2024 UEFA European Championship: Can England Fulfill Their Dream of Winning?
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The Three Lions of England are undoubtedly the hot favorites to win the UEFA European Championship this time around. Currently, England and France are considered the top contenders for the title. Most fans predict that the winner of this edition of the European Championship will likely come from one of these two teams. Interestingly, out of the top 10 most valuable players globally, England boasts five players. Among them, Belingham shares the top spot, while Foden and Saka share the fifth position, and Harry Kane and Rice share the seventh. With such a wealth of talent, the sole aim for England in this European Championship is to clinch their first-ever title!
Team Performance:
England showed a dominant performance in the qualifying rounds of the European Championship, securing an early qualification with 6 wins and 2 draws, outshining the defending champions Italy. However, in their recent two friendly matches, they suffered a defeat against Brazil and a draw against Belgium at home, displaying a relatively average performance. Nevertheless, it's evident that the intention behind these two matches was more about squad rotation and player assessments rather than the results. Considering the depth of their squad, Southgate primarily used these matches to evaluate players. Therefore, England's sole target remains winning the championship!
Key Squad Players:
In goalkeeping, Everton's Pickford remains the undisputed first choice for England. Despite Everton's underwhelming performance in the league this season, Arsenal's Ramsdale, the second-choice goalkeeper, has lost his starting position. Hence, Pickford's position as the primary goalkeeper is unquestionable.
In the defense line, Chelsea's Chilwell is expected to be the first-choice left-back. Manchester United's Shaw will compete with him if he recovers from injury. Manchester City's versatile defender, Lewis, also has a chance to make it into the squad.
For the right-back position, England is blessed with abundant talent. Veteran Kyle Walker remains the top choice for this position. The team's two backup right-backs, Trippier and Arnold, are versatile players. Trippier can also play as a left-back, while Arnold can play in midfield. Konsa from Aston Villa also has a chance to make it into the squad. Chelsea's James has been sidelined due to injury this season, so his chances of making it into the squad are slim.
In the center-back position, Manchester City's Stones is likely to be the mainstay of the defense and also has the ability to play as a defensive midfielder. Another probable mainstay in the center-back position is Maguire, Southgate's favorite despite being frequently criticized at Manchester United.
Brighton's Dunk, Liverpool's Gomez, and Everton's Branthwaite are all backup options. Arsenal's White can play in the center or on the right, but he might not be Southgate's preference for the squad.
Midfield is England's strongest position. Arsenal's Rice and Real Madrid's Belingham are sure to occupy the central midfield positions. The only uncertainty is whether Belingham will partner with Rice as a defensive midfielder or if he will play in a more advanced midfield role, in which case another midfielder will be selected from Chelsea's Gallagher and Manchester United's youngster, Meunier. Ajax veteran Henderson is also likely to be included in the squad as a backup player.
Next are the attacking midfield positions. If Belingham plays as a defensive midfielder, there are still three main midfield positions. First, Foden and Saka are already confirmed as occupied the two main midfield positions. Foden will play as a left-sided attacking midfielder, while Saka will be the main right-winger and also the team's most important breakthrough point.
The other main position currently with the highest demand is Palmer from Chelsea, who has been in excellent form recently. Manchester United forward Rashford, Tottenham midfielder Madison, Manchester City midfielder Grealish, Newcastle midfielder Gordon, and West Ham forward Bowen will also be important backup options for the team. Sterling and Mount, key members of the previous European Championship squad, are unlikely to make the squad this time.
In the forward position, Harry Kane is undoubtedly the team's main striker. However, his lack of success in major tournaments is a significant concern for England. Kane has even caused Bayern, who won 11 consecutive titles, to lose the Bundesliga title. It all depends on whether England's luck is on their side this time! Watkins from Aston Villa and Ivan Toney from Brentford will be Kane's backups. Sørloth, who has been in good form this season, may also have a chance to make it into the squad at the last minute.
The biggest weakness of the team lies in the head coach.
Southgate has been in charge of the England national team for nearly 8 years! With so many talented players at his disposal, Southgate is seen by many fans as the biggest weakness of the current England team! If England fails to win the European Championship again this time, I think the English Football Association should consider changing the coach, shouldn't they?
Team Performance Prediction:
For the current England team, the only goal can be the championship. England's draw is relatively favorable, with Serbia, Denmark, and Slovenia in the same group, who are not expected to pose much of a challenge to England. If they smoothly advance from the group stage, England's Round of 16 opponent is likely to be one of the third-placed teams from Group DEF, none of whom are expected to pose a significant challenge unless Portugal finishes third again.
In the quarterfinals, England's opponent is highly likely to be Italy or Spain, which will be a considerable test for England. In the semifinals, they are highly likely to face France, which could be an early showdown for the championship? From this analysis, it seems that this European Championship will once again see the lower half of the draw stronger than the upper half. Although many fans fancy England to win the European Championship this time, personally, I think there is a curse, and England's performance will be limited to the semi-finals.
