A squad bristling with younger and thrilling expertise. Home benefit by the ultimate. A powerful latest match report. England has a lot getting in its favor heading into the European Championship, placing one of many world’s underachieving soccer groups among the many favorites. Can the nation that invented the game finish a 55-year wait for a serious title? England coach Gareth Southgate may hardly have a greater probability.
YOUNG STARS
Phil Foden. Mason Mount. Reece James. Jude Bellingham. Jadon Sancho. Mason Greenwood. The record goes on and on.
Southgate already had a stable platform on which to construct after main England to the World Cup semifinals in 2018, however the variety of children who’ve emerged since then, particularly within the final 12 months, has been staggering and is the envy of a lot of England’s rivals.
Bellingham is an assured, 17-year-old midfielder who has established himself as a daily at Borussia Dortmund, alongside the 21-year-old Sancho. Attacking midfielders Foden (20) and Mount (22) are already stars for the golf equipment – Manchester City and Chelsea, respectively – who performed within the Champions League last on Saturday. James, a 21-year-old Chelsea proper again, was top-of-the-line gamers in that last and can problem Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier for that spot within the workforce. They may all be the sparks to drive England to the title.
Greenwood, a 19-year-old striker at Manchester United, is out due to an underlying harm however can count on to be concerned in lots of main tournaments in his profession.
HOME COMFORTS
England will play all of its group video games at Wembley Stadium, whereas the workforce’s last-16 match shall be staged there if it finishes on the high of its group.
With the semifinals and last additionally being held at Wembley, there’s the likelihood that England would solely have to play one recreation – within the quarterfinals – away from residence.
England has gained 18 of its 24 houses video games underneath Southgate since he took cost late in 2016, shedding twice. England additionally gained its solely main title, the World Cup in 1966, on residence soil and reached the England-based European Championship semifinals in 1996, shedding on penalties.
Southgate has additionally talked up the advantages of his squad being based mostly at St. George’s Park, England’s plush nationwide soccer heart, round matches.
MIDFIELD SOLVED?
England’s main flaw on the final World Cup was the midfield’s incapacity to retain possession and handle video games, highlighted in the way in which Croatia steadily overwhelmed the workforce within the semifinals.
Central midfield has been a piece in progress – and stays the workforce’s weakest hyperlink – however there are indicators Southgate has discovered a method. Declan Rice is now established because the holding midfielder and Mount because the artistic power additional upfield. They simply so occur to be greatest buddies.
The different place is probably going to go to Jordan Henderson, Liverpool’s Premier League and Champions League-winning captain, though he has had health points.
That trio has a little bit of all the pieces – management, power, drive – and there are stable backups in Bellingham and Kalvin Phillips if accidents strike.
TOURNAMENT RECORD
England may not have ended its lengthy wait for a title however the workforce has been going deep in competitions underneath Southgate, giving gamers expertise in stress matches.
The run to the World Cup semifinals was England’s greatest efficiency at a serious match since 1996 and included the workforce’s ending its so-called curse in penalty shootouts, in opposition to Colombia within the final 16.
England additionally reached the semifinals of the inaugural Nations League match in 2019, shedding to the Netherlands in additional time.
KANE’S MOMENT
England captain Harry Kane was the highest scorer on the final World Cup, completed as the highest scorer on this season’s Premier League, and has added an additional edge to his recreation by exhibiting off his capability to drop deeper and be the link-up man in assaults for England and Tottenham this season.
His targets come from throughout – shut vary, outdoors the world, proper foot, left foot – and he could be peerless as an all-round striker.
With 34 targets since his England debut in 2015, when he scored along with his first contact, Kane appears to be like sure to break Wayne Rooney’s report nationwide workforce complete of 53 if he stays wholesome.
Euro 2020: England factfile
Honours: World Cup winners 1966
Previous Euro efficiency: Nine participations, greatest efficiency third place in 1968
FIFA rating: 4
Nickname: The Three Lions
Coach: Gareth Southgate
Star gamers: Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Jadon Sancho, Phil Foden, Mason Mount
Main golf equipment: Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham
How did they qualify: Top of Group A
Euro 2020 fixtures:
vs Croatia – June 13, 6.30pm
vs Scotland – June 19, 12.30am
vs Czech Republic – June 23, 12.30am
26-man squad:
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Dean Henderson (Manchester United), Sam Johnstone (West Brom)
Defenders: Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Reece James (Chelsea), John Stones (Manchester City), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Conor Coady (Wolves) Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
Midfielders: Declan Rice (West Ham), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund/GER)
Forwards: Phil Foden (Manchester City), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund/GER), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
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