The 2026 World Cup is just around the corner and Midfield watch will point out some of the best midfield talents lining it up in North America, starting with England’s emerging talent Elliot Anderson.
Anderson – new kid on the block
Some of England’s best players over the years have been energetic, hard working midfielders with a dogged spirit, ready to go to war for their country.
Anderson is the modern day equivalent, and his rise in the Nottingham Forest team is interesting and a bit of a throwback to days of old where Forest had England international’s on the regular.
Even within the last year, Anderson has gone from the England u21s into number 8 for the senior men’s squad. Anderson now has a chance to prove just the talent he is, his performances in this world cup can secure his place in England’s team for years to come.
One of the best things about Anderson is that he hasn’t reached his ceiling yet. With seasoned pro’s like Declan Rice, we know what we are going to get. He is incredibly talented, but Anderson is a raw talent, with tenacity and strength, pace and technical ability that could surpass Rice. Rice is also the perfect pair in the heart of midfield, because in some ways the pressure is on him, Anderson can shine with the pressure off next to the experienced Rice.Subscribed
Anderson made 33 starts in the Premier League in 2025/26, and played just under 3,000 minutes (2954). His defensive contributions only highlight his workrate, he made 457 defensive contributions, compared to Rice (more advanced role) and his 163. Anderson also made 276 recoveries compared to Rice’s 154. This also shows Rice has been playing in a more attacking role, his goal and assist contributions far outshine Anderson, but that just shows how these two could be perfect, and sometimes the dirty work from Anderson is going to be exactly what makes the difference.
Defensive minded, but no attacking mug
Defensively, Anderson stood out last season, as a midfielder there is no doubting his defensive capabilities. The former Newcastle midfielder is no mug when it comes to attacking, and progressive, positive football.
Going back to our comparison between Anderson and Rice, Anderson has over three times Rice’s successful dribbles – 44 vs 12.He’s also played more agressive with 270 duels won, and on his way he’s earned 72 fouls.
When you look at the England squad over the last ten years, they have massively lacked a real all round midfielder, and now they have 2. Rice can dig deep and perform, but Anderson could glide across the pitch helping England to a successful tournament.
The spine
The best international sides have a core group of players who can carry their side to victory. Elliot Anderson could be part of that, if things go well in the World Cup, the midfield of Anderson, Rice and Bellingham could carry England for the next 6/7 years.
At this moment in time Anderson is an underrated cog in the wheel, and this is his chance to shine, break onto the world stage and prove his talents in an exciting and strong England team.
The things we learned 