LONDON, June 1: A squad bristling with young and exciting talent. Home advantage through the final. A strong recent tournament record. England has much going in its favor heading into the European Championship, putting one of the world’s underachieving soccer teams among the favorites.
Can the nation that invented the sport end a 55-year wait for a major title? England coach Gareth Southgate could hardly have a better chance.
YOUNG STARS
Phil Foden. Mason Mount. Reece James. Jude Bellingham. Jadon Sancho. Mason Greenwood. The list goes on and on. Southgate has a solid platform of seniority, but the number of youngsters who have emerged since then, especially in the last 12 months, has been staggering and is the envy of many of England’s rivals.
Bellingham is an assured, 17-year-old midfielder who has established himself as a regular at Borussia Dortmund, alongside the 21-year-old Sancho. Attacking midfielders Foden (20) and Mount (22) are already stars for the clubs who played in the Champions League final on Saturday. James, a 21-year-old Chelsea right back, was one of the best players in that final and is likely to keep out Trent Alexander-Arnold. They could all be the sparks to drive England to the title.
HOME COMFORTS
England will play all of its group games at Wembley Stadium, while the team’s last-16 match will be staged there if it finishes at the top of its group. With the semifinals and final also being held at Wembley, there’s the possibility that England would only have to play one game — in the quarterfinals — away from home.
England has won 18 of its 24 homes games under Southgate since he took charge late in 2016, losing twice. England also won its only major title, the World Cup in 1966, on home soil and reached the England-based European Championship semifinals in 1996, losing on penalties.
Southgate has also talked up the benefits of his squad being based at St. George’s Park, England’s plush national soccer center, around matches.
MIDFIELD SOLVED?
England’s major flaw at the last World Cup was the midfield’s inability to retain possession and manage games, highlighted in the way Croatia gradually overwhelmed the team in the semifinals.
Central midfield has been a work in progress — and remains the team’s weakest link — but there are signs Southgate has found a formula. Declan Rice is now established as the holding midfielder and Mount as the creative force further upfield.
The other place is likely to go to Jordan Henderson, Liverpool’s Premier League and Champions League-winning captain. That trio has a bit of everything — leadership, energy, drive — but there is a dip in quality among the backups, headed by Kalvin Phillips of Leeds and James Ward-Prowse of Southampton, which could bite England if injuries strike.
TOURNAMENT
RECORD
England might not have ended its long wait for a title but the team has been going deep in competitions under Southgate, giving players experience in pressure matches.
The run to the World Cup semifinals was England’s best performance at a major tournament since 1996 and included the team’s ending its so-called curse in penalty shootouts, against Colombia in the last 16. (AP)
