Jarell Quansah knows his journey to the World Cup was only possible because he made the “really tough decision” to leave boyhood club Liverpool.
The versatile defender, who is part of England’s 26-man squad that moves to their tournament base in Kansas City on Saturday, left the Reds last summer to join German side Bayer Leverkusen.
Quansah has flourished in the Bundesliga and has been rewarded with a place in Thomas Tuchel’s squad.
The 23-year-old, who joined Liverpool as a five-year-old, was not getting enough gametime at Anfield and knew he had to leave to further his career.
“Last summer it was a really tough decision, to be honest, to walk away from my boyhood club — a club I’ve been at all my life,” he said.
“But I just knew it was the best thing that I needed for my career, to be playing week in week out.
“People who know me know I back myself no matter what and I feel like I’m capable of playing at the highest level and I wanted to show that this season.
“To be rewarded being selected for the World Cup is an absolute honour and it’s all down to the hard work that I’ve put in over the past 12 months.
“I feel like with every game I play, I’m getting better. I’m only young, so as long as I keep my head down, I keep grafting away, I know I’m going to be in a good place.
“It’s just sticking to what I know and sticking to the goals that I’ve set myself and hopefully I can achieve everything I want.”
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