Two friendlies down, two to go. England laboured to a 1-0 defeat and 2-2 draw on home soil to kick off their Euro 2024 preparations. All that remains are games against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iceland in the weeks before the tournament.
While recent performances have been far from convincing, there’s enough in this England squad to give the nation hope that they can lift a first major trophy since 1966.
Here are five reasons why England can win Euro 2024 this summer in Germany.
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Tournament Experience
The bulk of this England squad have been there, done it, and got the runners-up medal to show for it.
While prior tournament experience doesn’t guarantee success, it certainly helps. Most of the squad this summer will have featured in the Euro 2020 campaign, experiencing heartbreak in front of the home man in the final.
And a large percentage would have suffered those same feelings in Qatar when England were knocked out of the World Cup by eventual finalists France.
Those young stars and future prospects have matured. The likes of Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Phil Foden, and Jude Bellingham have gone from strength to strength in their club careers, with this confidence and experience sure to translate to the international stage.
Squad Harmony
When you think back to the great England sides of the past, there was one common theme: they all hated each other. You can picture John Terry, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney kicking lumps out of each other in England training. Somehow, you can’t see Harry Maguire leaving a bit on Harry Kane.
Like it or not, football has changed. Club rivalries no longer spill over onto the international scene. You only have to watch the behind-the-scenes footage from St. George’s to realize that most of these lads are friends off the pitch.
Regardless of how that affects domestic football, it can only be a good thing when international tournaments roll around.
New-Look Midfield
The midfield has been an issue for Gareth Southgate for several years. This is no longer the case. The manager now finds himself with difficult decisions to make about who to leave out.
Declan Rice is a mainstay, of course. The two that play alongside him, however, are up for debate. Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham, and even Jordan Henderson will be in the conversation to fill the midfield. Kobbie Mainoo also showed he has everything in the locker to play for England this summer with his outstanding man-of-the-match performance against Belgium.
Southgate is spoilt for choice, and this healthy competition may well bring the best out of the players.
Captain Kane
Kane is England’s talisman. Without him, England’s attack lacks a focal point. That much was evident from the games against Brazil and Belgium.
He brings so much more than just goals. Dropping deep and providing space for wingers to drive in behind, as well as holding the ball up and bringing others into play, his all-round game is exceptional.
The 30-year-old is set to break all the goalscoring records in his first season in Germany, and England fans can only hope he carries that form into the Euros.
Jude Bellingham
We’ve known for years that Jude is destined for greatness. But nobody knew quite how soon this greatness would come.
He has transitioned from a great player to a worldwide superstar in less than a season since swapping Dortmund for Real Madrid.
Madrid’s game revolves around the Brummie boy, who keeps popping up with big moments in even bigger games.
His last-minute equalizer was typical of a nation’s main man, being in the right place at the right time. The players love him and the fans love him. How could you not?
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