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Gibbs-White: We are ready to make next step

31 Oct 2018

Twelve months after winning U17 World Cup, Wolves' midfielder recalls the final and journey to Premier League

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Not many 18-year-olds can say they have scored in a World Cup final.

But Morgan Gibbs-White grabbed the equaliser as England fought from 2-0 down to beat Spain 5-2 in the FIFA Under-17 World Cup final in October 2017. 

A year on, the experience in India still has an effect on the Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder.

'I knew it was our time'

"It was crazy to say we were in the final," Gibbs-White said. "Walking out from the tunnel, I could see the trophy there. I knew this was my time, I knew this was our time to lift the trophy.

"To score in the final and to make it the equaliser was a really good feeling for me, to help the boys get back in to the game and make them believe again, 'Yeah we can do this, we can go on and score more, we can win the game.'

"It was an unbelievable feeling, and still to this day I'm speechless that I scored in a World Cup final."

Gibbs-White returned to Wolves to help them win promotion to the Premier League. 

Stepping up

He is one of four players from that England team to make his PL debut since the final, along with Manchester City's Phil Foden, Manchester United's Angel Gomes and Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi

Gibbs-White believes there is more to come from a group that includes Arsenal's Emile Smith-Rowe and Fulham's Steven Sessegnon, as well as Jadon Sancho, who joined Borussia Dortmund from Man City's Academy last year and made his senior England debut this month.

"Jadon's already made his first appearance for England, which is an unbelievable achievement for him at his age," Gibbs-White said. "Phil's on his way up there. There's quite a few young lads who are ready and willing to take the step."

Tomorrow From Schools Cup to World Cup: Gibbs-White's football life in pictures

Also in this series

Part 1: Gibbs-White: Debut fires aim to match Wolves stars
Part 3: England's U17 World Cup stars: One year on
Part 4: From Schools Cup to World Cup: Gibbs-White's rise

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