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Should there have been a secret formula to the unity among the England Under-21s players as they defended their European title this summer, Brooke Norton-Cuffy might have revealed it: a social game called Werewolf. Adopted by the England first team setup during the 2022 tournament in Qatar, it opposes a small knowledgeable faction called the wolves against the unaware group known as the villagers as they aim to outwit each other to win, in a structure like the hit television program The Traitors.

“We played each evening,” the defender explains. “It really helped us bond because you get to know people. In this day and age when people are often on devices, you come together, you share jokes, you create memories … the team was very united, everyone was together, and you saw that on the pitch when we ultimately claimed victory.”

That’s the reality for emerging talents that Lee Carsley’s squad had only limited time to celebrate their thrilling win over Germany before they went their separate ways. For Norton-Cuffy involved boarding a flight to Genoa – the team he signed for in August 2024 after ten years with Arsenal – before embarking on a much-needed break.

“The transition was very rapid, so I would say we perhaps missed fully celebrating it properly,” he says. “Yet I didn’t consider it was unexpected for us to go and win it. Everyone believed: ‘We deserved to win, and success was inevitable,’ so when we did it, it was like: ‘Alright, we succeeded, it’s an achievement, let’s take our holidays, but everyone needs to perform for their teams.’”

Italian League Influence

Norton-Cuffy has certainly taken that momentum into the Serie A campaign. Despite missing a large portion of his debut campaign owing to injuries, the young English talent has established himself under the Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira and says he is regularly recognised around the port city.

Genoa are Italy’s most historic team, founded by a group of English settlers in 1893, and the latest alternate jersey that Norton-Cuffy helped to promote features the cross of St George in acknowledgment of their history.

“It seems numerous supporters seem to have connected with me in that way, because I’m English, and because of how the club was founded,” he says. “Unexpectedly, it fits perfectly.”

Career Development

He is tracing the journey of a similar wing-back from south London in Djed Spence, who spent four and a half months at Genoa from Spurs in 2024. The player chose to depart Arsenal after valuable experiences at Lincoln, Rotherham, Millwall and Coventry, rejecting proposals from English top-flight clubs and German teams.

“I wanted to come here, play and experience a new style of football, experience a new culture and place myself beyond what I’d say is my comfort zone, because staying in England would have been simpler. Yet I thought: ‘I should attempt this overseas challenge. Time to understand Italian life. Serie A is renowned for defensive organization, structure, style of play. Therefore, I concluded: ‘Time to enhance my defending capabilities, but also show what I can do offensively and introduce my personal approach to this league.’”

Fitness and Nutrition

Norton-Cuffy is known for lung‑bursting runs down the wing and puts his energy down to a energy-boosting diet that starts three days before a match. Many of his meals are provided by Genoa but he acquired cooking skills at Arsenal – part of the education young players are taught at the club’s training facility.

“The club guided my growth toward adulthood, through football training and in personal development,” says Norton-Cuffy. “At Arsenal, you’re going there and improving constantly daily. If you’re not learning about football, cooking lessons occur. It’s come in handy, definitely. The staff ensured psychological development was addressed, related areas. During matches, naturally, it’s a top club: the level, the standard is extremely high, so I feel like it has helped me significantly.”

Vieira’s Influence

Genoa have made a difficult beginning, taking two points from five league games but being coached by Vieira remains a perfect scenario for Norton-Cuffy. He praises the former France midfielder, who replaced Alberto Gilardino last November, for enhancing his tactical awareness: “He was a great player, he’s a great manager now and he’s assisted my development since he’s come in. The aim remains to achieve maximum success. Initially, we must hit the 40-point mark, approximately, guarantee our status, and then look from there, but I believe the squad can of performing well.”

England Aspirations

Shortly after England’s summer triumph, Carsley was targeting a third consecutive title for England’s youth in 2027. Norton‑Cuffy, part of the junior selection that won their European title in 2022, is likely to feature the under-21s’ qualifiers against Moldova and Andorra during the international break and explains the manager has acted as a important guide in his journey.

“When facing obstacles last year, he made time to reach out, tell me: ‘Keep going, you know your quality,’ offer encouragement. He’s consistently available. During youth international duty, the message is repeated constantly: the aim isn’t youth team participation the goal is to be in England’s first team. Therefore, it relies on my performances for the youth team and how well I do at my club. I must drive myself ahead and that’s on me.”