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Were there a hidden ingredient to the cohesion among the England Under-21s players as they defended their European title this summer, the young full-back might have disclosed it: a social game called Werewolf. Adopted by the senior England camp during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, it opposes a small aware team called the wolves against the uninformed majority known as the villagers as they attempt to deceive each other to win, in a format similar to the popular TV show The Traitors.

“Every night we played,” Norton-Cuffy states. “It significantly strengthened our unity because you learn about teammates. Today when everyone can be on their phones, you gather, you enjoy yourselves, you create memories … the group was really, really tight, everyone was together, and this was evident in games when we ended up going and winning it.”

That’s the life of a young player that the young Lions had only brief period to celebrate their last-minute triumph over Germany before they went their separate ways. For Norton-Cuffy involved traveling to Italy – the club he joined in August 2024 after a decade at Arsenal – before taking a much-needed break.

“Everything happened very fast, so I would say we probably didn’t get to enjoy it as much as we should have,” he says. “However, I don’t believe it was unexpected for us to emerge champions. We all felt like: ‘We should win the tournament, and success was inevitable,’ so upon achieving it, it was like: ‘Well, we accomplished it, we feel proud, break time, but now everyone’s got to go and rip up at their clubs.’”

Genoa Contribution

Norton-Cuffy has certainly taken that form into the Italian league. After missing a significant part of his initial year owing to injuries, the 21-year-old from Southwark has secured a starting spot under the Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira and mentions being frequently acknowledged around the port city.

Genoa are Italy’s oldest club, established by a group of English expatriates in 1893, and the recent away kit that Norton-Cuffy helped to promote features the English flag in recognition of their origins.

“I believe a lot of Italians seem to have connected with me in that way, as an English player, and given the club’s origins,” he says. “Unexpectedly, it fits perfectly.”

Professional Growth

Norton-Cuffy is following in the path of another attacking defender from the London area in Djed Spence, who played temporarily at Genoa from the North London club in 2024. The player chose to depart Arsenal after successful loans at Lincoln, Rotherham, Millwall and Coventry, declining opportunities from Premier League teams and German teams.

“I desired to join, compete and learn a new style of football, immerse in different traditions and put myself outside what I consider my familiar environment, because staying in England would have been simpler. However, I decided: ‘Let me try the challenge abroad. I want to experience different customs. Serie A is known for its defensive abilities, organization, football philosophy. Therefore, I concluded: ‘I should join and develop on my defensive side, but also show what I can do offensively and bring my own style to Italian football.’”

Professional Routine

He is famous for energy-sapping sprints down the wing and credits his fitness to a energy-boosting diet that begins 72 hours prior a match. His dietary intake are supplied by the club but he learned to cook at Arsenal – among the capabilities young players are taught at the club’s training facility.

“The club guided my growth as a person, with stuff on the pitch and in personal development,” notes the player. “With the Gunners, players attend and improving constantly consistently. If you’re not learning about football, you’re learning about how to cook. This has proven useful, absolutely. They always made sure you were doing your psychology work, stuff like that. In games, clearly, standards are high: expectations are maximum, so it definitely assisted my development greatly.”

Coaching Effect

The club experienced a challenging opening, securing minimal points early but being coached by Vieira remains an ideal situation for Norton-Cuffy. He credits the ex-international, who took over from Gilardino last November, for developing his game intelligence: “His playing career was exceptional, he’s a great manager now and he’s helped me a lot since he’s come in. The aim remains to climb the table. First we need to reach safety, approximately, guarantee our status, and then assess further, but the team has potential of doing some very good things.”

International Ambitions

Shortly after England’s European victory, Carsley was targeting a third consecutive title for the young Lions in 2027. Having been in the youth team that won their European title in 2022, is expected to start the young Lions’ qualifying matches against Moldova and Andorra this month and explains the manager has acted as a major influence on his career.

“When I had difficult moments last year, he would take the time to give me a call, tell me: ‘Continue pushing, you know your quality,’ offer encouragement. His support is constant. While representing England’s youth, the message is repeated constantly: the goal is not to be in the under-21s the goal is to be in England’s first team. So it’s dependent on my contributions internationally and my domestic performances. I must drive myself forward and that’s my responsibility.”