When England kick off their second UEFA FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Seychelles 2025™ qualifier against Spain on 5 October, the Three Lions will hope to be playing for a place in the Round of 16. For Tommy Jackson, though, it will be a special day no matter the standings in Group A.

If selected, and assuming he features in the opening-day clash with Azerbaijan on 4 October, the goalkeeper will be celebrating his 100th cap for the nation at the age of just 25. But when you consider he’s been saving in the sand since the age of nine, and first donned the England gloves at just 16, it’s no surprise his achievements belie his youth.

“Originally I wasn’t a goalkeeper, and on grass I’m not a goalkeeper,” Jackson said in an interview with FIFA. “When I was back on the Isle of Wight with my youth team, our goalkeeper left and the position went into rotation. I went in goal, made a good couple of saves, and then just kept going in every week. Then I went in goal for beach soccer and that’s when I got spotted – it just stuck.”

His laudable cap tally is made even more impressive by the fact that Jackson is yet to make an appearance beyond the first round of the UEFA qualifiers, nevermind the global finals. But he’s more determined than ever to ensure his road to 200 caps includes stops at the biggest tournament of all.

“It would be unbelievable [to go to a World Cup],” he admitted. “I’ve been playing for England since I was 16 and we’ve never got out of the [first] group stage in the qualifiers. It would be good for us boys, having been together for so many years, and then doing something like getting to a World Cup. To make the World Cup would be a dream.”

In total, 21 nations are heading to Cadiz to try and make it to the Seychelles next May. The qualification tournament runs from 4 October to 13 October, with the top two from the pair of final groups punching their tickets to the Indian Ocean archipelago.

You’ll face Azerbaijan, Spain, and Georgia in your qualifying group. What do you make of that opposition?
Tommy Jackson: I think we’re fairly confident. Our last competitive game was against Spain in the Neom Cup and we actually beat them with six players, so I think they are more on the side of thinking they need to ‘get revenge’ on us. But we’re in the mindset of feeling very confident because we beat them in Saudi Arabia coming in as the underdogs. I think the boys are fired up for it. We should be beating Georgia, and Azerbaijan will be a good test as well. But Spain is the big one.

What are England’s ambitions for the qualification campaign?
We want to come second really [rather than third] so we don’t face the top side of the other group, and then it would give us a good chance in the Round of 16. But I think it’s doable for us this year with the side we’ve got and the new players that have come in. I think we’ve got a good chance.

Sener Boyraz & Angel Torres have been appointed as a director and coach respectively. Are they signs of progress for the sport?
He’s [Angel] been with the Spanish national team coaching, but he’s not involved with them anymore. We had him in Turkey a few years ago and he’s coming along with us this year as well to Spain – it’s definitely a sign of progress. When I first started there were just two or three behind the scenes booking flights, accommodation, and posting things on social media. But now we’ve got quite a few behind the scenes, which is really good.

Did you watch much of Dubai 2024?
Yeah, I did. The standard was very high. [It was] competitive, very fast-paced, technically very good as well. But I think that’s everything we aspire to be.

Are there any goalkeepers you take inspiration from?
Elliot [Mounoud] the Swiss goalkeeper, and Andrade who was the old Portuguese goalkeeper; he was very good. I’m always watching them, trying to learn new things off them. I’d say I’m more of a ball-player, maybe not making as many saves as I should, but I think I make up for it with my feet.

Are there any players you’re looking forward to coming up against this month?
Chiky Ardil. He’s a good player, I’ve watched him for a couple of years. He scores unbelievable goals; that would be a good test for me. All the Spanish team are very good players, so that would be a good test for us all really.

What has been your proudest moment in an England shirt to date?
Probably scoring two goals against Saudi Arabia in Saudi Arabia [at the Neom Cup], because they were my first-ever goals for England. And I hit the crossbar, so I should have made it a hat-trick which would have been unbelievable, but it didn’t come off. But that was very special for me. And obviously my 100th cap against Spain, in Spain. My mum and dad live in Spain and are coming down to watch, and my girlfriend and 12-week old baby will be watching from home, so that will be a special moment as well.