‘A Dream Come True’: Elisa Longo Borghini and UAE Team ADQ make history at UAE Tour Women

‘A Dream Come True’: Elisa Longo Borghini and UAE Team ADQ make history at UAE Tour Women
Elisa Longo Borghini of Italy led UAE Team ADQ to a historic win at the third edition of the UAE Tour Women (Getty Images)
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Updated 11 February 2025
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‘A Dream Come True’: Elisa Longo Borghini and UAE Team ADQ make history at UAE Tour Women

‘A Dream Come True’: Elisa Longo Borghini and UAE Team ADQ make history at UAE Tour Women
  • Third edition of the Middle East’s first and only Women’s WorldTour race signals rapid growth of women’s professional cycling

“A dream come true.”

Those were the words of an elated Melissa Moncada, head of team at UAE Team ADQ, after her squad made history on Sunday by securing the overall win at their home race. The UAE Tour Women, part of the Women’s WorldTour — the highest tier of women’s cycling — has been a key target for the team since the race’s first edition in 2023.

Along with team classification, Italian star Elisa Longo Borghini claimed the prestigious general classification red jersey for UAE Team ADQ, with teammate Silvia Persico securing second in the GC. Karlijn Swinkels placed fifth overall, while Lara Gillespie claimed the black jersey in the Intermediate Sprints Classification — a remarkable achievement on her Women’s WorldTour debut after being called up from the UAE squad’s development team. Teammates Elynor Backstedt and sprinter Sofie van Rooijen, who bounced back from a crash on stage one, provided crucial support throughout the four days of racing. 

Longo Borghini’s decisive attack on Jebel Hafeet on Stage 3 proved to be the turning point. With Persico setting a relentless pace, Longo Borghini launched a perfectly timed attack 3 km from the finish line, securing a dominant victory and virtually sealing the overall title. Following Longo Borghini was Persico in second place. The team’s overall triumph was sealed on the final Stage 4 on Sunday, despite Lorena Wiebes of SD Worx-Protime dominating the sprint finishes, winning three of the four stages.

 

A pivotal moment

Speaking to Arab News at the end of the tour about the crucial moment in the race, Moncada praised the entire team’s effort, particularly the dynamic between Longo Borghini and Persico on Stage 3.

“Persico really is an athlete that can defend and fight for the victory of the leader,” said Moncada. “Even though she brought Elisa to the amazing position that she was in, she fought to the end and arrived in second position. It’s like they almost crossed the line together, so it was amazing.”

For Persico, who has known Longo Borghini for years but had never raced alongside her until now, the partnership felt instinctive.

“It really seemed that we were always racing together. We just understand each other really well,” said Persico. 

“I just started to work at the bottom of the climb and I was just pacing a bit hard. I wanted to drop as many girls as possible. And then when Elisa attacked, in my mind I was ‘okay, job finished, I can rest.’ But then I saw that I was feeling pretty good — a bit tired, yes, of course. And I said, ‘okay, I’ll try to do my best for the achievement, so maybe second place.’ And yeah, I didn’t give up and, in the end, I finished second.”

 

Reflections on a team victory 

At the team presentations at the Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy on Sunday morning, ahead of the final day of racing, Longo Borghini — who won the race’s inaugural edition in 2023 and counts the 2024 Giro d’Italia Women and Tour of Flanders among her many victories — reflected on her Stage 3 win.

“The race was very spectacular,” she said, acknowledging the crucial role her team played. “Everyone was really committed to trying to win the stage and take the overall, and then you saw how the team was racing — it was pretty incredible.”

Following the conclusion of the race, with UAE Team ADQ securing first and second in the GC, the sprinter classification, and the team classification, Longo Borghini emphasized the unity that led to their dominant performance.

“It feels quite amazing,” she said. “From the very beginning of the season, the team pointed out that they wanted us to perform well here in the UAE. And of course, we came here for GC, but in the end, we are walking away with first and second on GC, the sprinter classification, and the team classification. And the one I’m the most proud of is the team classification because it shows how strong we were throughout these four days. And it’s really been a team victory.”

Longo Borghini, in the first year of a three-year contract with UAE Team ADQ, has firmly established herself as a cornerstone of the team’s ambitions and according to both management and riders, the team is unified and riding as one.

“You can see the unity there. It’s not forced,” said Cherie Pridham, UAE Team ADQ’s head of sport. “It’s been actually one of my best weeks on a cycling team. To do that with these girls has been amazing. To have a leader like Elisa Longo Borghini with us, she just raises the bar and raises everybody’s expectations — and ours as well, the staff — it’s incredible.”

 

The rise of women’s cycling

This UAE Tour Women was not only a historic moment for UAE Team ADQ but also for women’s professional cycling. With crosswind conditions setting the scene, the UAE Tour Women set a record for the fastest-ever average speed in a Women’s WorldTour race on Day 2, with an average speed of 48.407 km/h over the 111 km Al-Mirfa Sprint Stage. The leading group of five riders — including Longo Borghini, Lorena Wiebes, Lara Gillespie, Karlijn Swinkels, and Human Powered Health’s Lily Williams — broke away early and held off the peloton. 

Pridham, a trailblazer as the first woman to hold a sport director role on a men’s WorldTour team — a role she held prior to joining UAE Team ADQ — emphasized to Arab News at the conclusion of the race the significance of the race and the team’s victory, highlighting the rapid evolution and growing professionalism of women’s cycling, and in particular, UAE Team ADQ.

“I mean, we knew we were capable of it, and the work that we’ve all done in the background — the management continuously growing the team — it’s just incredible,” she said. “I’m lost for words. And I’m delighted for Melissa and the team, the management, and everyone that’s put so much work and belief into this. The way the girls rode yesterday is just astounding.

“It’s history. It really is,” she added. “To see the sport grow — from where I was 25 years ago to how quickly it has evolved in just the last three years — it’s unbelievable. And the way we operate at UAE Team ADQ is on par, I would say sometimes even better, than our men’s team. I put myself on the line saying this, but women’s cycling is definitely on the up, and it’s incredible to be part of the growth.”

The race’s growing stature has not gone unnoticed by other teams. Oskar Scarsbrook, director of communications at Human Powered Health — a US-based team that elevated its women’s squad to WorldTour status before its men’s team — praised the event’s prominence on the racing calendar.

“It’s only been going on for three years, but it already feels like a statement piece on the WorldTour calendar. It’s like, ‘yeah, of course you’re going to UAE in February for the UAE Tour.’ It already feels like it has pride of place at the start of the year purely because of how good the racing has been.”

One key factor contributing to the race’s growing prestige is its comprehensive TV coverage, showcasing the intensity of competition from start to finish.

“TV coverage is the biggest thing with that,” he added. “We’ve been lucky here because we’ve had it from kilometer one, which is massive. The crosswind stage on day two? The racing was quite literally from kilometer zero. In previous years, you would have joined with 40 minutes to go, and it would be like, ‘okay, right, this is what happened.’ And you’d have missed all the exciting stuff that set up what came later.” 

With the thrilling racing of the UAE Tour Women concluded, and the season just beginning, Longo Borghini and UAE Team ADQ have set the bar high. 

“I’m very proud of every single teammate who made this possible,” she said. “And I hope this is just the beginning.”

 

  • Dawn Barnable is the founder and host of “The Mettleset Podcast,” a platform dedicated to women in sport from across the region

Ronaldo leads Al-Nassr to third in table

Ronaldo leads Al-Nassr to third in table
Updated 15 March 2025
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Ronaldo leads Al-Nassr to third in table

Ronaldo leads Al-Nassr to third in table
  • Big-name attacking stars steal show in first half, Ronaldo sets pace
  • Comfortable cushion after first period

JEDDAH: Cristiano Ronaldo scored again to set Al-Nassr on their way to a 3-1 victory over Al-Kholood on Friday to move them into third in the table and keep their faint Saudi Pro League title hopes alive.

Al-Nassr’s big-name attacking stars stole the show in the first half with Ronaldo setting the pace.

The 40-year-old struck in the fourth minute with his 19th league goal of the season. The ball fell to the Portuguese star just outside the six-yard box and he made no mistake in guiding his shot into the bottom corner.

Five minutes later the visitors thought they were back on level terms as Myziane Maolida had the ball in the net, shooting home from near the penalty spot, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Sadio Mane extended Al-Nassr’s lead after 26 minutes. Ronaldo was involved, freeing Salem Al-Najdi down the left and his cross was met first time by the former Liverpool and Bayern Munich star.

There was still time before the break for Jhon Duran to give the home team a comfortable cushion. The Colombian picked up possession from Angelo outside the area and then shot low into the corner with a clinical finish.

The game fizzled out a little just before the hour as Al-Nassr were reduced to 10 men following Nawaf Boushal’s second yellow card.

Ronaldo was substituted soon after and while the five-time Ballon d’Or winner did not seem happy at the decision as he exited the pitch and headed down the tunnel, at least Al-Nassr had the points in the bag.

An own goal from Ali Lajami with 18 minutes to go gave some brief cause for concern, but game management meant Al-Nassr moved into third with the win, above Al-Qadsiah who missed the chance to go level on points with Al-Hilal in second after falling to a 1-0 defeat at Damac. The deadlock was finally broken after 101 minutes by a penalty from Habib Diallo.


Germany recall Goretzka and Adeyemi for Italy Nations League tie

Germany recall Goretzka and Adeyemi for Italy Nations League tie
Updated 15 March 2025
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Germany recall Goretzka and Adeyemi for Italy Nations League tie

Germany recall Goretzka and Adeyemi for Italy Nations League tie
  • Nagelsmann, who coached him at Bayern, said: “Leon is in a very good phase from a sporting perspective“
  • Adeyemi has not pulled on a Germany senior shirt since 2022 and this is the first time Nagelsmann has selected him

BERLIN: Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann on Thursday recalled the in-form Leon Goretzka and Karim Adeyemi to his squad for the two-legged Nations League quarter-final tie with Italy.
Injuries to key players including Florian Wirtz, Kai Havertz, Niclas Fuellkrug and Marc-Andre Ter Stegen necessitated several changes as Germany look to reach the final four of the Nations League for the first time.
Bayern Munich midfielder Goretzka last played for Germany in 2023 but has regained the form of a few years ago.
Nagelsmann, who coached him at Bayern, said: “Leon is in a very good phase from a sporting perspective.”
Adeyemi has not pulled on a Germany senior shirt since 2022 and this is the first time Nagelsmann has selected him.
Appointed Germany manager in September 2023, Nagelsmann has repeatedly selected on form rather than reputation, having regularly left big names out of the squad.
On Thursday, Nagelsmann said he selected “players who play regularly for the club” and added he wanted players to be “on fire (and) show their spirit even if they don’t play from the start.”
Midfielder Nadiem Amiri has been chosen for the first time in five years as he benefits from Mainz’s rise to third spot in the table.
Inter Milan center-back Yann Aurel Bisseck, 24, is the only debutant.
“We’ve got great respect for him,” Nagelsmann said of Bisseck, adding “he’s got a lot of talent and brings plenty to the table.”
Manchester City back-up Stefan Ortega joins Hoffenheim’s Oliver Baumann and Stuttgart’s Alexander Nuebel, on loan from Bayern, as the goalkeepers.
Nagelsmann did not indicate which of the three would play but said he would opt for the same player for both games.
The coach complained about the scheduling of the Bundesliga, with seven members of the national squad involved when defending champions Bayer Leverkusen and last season’s runners-up Stuttgart play on Sunday.
Nagelsmann said he would now have “the shortest training period” he has ever had as Germany coach.
They face Italy in Milan on March 20 before hosting the Italians in the return leg in Dortmund on March 23.
Italy eliminated Germany with two goals in extra time at the same venue in the semifinals of the 2006 World Cup.
Germany had never beaten Italy at a major tournament until winning on penalties in the quarter-finals of Euro 2016.

Squad
Goalkeepers: Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Alexander Nuebel (Stuttgart), Stefan Ortega (Manchester City/ENG)
Defenders: Yann Aurel Bisseck (Inter Milan/ITA), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Robin Koch (Eintracht Frankfurt), Maximilian Mittelstaedt (Stuttgart), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Antonio Ruediger (Real Madrid/ESP), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen)
Midfielders: Karim Adeyemi (Borussia Dortmund), Nadiem Amiri (Mainz), Robert Andrich (Bayer Leverkusen), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Pascal Gross (Borussia Dortmund), Jamie Leweling (Stuttgart), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich), Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart)
Forwards: Jonathan Burkardt (Mainz), Tim Kleindienst (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart)


Baniyas crowned Mother of the Nation Jiu-Jitsu Cup champions in Abu Dhabi

Baniyas crowned Mother of the Nation Jiu-Jitsu Cup champions in Abu Dhabi
Updated 14 March 2025
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Baniyas crowned Mother of the Nation Jiu-Jitsu Cup champions in Abu Dhabi

Baniyas crowned Mother of the Nation Jiu-Jitsu Cup champions in Abu Dhabi
  • Al-Jazira finish second, Al-Ain third
  • Baniyas’ Asma Al-Hosani won the gold medal in the adults’ 57 kg category

ABU DHABI: Baniyas Jiu-Jitsu Club emerged as champions in the Mother of the Nation Jiu-Jitsu Cup, which concluded on Thursday at the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy.
The two-day event, which showcased elite female jiu-jitsu athletes, saw Al-Jazira finish second and Al-Ain take third place.
Abdulmunem Alsayed Mohammed Al-Hashmi, chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, president of the Asian Jiu-Jitsu Union, and senior vice president of the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation, congratulated the winning clubs while acknowledging their role in supporting athletes by providing a well-rounded sports environment that enhanced their readiness and offered real opportunities for competition and growth.
Al-Hashmi said: “The incredible success of jiu-jitsu in the UAE is made possible by the limitless support of the country’s wise leadership and its commitment to developing talent.
“The achievements of Emirati women in local and international competitions demonstrate the success of the federation’s strategy in building a solid foundation of female athletes capable of competing globally and bringing pride to the nation.”
Baniyas’ Asma Al-Hosani, a gold medalist in the adults’ 57 kg category, said: “This victory is the result of months of hard work, refining both physical and mental skills.
“Winning requires more than strength: It demands strategy, adaptability, and teamwork. I aimed not just for personal success but to contribute to my team’s achievement.
“I’m grateful to Baniyas and the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation for their support and will continue striving for more success.”


4Aces take LIV Golf Singapore team lead after Johnson’s 8-under 63

4Aces take LIV Golf Singapore team lead after Johnson’s 8-under 63
Updated 14 March 2025
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4Aces take LIV Golf Singapore team lead after Johnson’s 8-under 63

4Aces take LIV Golf Singapore team lead after Johnson’s 8-under 63
  • Johnson has won once in each of LIV Golf’s first three seasons and can become the first player to win in all four seasons
  • “I couldn’t turn my head to the right,” Johnson explained

SINGAPORE: 4Aces GC Captain Dustin Johnson is back to full strength — and back at the top of the leaderboard.
Johnson leads LIV Golf Singapore presented by Aramco by three shots after a bogey-free 63 in Friday’s opening round at Sentosa Golf Club. His 8-under round matches his best single-round LIV Golf performance, relative to par, in 109 career regular-season rounds.
His 4Aces, seeking their first win since 2023, lead the team competition by two strokes over Torque GC.
A week ago in Hong Kong, the 40-year-old Johnson woke up prior to the first round with a sore right shoulder that limited his range of motion. He shot rounds of 75 and 72 to drop to last place after the first two days.
“I couldn’t turn my head to the right,” Johnson explained. “I kind of just pulled when I was on the through swing, so I was hitting everything left. It wasn’t a whole lot of fun.”
He received treatment between rounds and his body finally responded prior to Sunday’s final round. He shot a 6-under 64, tying for the third-best score of the day, but the leaderboard damage had been done, as he finished last for the first time at a LIV Golf tournament.
Feeling good about his game entering last week, Johnson said it was easy to dismiss the first two rounds and the final result because of the injury.
“Swung it really nicely on Sunday,” he said. “Obviously, the body loosened back up and I could hit the shots that I wanted.”
In shooting 63 at Sentosa’s Serapong course on Friday, Johnson hit 16 greens, tying for best in the field, and missed just three fairways. Meanwhile, his putter heated up, especially at the par-3 14th when he rolled in a birdie putt from 58 feet.
“I put a lot of work in the last couple of days on the putter,” Johnson said, “and it paid off.”
Johnson will enter the weekend seeking his fourth league individual title. He has won once in each of LIV Golf’s first three seasons and can become the first player to win in all four seasons.
His closest pursuer is Torque’s Sebastian Munoz, who continues to push for his first LIV Golf title. Munoz shot a 5-under 66 to take solo second. He has held or shared second after five of the first 10 rounds of the 2025 LIV Golf season.
“I don’t know if I’m going to get it done this week, but I’m working hard at it,” Munoz said. “I want that opportunity again.”
Eight players are tied for third after shooting 4-under 67, including five team captains: Jon Rahm (Legion XIII), Brooks Koepka (Smash GC), Joaquin Niemann (Torque GC), Louis Oosthuizen (Stinger GC) and Cameron Smith (Ripper GC).
Rahm is the reigning LIV Golf Individual Champion and Niemann already has a win this season. Koepka is the defending Singapore champion while Smith tied for second with teammate Marc Leishman as the Rippers won the team title in 2024.
The 4Aces shot a collective 14 under, while Torque is at 12 under. Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers GC are another two strokes back, with all four of their players shooting in the 60s. Not only do the Aces have a lengthy winning drought, Torque also hasn’t won since 2023, while the HyFlyers have yet to win a team trophy.
“We’ve got a lot of golf to play in the next two days,” Niemann said. “We’re excited to see what’s coming.”
Team scores
LIV Golf’s new scoring format this season now involves all four scores now counting in every round in the team competition. (Click here for more on the new format). Here are the results and scores for each team after Friday’s Rd. 1 of LIV Golf Singapore.
1. 4ACES GC -14 (Johnson 63, Reed 68, Varner III 69, Pieters 70)
2. TORQUE GC -12 (Munoz 66, Niemann 67, Ortiz 68, Pereira 71)
3. HYFLYERS GC -10 (Tringale 67, Mickelson 69, Ogletree 69, Steele 69)
4. FIREBALLS GC -7 (Ancer 67, Puig 68, Masaveu 70, Garcia 72)
T5. STINGER GC -5 (Oosthuizen 67, Schwartzel 68, Burmester 70, Grace 74)
T5. LEGION XIII -5 (Rahm 67, Surratt 68, Hatton 70, McKibbin 74)
7. RIPPER GC -3 (Smith 67, Herbert 68, Jones 72, Leishman 74)
T8. RANGEGOATS GC -2 (Uihlein 68, Campbell 68, Watson 70, Wolff 76)
T8. IRON HEADS GC -2 (Lee 68, Catlin 70, Jang 72, Na 72)
10. SMASH GC -1 (Koepka 67, Kokrak 68, Gooch 70, McDowell 78)
11. CRUSHERS GC +1 (Casey 67, Lahiri 70, DeChambeau 74, Howell III 74)
12. MAJESTICKS GC +8 (Stenson 71, Westwood 72, Horsfield 73, Poulter 76)
13. CLEEKS GC +10 (Meronk 70, Bland 71, Kaymer 73, Kjettrup 80)
Wild Cards: Lee 70, Kim 73


Tuchel calls up Marcus Rashford and ‘serial winner’ Jordan Henderson to his first England squad

Tuchel calls up Marcus Rashford and ‘serial winner’ Jordan Henderson to his first England squad
Updated 14 March 2025
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Tuchel calls up Marcus Rashford and ‘serial winner’ Jordan Henderson to his first England squad

Tuchel calls up Marcus Rashford and ‘serial winner’ Jordan Henderson to his first England squad
  • Henderson and Rashford missed out on last summer’s European Championship under then-coach Gareth Southgate
  • The German coach seemed equally impressed by Rashford’s recent performances with Aston Villa

LONDON: Thomas Tuchel praised Jordan Henderson as “a serial winner” in welcoming him and a resurgent Marcus Rashford back to the England team on Friday.
Tuchel included the pair in his first squad as England coach ahead of World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia at Wembley Stadium.
Both Henderson and Rashford missed out on last summer’s European Championship under then-coach Gareth Southgate and faced uncertain international futures.
But now they’re contenders for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
“Jordan is, first of all, a serial winner,” Tuchel said of the Ajax midfielder. “What he brings to every team is leadership, character, personality, energy, make sure that everyone lives by the standards.”
The 34-year-old Henderson helped Liverpool win both the Champions League (2019) and Premier League (2020) before leaving in 2023 for Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia. He lasted just six months there and transferred to Ajax, in part to face European competition in a bid to keep his place in the England team.
“Jordan brings everything — he embodies everything of what we want (for) this team to be,” Tuchel said at a news conference at Wembley.
The German coach seemed equally impressed by Rashford’s recent performances with Aston Villa. The 27-year-old forward couldn’t get into Ruben Amorim’s team at Manchester United, but his loan to Villa has been a success.
“I felt that Marcus had a huge impact in Aston Villa,” Tuchel said.
“The impact was impressive — the physical impact was impressive,” he added, “and most importantly the impact against the ball, his work rate, his defensive impact, his hard work in counter pressing, his tracking back on his position was impressive.”
Villa beat Club Brugge 3-0 on Wednesday to advance to the Champions League quarterfinals.
“I had the strong feeling that we should nominate him, we should bring him in to push him to stay on that level, to not fall back in old routines,” Tuchel said. “This camp is to bond with him, of course, to get to know him and push him to stay on exactly that level.”
Rashford joined Villa on loan the day before Europe’s winter transfer window closed, having not played for United since mid-December. Amorim had questioned Rashford’s commitment in training sessions.
Tuchel also included uncapped defenders Myles Lewis-Skelly and Dan Burn in his 26-man squad. Arsenal’s Lewis-Skelly is 18, while Newcastle’s Burn gets his first call-up at the age of 32.
England host Albania next Friday and Latvia three days later at Wembley Stadium.
“Everyone who is with us on this journey in the first camp is a contender for the World Cup,” Tuchel said.
While it’s just the first step, he added: “It is important to be in the first camp.”
‘Crash course’ starts Monday
Tuchel, who led Chelsea to the Champions League title in 2021, was hired to get England over the line. The men’s team’s lone World Cup title was in 1966.
Under Southgate, England reached the semifinals of the 2018 World Cup and back-to-back finals at the Euros. Spain beat England 2-1 in the Euro 2024 final.
“We only have six camps, we only have 60 days. We need to take care of every single day and make sure that we are on point,” Tuchel said.
Harry Kane will remain the team captain, Tuchel confirmed.
The playing style will reflect the Premier League, he added.
“We should be brave enough to play like an England squad and should not try to copy other nations, other styles too much,” he said. “It should reflect the values of the country and of the strongest league in the world, which is the Premier League.
“We will try to increase our rhythm in our game, increase the intensity in our game,” he added, “and we will try to do it of course in a crash course from Monday and unleash the potential for Friday.”

Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Southampton), James Trafford (Burnley)
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle), Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Tino Livramento (Newcastle), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (AC Milan)
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Curtis Jones (Liverpool), Jordan Henderson (Ajax), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Declan Rice (Arsenal)
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Marcus Rashford (Aston Villa), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham)