England's young guns are talking about emulating Andres Iniesta and Dani Alves but four years ago they watched the World Cup on the back of spells at Burnley, Brighton, Carlisle and York. Jesse Lingard cites Spain's Iniesta as the player he most likes to watch. "It's just the way he graces the pitch," Lingard said on Thursday. "He's silky, an intelligent footballer and people have said I'm an intelligent footballer. "I have to learn off these sorts of players that play in the same position as me." Alves, the Brazilian right-back not in Russia due to injury, is Kieran Trippier's benchmark. "He's won nearly every trophy out there as an attacking full-back," Trippier said. "He's definitely a player I've admired and looked up to." But as England were kicking off their ill-fated campaign in Brazil in 2014, Lingard and Trippier were resting up after a long season in the Championship, Lingard on loan at Brighton and Trippier at Burnley.

That they are now preparing to face Tunisia in England's opening game in Group G on Tuesday marks a remarkably rapid rise but their ascent is not unique, nor even the steepest, in Gareth Southgate's youthful squad. Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, expected to start in Saint Petersburg, had just been playing for Carlisle in League One four years ago, the same division Dele Alli was establishing himself at Milton Keynes Dons and Harry Maguire at Sheffield United. Nick Pope, meanwhile, was in League Two, keeping goal for York while Marcus Rashford, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Trent Alexander-Arnold were yet to make a senior appearance, still playing youth football at Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool respectively. It leaves England's squad, the third youngest at the World Cup, low on experience but high on exuberance. "For us it's just about playing with that freedom and enjoyment but also going out there to win and play exciting football," Lingard said.