Failing at Wembley three years ago in Euro 2020 and only managing a quarterfinal finish in Qatar, England will be desperate to win the Euro Championship this time with future stars. The Three Lions are among the top favorites to win Euro 2024 but it is left to see whether manager Gareth Southgate can finally fulfill the dream of winning a trophy. The 26-member squad traveling to Germany was finalized on the deadline day 7th June 2024 after a preliminary list was drawn last month. England has been drawn into a favorable group containing Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia in Group C.
History
England has appeared in the Euro Championship 10 times but has never won the trophy. The closest they came was in Euro 2020, played a year later due to the pandemic, by reaching the final at Wembley. Despite Luke Shaw’s opener within seconds from kick-off, Italy managed to equalize in the second half and ultimately defeated the Three Lions in a tense shoot-out. It was a heartbreaking loss for Southgate’s side who did not lose a single game in the tournament in regular time. Harry Kane played the joint-most matches for England at the Euros with 11 tied with Gary Neville. The top-scorer rank belongs to Alan Shearer who has seven goals in the competition’s history, five in the run to the semifinals in 1996 and two in 2000.
Qualification to Euro 2024
Acquiring 20 points from eight matches in the Euro qualifiers, England qualified for the finals as group winners finishing six points ahead of the holders Italy. The Three Lions did not suffer a single defeat in this period, scoring 22 goals and conceding just four. Undoubtedly, Harry Kane was responsible for the high-scoring numbers with eight joined by Bukayo Saka who bagged four goals.
Form and Preparation for Euro 2024
The Euro 2020 finalists managed just one win in four games this year which is a sign of concern. The 1-0 defeat to Brazil and the 2-2 draw with Belgium in March friendlies at Wembley resulted in a poor start to 2024, but the 3-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina this month appeared to have set them back on track. However, a shock 1-0 loss to Iceland, the team that eliminated them from Euro 2016, at Wembley again left them with work to do before the tournament. Conceding goals has been a factor for the side as they have kept just two clean sheets since October 2023.
England squad for Euro 2024
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Brentford), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace)
Defenders: Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Lewis Dunk (Brighton), Joe Gomez (Liverpool)
Midfielders: Declan Rice (Arsenal), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
Forwards: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Brentford), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Phil Foden (Manchester City)
Captain: Harry Kane
James Maddison, Curtis Jones, Harry Maguire, Jack Grealish, Jarrad Branthwaite, Jarell Quansah and James Trafford all have been left out of the final squad. Marcus Rashford and former captain Jordan Henderson did not make the preliminary list. Southgate has gone with three strikers Ivan Toney, Ollie Watkins and the captain Harry Kane at the cost of some other promising names who could have been included. Talents like Kobbie Mainoo, Adam Wharton, Cole Palmer and Anthony Gordon will experience their first major tournament at the international level.
Star Player: Jude Bellingham
Harry Kane remains an important player for England with his goals after experiencing another high-scoring season with his new club Bayern Munich. The Three Lions will also thrive if their midfield star and one of the best players in the past season, Jude Bellingham carries his excellent club form to the Euros. Since moving to Real Madrid last summer, the 20-year-old chipped in 22 goals and 12 assists in all competitions, winning La Liga and the Champions League titles. Bellingham became the youngest player to feature for England in the Euros and the team’s second youngest to score in the World Cup, with an eye now to set more records in Euro 2024.
Manager: Gareth Southgate
England managed the best run in their Euro Championship history under Gareth Southgate when they reached the final in Euro 2020 following their semi-final finish in the 2018 World Cup. Despite the achievements, Southgate failed to break the title curse for the side. Euro 2024 will be his fourth major tournament as a manager and probably his last if England does not find success. The competition is hosted in Germany so it will taste better to accomplish their unfinished business at rival’s ground having failed to do so at home.
Strength
The strength of the England team lies in the talent and depth of their squad across various positions. Having a youthful team will allow the squad to maintain high intensity in the games over a short period with the drive to prove themselves in a major tournament. The forwards are in excellent goal-scoring form led by captain Harry Kane with 44 goals scored this past season. Premier League player of the season Phil Foden has 21 goals, Cole Palmer’s 22 goals, Bukayo Saka’s 16 goals and Ollie Watkins’ 19 strikes with 13 assists, among others, signifies a fascinating attacking force for the Three Lions.
Weakness
The England squad has historically lacked a title-winning mentality and has crumbled under pressure at crucial times in major tournaments. The present team is youthful but if experienced heads cannot establish a proper relationship a unit cannot be formed. Some regular stars were not called up due to declining performance, so establishing a new combination could take some time. Additionally, the defence has changed with Stones being the only centre-back to have multiple tournament experiences playing under Southgate.
Formation: How will England Lineup at Euro?
England Fixtures for Euro 2024
Monday, 17 June 2024
Serbia vs England - Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen (00:30)
Friday, 21 June 2024
Denmark vs England - Waldstadion, Frankfurt (21:30)
Wednesday, 26 June 2024
England vs Slovenia - RheinEnergieStadion, Koln (00:30)
Are you ready to support your team, Check out here Where to watch Euro 2024 in England
