This time last year, there weren’t many calls for England boss Thomas Tuchel to take Elliot Anderson to the World Cup.
But in the months ahead, Tuchel may be thanking his predecessor Lee Carsley for having the foresight to convince Anderson to choose England over Scotland, who he qualified for through his paternal grandmother.
It looked to be the Tartan Army that Anderson would represent after winning caps from Under-16 to Under-21 level. There was even a senior call-up in August 2023 for games against Cyprus and ironically England, before Anderson withdrew through injury.
‘I’d always been playing for Scotland,’ Anderson recalled to reporters ahead of the Three Lions’ friendly against Japan on Tuesday. ‘I got injured one camp and wasn’t there, and then I took a bit of time out to make my decision – and I chose England.
‘I had a meeting with Lee (Carsley) and it went really well. He just said “I really believe in what you’ve got and I think you can get there”.
‘I believed in myself, but hearing it from someone who works within England was nice.’
It would be another year until he made his England Under-21s debut, but after excelling – and playing a crucial role in their European Championship success last summer – Anderson’s rise has been meteoric.
Despite only making his full debut in September and having six caps to his name, the midfielder is almost a guaranteed starter for the World Cup.
If that wasn’t enough, his form domestically at Nottingham Forest sees him wanted by the likes of Man United, Man City and Arsenal.
‘It’s been crazy,’ added Anderson, who had a hyperbaric chamber and red-light sauna installed at his home to help recovery between matches during what has been a gruelling schedule.
‘I didn’t think it would happen this quickly. I’m trying to take it all in my stride and enjoy every moment. It’s incredible to be playing with these players and I’m learning every day.’
Tuchel and his assistant Anthony Barry watched England’s triumph against Germany in the Euros final and spoke to Anderson afterwards in what has turned out to be a key moment in his rise.
Another was a training session before that tournament where Carsley switched him to a No 6 role for the first time, making his subsequent progression all the more remarkable.
‘We had a behind-closed-doors match and I was playing in the left 10 role and struggling to get on the ball,’ said Anderson, who spent some time in Marbella last week after being granted extra time off by Tuchel, such is his importance.
‘He (Carsley) told me to drop deeper and get on the ball and start creating things. It just felt so natural for me and I haven’t looked back.’
Anderson revealed his standout World Cup memory is watching Kieran Trippier score against Croatia in the 2018 World Cup semi-final while at the pub with his dad and two brothers and being covered in beer – and he hopes he can drive England to success after his experiences last summer.
‘It was the first tournament I’ve been in and I know it’s on a smaller scale but it’s pressure and you learn to deal with the pressure,’ Anderson said.
‘I really enjoyed it and hopefully I can take that into this summer.’
