World Cup 2026: Four England players with West Midlands ties | OneFootball

England face Argentina in tonight’s World Cup semi-final at eight pm, and four squad members have strong West Midlands links.

ExpressAndStar.com highlights the region’s imprint on this squad, with Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers, Ezri Konsa and Ollie Watkins all connected.

Bellingham, 23, has six goals at this World Cup, including two in the 2-1 quarter-final win over Norway. Born in Stourbridge, he progressed from Stourbridge Juniors to Birmingham City before moves to Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid. His brother Jobe plays for England Under 21s, and their father Mark is a former footballer and West Midlands Police officer.

Rogers, 23, has had limited minutes so far. Halesowen-born, he came through West Bromwich Albion’s academy, then Manchester City’s youth ranks, before establishing himself at Aston Villa. A childhood friend of Bellingham, he was granted the Freedom of Dudley alongside him and appears on a mural of the pair eating orange chips.

Konsa, 28, has featured in two matches at this World Cup. London-born, he forged strong ties to the region with Aston Villa after joining in 2019, becoming a consistent Premier League defender. His displays earned regular England call-ups, including for 2026.

Watkins, 30, has seven minutes so far, against Panama. Born in Torquay, he has strong West Midlands links through Villa, which he joined in 2020. He is among the Premier League’s leading strikers and central to the club’s success.

Source: ExpressAndStar.com