Wigan Athletic captain Sam Morsy was raised in the EFL, and has explained in detail the dedication required for young players in the modern game.
Morsy came up through the ranks at Wolves and then Port Vale, and has enjoyed a great career in the EFL, resulting in his selection for Egypt's World Cup squad last summer.
Speaking as part of the EFL's Youth Development Week, Morsy recalled the hard work he put in at a young age to forge a career in football.
“The way the world is now, things are different for younger players now," he said. "I remember growing up and playing for hours in the street, that’s how you learned a lot of things.
"At the top clubs, the way they build their players from a young age with the training regime and their temperament, it’s no surprise to see top players coming through. It’s getting harder and harder, so young guys have to find something within them, their reason why.
"Every day, they need to want to improve, they need to run, hit the gym, improve their flexibility, everything. In this era, Clubs have all kinds of specialists to help you improve if you want it.
"If you want to change any aspect, you can do it, there has been no better time for it but you have to want to put in the hours. You can’t come in, go through the motions and go home, it doesn’t work like that. It gets tougher and tougher every season."
As many as 20 members of England's 23-man squad for the 2018 World Cup had either come through EFL academies, made their debuts in EFL competitions or played on loan in the EFL.
And Morsy says it's no surprise to see so many players with EFL links on the international stage.
“It’s amazing to see and hear some of the stories of guys at the World Cup who have come through EFL Clubs and academies and there’s a theme," Morsy added. "When they tell you their stories, you hear about their immense work rate.
"Take Harry Kane as an example, he has an incredible work rate and I don’t think people recognise that to this day. The players who do come through, let me assure you that it’s through hard work.
"Young players might think it’s talent alone but it’s much more than that, you have to live it.”