Harry Kane lifts trophies at Bayern Munich. Jude Bellingham orchestrates attacks at Real Madrid. Anthony Gordon runs at defenders for Barcelona. Three of England's most important players are building careers at three of the world's biggest clubs — and none of them are doing it in the Premier League.

Seven of the 25 players in England's current World Cup squad play their club football outside of England, a trend that has accelerated since a teenage Jadon Sancho crossed the Channel to sign for Borussia Dortmund back in 2017.

What the FA thinks

England head coach Thomas Tuchel has been unequivocal in his support for players who choose to leave the Premier League. "Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane were decisive for us in the World Cup and I see no reason they won't be in the future," Tuchel said. "It's good that Anthony has stepped up now. He is the third one."

The Football Association's technical director John McDermott goes further, calling the growing number of England players on the continent — currently 43 are on the FA's radar — a "huge positive."

"The exposure they get in those leagues, playing Champions League or European football, where you're not necessarily having to bang out 55 games, but you still have got time to do your weight training and your gym work," McDermott told BBC Sport.

McDermott, a former Tottenham Hotspur official, has long championed moves abroad as a way to build character and independence. "I think being in another changing room and learning another language just puts you under the pressure to adapt," he said. "That ability to become technically, tactically more adept, but also culturally have to pick up something else — it's huge and prevents people from becoming complacent."

Gordon's perspective

Gordon has spoken candidly about feeling undervalued during his time in England — including his spell at Newcastle. "I always felt in England, people respected me because I was fast and I pressed, but they never actually respected the quality and IQ that I play with," the 25-year-old told ITV. "I think now I'm at Barcelona and I play a different style, those qualities are highlighted much more and people are actually starting to take notice that I'm not just quick."

McDermott pushes back slightly on the notion that Gordon was not previously respected, recalling a similar transformation he observed in Kieran Trippier after his stint at Atletico Madrid. "I noticed he was just maybe tighter technically and noticed there was a change that Kieran came back with," McDermott said. "Every six months you see this sort of incremental step where they've added something, another dimension to the game."

Gordon has certainly made an impression at Barcelona, registering three goals and five assists in 15 appearances across all competitions. He lines up in a front three alongside Lamine Yamal and Raphinha — as elite a group of forwards as exists in world football. At the World Cup, his contribution was equally striking: two assists for Kane in the last-32 win over DR Congo, a penalty won in the last-16 against Mexico, and the opening goal in the semi-final against Argentina.

Kane has been effusive in his praise. "Anthony is showing that he belongs at the highest level, for Barcelona and England," the captain said, adding that Gordon is "relishing" being one of England's "main men."

A question of balance

McDermott is careful not to dismiss the value of staying in England. He points to Jarell Quansah and Jobe Bellingham — both now in Germany — as players who also benefited from time in the EFL before moving abroad. "There's all different ways, I don't think there's this elixir, I don't think there's this magic formula," he said.

He also notes that England's domestic game should not be underestimated. "Don't underestimate if you're playing now in the Champions League at an English club," he said. "We've got 40 to 50 players playing at Champions League quality and playing in European football, top Premier League clubs, so let's not underestimate our own product."

England reached the World Cup semi-finals for just the third time in their history this summer. Striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who plays for Leeds United, summed up the mood in the camp: "The fact that we've got top-level English players playing abroad now at top European clubs, I think it's only good for English football and us as a national team. You see they bring different experiences that they're learning from overseas and they bring it into this group."

McDermott acknowledges that bringing it all together is ultimately Tuchel's challenge. "The England manager has got to try and find that singular blend when they come back of the English players, the Spanish players, the German players, the Italian players — it's all sort of an eclectic mix that they're bringing."