Five years ago the Covid-19 pandemic was spreading, causing untold pain – mental and physical – that we are still feeling the effects of.

Football, like every other aspect of life, was affected and stopped for a period of time. Players, coaches and staff had their lives turned upside down. Career paths were inevitably changed. What kind of an impact would a fit Trent Alexander-Arnold have had at Euro 2020 if it had been played that year? As it turned out he injured himself just before the postponed tournament in 2021 and had to withdraw from the England squad.

Millions of footballers will have had their trajectories altered, including our Next Generation picks from that year. The series started in 2014 and each year we select a first-year scholar from every Premier League club, as well as 60 of the best talents from around the world, and follow them for five years.