Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany has backed the next generation of England players to reach a World Cup final but believes youngsters need to be willing to take on the challenge of playing overseas.
Kompany, who on Wednesday signed a new five-year contract with the Barclays Premier League champions, has paid close attention to how English clubs are changing the ways in which they seek to develop young talent, not least with the building of City's lavish new academy.
Comparing what he has seen with his time in Germany with Hamburg, Kompany believes England can now follow the path of the reigning world champions.
"People talk about the great facilities in England but they've only been here for two to three years," he said in several national newspapers. "You still have to wait.
"England will play a World Cup final in the next four competitions for the simple reason that no other country has as much resources to put into facilities."
But while wealthy Premier League clubs are building new academies and hiring the best coaches from around the world, Kompany believes it is up to young players to test themselves at an earlier age.
While much is made of the number of foreign players in England, Kompany believes there are not enough English players overseas.
"What has made my development is not the fact that I started in the Premier League at 17 or 18 because it's not realistic," he said. "It's the most competitive league in the world.
"I started at Anderlecht at 17 and played Champions League at 17 and moved on when I was 20. That made a difference for players like me, Eden Hazard, Jan Vertonghen, (Mousa) Dembele, all the players in my national team. We started at smaller clubs.
"If you ask a kid at 17 to go play in League One or go and play in the first division in Holland, 90 per cent will want to play in League One. But it's a different type of football to what is required for the Premier League. Open the borders in your head."
Source: PA
