Charlie Cresswell is chasing an England call-up from his new base in Ligue 1. The 24-year-old defender left Leeds United for Toulouse in 2024 and now plays for Rennes, where he is aiming to impress on the European stage. He hopes to break into a national side that is in excellent form, with three wins and one defeat in its last four matches, including a 7-0 victory over Croatia on 3 October.
"Leaving England is such a scary, scary decision," Cresswell said. He joined Rennes this summer after two seasons as a regular starter at Toulouse, where he began 57 league games. His immediate focus is on helping his new club in the Europa League, where they remain unbeaten ahead of a key match against Juventus on Thursday.
Cresswell's ultimate goal, however, is to represent his country. He was twice a European champion with England's Under-21 side and looks to players like Jarell Quansah and Trevoh Chalobah, who have earned senior recognition while playing abroad, as inspiration. He also noted the path of Angel Gomes, who made his England debut while at Lille. The current England squad is on a three-game winning run, with its latest result a 3-0 win over Czechia on 6 October where Harry Kane scored twice, taking his tally from the last two games to four goals after also netting twice in the 7-0 win in Croatia.
"I’m here doing my job, working as hard as I can, making a career for myself," he added. The defender is pushed daily in training by teammates like Esteban Lepaul, Rennes' top scorer who has recently earned his first caps for France.
Cresswell has no immediate plans to return to England, believing his development in France is the best route to achieving his international dream. He made just 14 senior appearances for Leeds before his move, which included a loan spell at Millwall. The next opportunity for England selection will come ahead of the next fixture, a home match against Croatia on 12 November. Cresswell will be hoping to catch the eye of a manager overseeing a team where Jude Bellingham is the top scorer this season with seven goals in eight appearances.
This story first appeared at The Guardian Football
