{"id":607086,"date":"2025-12-02T09:22:16","date_gmt":"2025-12-02T09:22:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/607086\/"},"modified":"2025-12-02T09:22:16","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T09:22:16","slug":"charlie-cresswell-has-made-one-change-since-leaving-leeds-united-its-helping-his-world-cup-dream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/607086\/","title":{"rendered":"Charlie Cresswell has made one change since leaving Leeds United, it’s helping his World Cup dream"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Leeds United academy product Charlie Cresswell is dreaming of making the England World Cup squad after enjoying an impressive start to life with Toulouse. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Charlie Cresswell<\/a> was one of the most highly-rated youngsters in the recent cohort of Leeds Academy graduates, as he forced his way into the first-team picture under Marcelo Bielsa<\/a>. <\/p>\n

However, Cresswell found opportunities limited under head coach Daniel Farke<\/a> following Leeds\u2019 relegation to the Championship, and he was deemed surplus to requirements at Elland Road<\/a>. <\/p>\n

A move to Toulouse followed in July 2024, with Leeds retaining a sizeable sell-on clause<\/a>, and he has gone from strength to strength, earning links with a return to the Premier League<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Now, Cresswell has outlined how one key change following his Leeds exit has led him to take his game to the next level, allowing him to dream of a place in England\u2019s World Cup squad. <\/p>\n

Which former Leeds player would you have back, if you could pick one? Raphinha surely has to be up there\ud83d\udc8e \"LeedsPhoto by Joe Prior\/Visionhaus Charlie Cresswell outlines World Cup dream with England<\/p>\n

Speaking to the French press, via the Toulouse<\/a> YouTube Channel, Cresswell explained how a change in routine had led him to improve his game in France. <\/p>\n

According to the Leeds academy<\/a> product, he no longer does as much strength work in the gym, which has allowed him to become quicker and more mobile as a result. <\/p>\n

MORE LEEDS UNITED STORIES<\/p>\n

Cresswell said: \u201cI think when I was at Leeds before, I was in the gym a lot, working, and I put on a lot of muscular weight. When I came to Toulouse, I wanted to be faster and quicker, and I decided to lose weight and focus on bodyweight stuff in the gym. <\/p>\n

\u201cSo I don\u2019t lift too much weight, I just focus on being strong in my body and my core. Working with the physios as well here has helped me massively with my mobility.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked about his World Cup ambitions, Cresswell added: \u201cI think it\u2019s obviously everyone\u2019s goal. I think for me playing for your country is the biggest achievement. But I think it\u2019s the highest level, playing for your country. <\/p>\n

\"CharliePhoto by VALENTINE CHAPUIS\/AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I\u2019ve had an ambition since I was young that playing for England was one of my biggest, biggest dreams. I\u2019m not going to get there by wishing or hoping. <\/p>\n

\u201cI think if I\u2019m going to get there, it\u2019s by working hard and focusing on my job here first at Toulouse, winning games and playing well, and the future will take care of itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leeds United exit has been the right move for Charlie Cresswell<\/p>\n

While it is easy for Leeds fans to look on with jealousy as Cresswell makes a name for himself at Toulouse, the harsh truth is he would have struggled to force his way into the Leeds team, even now.<\/p>\n

With Joe Rodon<\/a> leading the Leeds defence in the right centre-back berth, forcing Sebastiaan Bornauw<\/a> to wait for his first Premier League start, Farke\u2019s side is already well stocked at the back. <\/p>\n

Did Leeds United make a mistake by letting Charlie Cresswell leave? \ud83e\udd14 <\/p>\n

The rising star has been linked with a Premier League return in recent months after impressing in France<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI was there since I was 11. I wanted to live that dream. I wanted to play for Leeds. I wanted to be part of that journey, but these things happen in football. <\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t always get your way and your path\u2019s meant to go in a different direction, but it\u2019s turned out well. I couldn\u2019t be happier.\u201d<\/p>\n

Charlie Cresswell on leaving Leeds \u2013 The Athletic, 2025<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"CharliePhoto by Michael Steele\/Getty Images <\/p>\n

Regular game time, rather than time spent in the gym, has been essential to the rising English star\u2019s development, as he has found his feet in Ligue 1. <\/p>\n

Although the notion of another homegrown player forcing their way into the Leeds team is an attractive one, the truth is, Cresswell needed time to develop away from Elland Road to become a seasoned pro. <\/p>\n

One and a half seasons after he joined Toulouse, it now looks like the best move for the defender, as he continues his impressive rise. <\/p>\n

Join Our Newsletter <\/p>\n

Receive a digest of our best Leeds content each week direct to your mailbox<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Leeds United academy product Charlie Cresswell is dreaming of making the England World Cup squad after enjoying an…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":607087,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8814],"tags":[748,82287,393,4884,1860,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-607086","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-leeds","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-charlie-cresswell","10":"tag-england","11":"tag-great-britain","12":"tag-leeds","13":"tag-uk","14":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115649247368160608","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/607086","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=607086"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/607086\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/607087"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=607086"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=607086"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=607086"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}