England midfielder Elliot Anderson says his emotional state during the World Cup is shaped by the death of his mother shortly before the tournament. Multiple reports state that Anderson, 23, lost his mother, Helen, after a long illness. The accounts say her death occurred days before Nottingham Forest’s Europa League match against FC Porto in April. Anderson’s comments describe struggling emotionally following the bereavement and coping while preparing for and participating in international football. The reports do not add details about the tournament matches themselves or specific outcomes tied to his situation, focusing instead on the personal circumstances surrounding the timing of his mother’s death and how that affects him during the World Cup. Neither source indicates that Anderson has altered his participation, but they present his statements as a direct explanation of the challenges he faced leading into and during the competition.