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There’s nothing better than a tournament summer for football fans, and with the Euros kicking off in just a matter of weeks, the countdown is now officially on.
England head to Germany with the best crop of talent we’ve seen since the Golden Generation – some would argue that this group of players are even better.
In Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden alone, you have three of the world’s best players, all who are having remarkable seasons, in different leagues.
That’s before mentioning the outstanding year that the Arsenal pair of Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka have had as the Gunners have once again pushed for a Premier League title.
Gareth Southgate will know the key men who are guaranteed places in his squad if they stay fit, but you wouldn’t envy the other decisions he has to make in the next few weeks about who he has to leave at home.
The England boss jokingly told Channel 4 during the March international break that he had no clue who would be in his final squad, but after an eye-catching full England debut, Kobbie Mainoo may have played himself into Southgate’s plans.
Mainoo wasn’t even in the original squad for those two matches, but ended up being promoted from the under-21s and then was remarkably awarded the man of the match on his first senior start – it surely points to a busy summer for the youngster.
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It would be well deserved too after his breakthrough season for Manchester United – the 19-year-old has brought a calmness to the midfield for both club and now country.
Southgate talked about his ability to receive under pressure and to manipulate the ball in tight areas – his inclusion in the squad could be vital if England are to get the best out of their attacking players, such as Bellingham and Foden.
That attack will be led by Kane, but one of the tougher choices Southgate will have to make is whether he takes two other strikers, both Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney, or if he favours one over the other and uses the space in the squad for a different position.
Perhaps Toney is a better fit in terms of like-for-like cover for Kane, and his recent performances have given Southgate food for thought, particularly after he scored his first international goal against Belgium in March, deputising well in Kane’s absence.
It would seem crazy to ignore Watkins’ form for Aston Villa, however: a contender for the Premier League player of the season award, he has the best goals and assists tally for a Villa player in more than 40 years, all without taking a penalty.
That can’t be overlooked, and neither can the form of Cole Palmer. What a first season he’s had at Chelsea – no one imagined the influence he would have had since his move from Manchester City.
Not only does he have the quality, skill and numbers to back it up – scoring his 20th league goal of the season against Everton – but he also has the sort of nonchalant personality that could be exactly what England need in pressure moments at a tournament.
He has to be in the squad. There are also players like Anthony Gordon and Jarrod Bowen, who have shone for their clubs this season and will equally feel they’re deserving of a spot.
They could potentially make a difference in giving Southgate effective options from out wide. It will be interesting to see whether decisions are made based on form or experience, and whether that differs for varying positions in the squad.
Southgate has continued to experiment and try out new players in the backline too, which looks to be a bit of a problem area for England, mainly due to the amount of injuries picked up this season.
Depending on the recovery of key defenders, it could make a big difference to England’s chances of success in Germany this summer. There will be two Euro 2024 warm-up games against Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iceland in early June, before the team head to the tournament itself.
The process that Southgate has been working on with this young squad feels like it could reach a glorious crescendo on July 14 in Berlin – if that does happen, it would be nothing less than what they all deserve.
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