England's star player Jadon Sancho has not yet arrived for the FIFA U-17 World Cup but coach Steve Cooper today said he is confident that the star winger will be playing in the event that kick starts on October 6.
Cooper said the Football Association (FA) is working with closely with his club Borussia Dortmund to release the player for the tournament.
"We are working closely with Dortmund and were are confident that he (Sancho) will play a part in the World Cup. We are focused on the team and the players as of now. That is the priority and it is not about individuals and self-glory," Cooper told reporters here.
England colts outclassed New Zealand U-17 team 3-2 in a practice game here, but Sancho, touted to be the next big thing in English football, missed the game.
Sancho was the player of the tournament in the recently concluded U-17 European Championships, where England finished as the runner-up.
On the practice game, the coach sad the team played good football in the first half.
"We looked like a real threat in the first half and played good football. Callum and Emile on both side played good. They are both doing their jobs and they need to get into the box, create and score goals," he said.
"It was obviously our first game in India. It was great for the boys to play a proper match. It was disappointing to go a goal down against the run of play.
"We should have scored from two clear chances in the first half but that wasn't to be. We showed great character. We dominated possession and created lots of chances. It was a well-deserved win," Cooper signed off.
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