Are England Ready to Take the Step Towards Major Success?

England has consistently been one of the leading teams in international football over the last six years. They reached the final of Euro 2020 on home soil, while at the 2018 World Cup, they finished in fourth place.

Head coach Gareth Southgate has overseen the Three Lions since 2016 and he will be hoping his side are now ready to win a major tournament. They head to the European Championship as one of the leading contenders for the trophy.

Three Lions in Excellent Form

England have lost just one of their last 12 matches, with their only defeat coming against Brazil in a friendly earlier this year. The last time they lost a competitive contest was their quarter-final defeat to France at the 2022 World Cup.

Southgate’s side top the outright odds for the Euros at 3/1. They sit just above France, Germany and Spain respectively in the betting. Those odds reflect the confidence in the Euro 2020 runners-up ahead of the tournament.

Those placing England Euros bets on the Three Lions to win their group can get odds of 1/3. They will face Denmark, Serbia and Slovenia in the opening stage of the competition, and they will be expected to progress to the last 16 as the group winners.

Harry Kane Leads Impressive Attack

England are fortunate to have one of the strongest attacks in world football. It is led by their captain Harry Kane. The 2018 World Cup Golden Boot winner has scored 62 goals for his country.

Kane will be supported in the England front line by Jack Grealish, Ollie Watkins and Jarrod Bowen, players who have had excellent seasons for their respective clubs.

helped Manchester City to win another Premier League title. Watkins was crucial in Aston Villa finishing in the top four and qualifying for the Champions League, while Bowen scored 20 goals for the Hammers.

Southgate will be having some sleepless nights as he considers his starting XI for the opening game of the tournament. Unlike in previous tournaments, he will have some strong options from the bench in Germany, if things are not going his side’s way in a particular game.

Such is the depth of England’s attack, Southgate has opted to leave out the likes of Marcus Rashford, Raheem Sterling and Jordan Henderson from his squad for Euro 2024. Those players missed out as competition has been high for a spot in the 26-man squad.

Experience of Tournament Football

The core of England’s squad for Euro 2024 has lots of experience of playing tournament football. Jordan Pickford, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Harry Maguire, John Stones, Luke Shaw, Declan Rice and Kane have been involved in some huge games over the last decade, so they will know what to expect this summer.

Those experienced members of the squad will be able to prepare the newcomers for the challenges ahead over the six-week tournament. They have experienced highs and lows, including knockout success against Germany and penalty shootout heartbreak.

England will be hoping to book their place in the final of Euro 2024 which takes place on Sunday, 14th of July in Berlin. If victorious, it will be their first major tournament triumph since 1966.