Jarell Quansah has dismissed the idea that leaving Liverpool made him a better player, though he acknowledges that moving away from Anfield was necessary to secure the regular first-team football that has propelled him to the World Cup.
The defender is currently with the England squad in the United States, preparing for the Three Lions' opening match against Croatia in Dallas on Wednesday evening. England manager Thomas Tuchel selected Quansah after being impressed by his performances for Bayer Leverkusen, where the Liverpool academy graduate has thrived since his summer transfer.
Quansah fell behind Ibrahima Konate and later Joe Gomez in Arne Slot's centre-back hierarchy at Liverpool, where Virgil van Dijk remains a mainstay. Seeking more playing time, he opted to move to the Bundesliga last summer and has not looked back.
He made 43 appearances for Leverkusen last season, and Liverpool have kept tabs on his progress by including a £55 million buyback clause in his contract.
Speaking at England's training base in the US, Quansah said: "Last summer it was a really tough decision to be honest, to walk away from my boyhood club — a club I've been at all my life. But I just knew it was the best thing that I needed for my career, to be playing week in week out.
"People who know me know I back myself no matter what and I feel like I'm capable of playing at the highest level and I wanted to show that this season.
"To be rewarded being selected for the World Cup is an absolute honour and it's all down to hard work and I've put in over the past 12 months."
The centre-back, who can also cover at right-back for Tuchel, does not believe leaving Liverpool has enhanced his ability, but rather that he is benefiting from regular first-team experience.
"Yeah, I don't really look at it like that, to be honest. I'm just working hard every day, working hard each game," he continued.
"I feel like with every game I play, I'm getting better. I'm only young, so as long as I keep my head down, I keep grafting away, I know I'm going to be in a good place, and it's just sticking to what I know and sticking to the goals that I've set myself, and hopefully I can achieve everything I want.
"It was massive for me playing in the Champions League. We played top teams in England and we played well, so it was always good to play well in those games and you can never take those nights for granted, they're so special.
"Unfortunately, we won't be doing that next season, but there's always opportunities in another environment to show yourself.
"But like I say, I just need games. I needed experience and I still need games and experience to keep going."
