English Schools' Football Association

The team hold final training session in preparation of their visit to the Stade de France in Paris after young footballers invited to watch England V Malta at Wembley.

England’s hopes of securing international silverware this year rest firmly on the shoulders of twelve 11-year-old schoolboy footballers from Lewisham who have made their final preparations before representing the nation in the 81,338 capacity Stade de France in the Danone Nations Cup World Finals.

Yesterday, Thursday October 13, the team travelled via Eurostar to Paris to compete in the world’s biggest football tournament for 10-12 year olds alongside 31 other elite national sides. However, before then, their final preparation included watching their senior counterparts with a very special invite to watch England V Malta at Wembley.

The team, captained by Kallen, held a final training session at Capital City Academy, where the boys were in high spirits before their once-in-a-lifetime trip to the French capital. The three-day competition will see them take on the best young footballers from Brazil, Argentina, and China in the group stages before the knockout rounds start. The final will take place on Sunday 16 October.

The dream trip to Paris will be the final leg for the team in a journey spanning more than nine months and more than 50 matches, longer than any FA Cup run. Lewisham PSFA triumphed in the county knockout rounds and the following South East regional final before heading to the English final of the tournament, which saw them lift the National Cup at Leicester FC’s King Power Stadium in May.

The Lewisham Team following their DNC England win at Leicester City in May 2016

Marie Wendling, PR and Events Manager at Danone, says: “The local community has been behind the team from the very start and now their dreams are becoming a reality. Team England has had a great training session on Saturday and it looks as though we are heading into the tournament in great form.

“The trip to Wembley to watch England play in their World Cup qualifier is a special moment for the twelve boys who are at the start of a journey they will never forget.”

Kallen, aged 11 and captain of the England squad, says: "The team and I are really looking forward to representing England in Paris and can't wait to put on our kits. We are excited to play teams from around the world and hope we make everyone really proud."

Former Tottenham, Liverpool, and England centre back John Scales, ambassador of the tournament, who will travel with the squad to Paris, adds: “The team have been giving 100% to get to this point, we have a tough group but this team has what it takes to go all the way.

“I am so proud to have so closely supported the Danone Nations Cup for more than 10 years now. It's a truly remarkable project that brings joy to thousands of kids across the nation. Being active, eating well, having fun, and working hard as part of a team are the fundamental pillars of the tournament and we expect to see these on show at this year’s World Final.”

Each year 2.5m children worldwide take part in the competition, which is supported by its international ambassador and former World Cup winner Zinédine Zidane, with 3,000 schools competing in the English leg run by the English Schools’ Football Association.

The Danone Nations Cup is a unique FIFA-approved tournament, which represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for young players. It is an annual highlight in Danone’s ongoing programme of support for healthy lifestyles through education, fun, and fairplay, which includes its ‘Eat Like A Champ’ healthy eating initiative.

Not only is the tournament endorsed and supported by great ambassadors, the level of football is also very high, and many players go on to have successful professional careers. Previous participants include West Ham’s Manuel Lanzini, Tottenham’s Erik Lamela, and in-demand Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette, who all played in the Danone Nations Cup.

The ESFA would like to wish huge amounts of luck to the Lewisham Team England squad this weekend! Follow @SchoolsFootball, @DNCEngland and @DanoneNationsCup on Twitter to keep up with all the action from Paris!