box-to-box midfielder.
Calvert-Lewin broke into the senior set-up in early 2014, with the Blades still in League One at that time.
With club bosses believing he needed more senior game-time under his belt, the forward was shipped off to sixth-tier Stalybridge Celtic on loan in December of that year.
However, after scoring six times in just five games for their first team, his loan was cut short and he returned to Bramall Lane in February 2015.
Calvert-Lewin signed a new long-term contract before being sent on loan to then-League Two side Northampton, with Sheff Utd believing he was ready for the jump in standard.
Despite never scoring for the Blades at a senior level, Everton saw his potential and brought him to Merseyside in the summer of 2016.
Fast forward and Calvert-Lewin has four goals in 11 games for England but missed out on last year’s World Cup squad through injury.
Che Adams played for youth team St Andrews before playing or Oadby Town and Ilkeston Town
CHE ADAMS
CAPPED twice by England’s Under-20s in 2015, Adams is now arguably Scotland’s No1 striker after switching allegiances in 2020.
While Adams has been on the books of Southampton and Birmingham in recent seasons, he didn’t always have it easy.
Before moving to Sheffield Utd in 2014-15, the striker was on the books of ninth-tier Oadby Town, then in the United Counties League.
Adams then moved on to another non-league side, Ilkeston Town, making his senior debut against Jamie Vardy’s old club, Stocksbridge Park Steels in October 2013.
After close to 100 matches in non-league, Adams was snatched up by Sheff Utd, despite competition from Premier League and Championship clubs.
He played in all three games for Scotland at the Euros.
GettyChe Adams is arguably Scotland’s top centre-forward[/caption]
AFPKieffer Moore played in the 14th tier before working his way up the ranks, including a spell at Yeovil Town, pictured[/caption]
KIEFFER MOORE
MOORE played in all three of Wales’ World Cup games last winter – including against England.
But he failed to add to the nine international goals he already has, having also played four times in total for his country at the Euros.
Of all the footballing journeys listed here, none are quite as fascinating – and long – as Moore’s.
Born in Torquay, Moore kicked off his career in the south-west of England with Paignton Saints in the 14th TIER – the South Devon League Division Two.
The striker scored 47 times in just 43 games before moving to Truro in the Conference South (sixth tier) for the 2012-13 season.
Midway through the season, Moore moved to league rivals Dorchester Town.
He was then snapped up by then-Championship side Yeovil in the summer of 2013.
In two seasons at Yeovil, the club was relegated TWICE, to slip back down to League Two, with Moore released.
The forward joining Norwegian top-flight side Viking for one season, before snubbing offers from League Two sides Exeter and Leyton Orient to sign for National League club Forest Green.
One-cap England C international Moore joined then-Championship side Ipswich for £10,000 a year later before moving to Barnsley and then Wigan – all for one season apiece.
He joined Cardiff last summer and has since become a key part of both the Bluebirds and Wales set-ups, having scored six times in 18 games for his country.
Moore scored 20 times in 42 Championship games for Cardiff in 2020-21.
The Mega AgencyMoore scored Wales’ equaliser against Switzerland in their tournament opener[/caption]
AFPDanny Ward started his career at non-league Wrexham and is now Wales’ No1[/caption]
DANNY WARD
WARD played in all four of Wales’ Euro 2020 games, where they were eliminated in the last 16 by Denmark.
He also played in two World Cup matches, despite missing Wales’ group-stage opener to America.
Starting from the beginning, the goalkeeper started his career at then-Conference Premier side Wrexham – also loaned to league rivals Tamworth.
Ward joined Liverpool in 2012 and was even the club’s second-choice, behind Simon Mignolet, for much of the 2014-15 season.
But the goalkeeper only ever played three matches – with two of those in the Premier League – and was loaned out to Morecambe, Aberdeen and Huddersfield.
In 2018, then-fourth-choice at Anfield, Ward was sold to Leicester for £12.5million.
Ward has never played in the Premier League for the Foxes, but is unquestionably No2 to Kasper Schmeichel.
In 2020-21, seven of his 12 appearances in all competitions came for his country.
Ward played two FA Cup games, two Europa League matches and one Carabao Cup clash for Leicester last season.
Getty Images – GettyTom Lockyer spent time in non-league after Bristol Rovers briefly fell out of the Football League[/caption]
TOM LOCKYER
The centre-back joined Bristol Rovers’ youth academy from Cardiff in 2011.
Lockyer quickly broke into the first-team for the then-League Two side, but was part of the squad who dropped out of the Football League in 2013-14.
The 6ft 1in defender – released by Cardiff for being too short – helped Bristol Rovers to back-to-back promotions as they stormed up to League One.
In 2019, Lockyer joined then-Championship side Charlton, where he spent just one year before moving on to Luton, where he played 20 times last season in the second tier.
The 14-cap Wales international was handed the No5 jersey for Euro 2020 but did not get a minute at the tournament or in the World Cup.
GettyTom Lockyer is now on the books of Luton and had the No5 shirt for Wales at the Euros[/caption] Read More