Can the English national football team actually win the World Cup?
That’s the million dollar question. England fans certainly hope so. They always do. The reality is a bit more complicated than that. This is the 23-man squad Gareth Southgate has chosen to lead the way: Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Jack Butland (Stoke City), Nick Pope (Burnley).
Defenders: Kyle Walker (Manchester City), John Stones (Manchester City), Harry Maguire (Leicester City), Danny Rose (Tottenham), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Ashley Young (Manchester United), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Kieran Trippier (Tottenham).
Midfielders: Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Eric Dier (Tottenham), Dele Alli (Tottenham), Jesse Lingard (Manchester United), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Crystal Palace), Fabian Delph (Manchester City).
Forwards: Harry Kane (Tottenham), Jamie Vardy (Leicester City), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Danny Welbeck (Arsenal).
Source: www.independent.co.uk
There’s always going to be controversy around World Cup decisions coaches make in England, but Southgate did a great job separating the best from the rest. Joe Hart has not been able to recapture his Manchester City form, while Nick Pope had an excellent season for Burnley. Accordingly, Pope is in the 23-man squad travelling to Russia and Hart isn’t. Southgate also recognized the fantastic seasons Ashley Young and Trent Alexander-Arnold had for their respective clubs.
Too many times have England managers kept faith in the old guard instead of giving opportunities to youngbloods and too many times have they been criticized for it. Gareth Southgate is the one who has broken that mold. Since the English national football team is not seen as a favorite to win the tournament, the coach had the option to take chances. That’s exactly what he did. At least that’s how it appears when you see the squad filled with sub-30 players.
Stones, Maguire, Alexander-Arnold, Alli, Lingard, Sterling, Loftus-Cheek, Rashford are all footballers who wouldn’t be counted on for much in the past due to their age. That’s not the case this time around. England finally has a new generation of potential superstars. Southgate is not afraid to pass the baton and let those young lads lead the English national football team to glory.
After a successful (undefeated) World Cup qualification campaign, back in December England was drawn in Group G along with Belgium, Tunisia and Panama. There will be no excuse for not progressing from this group to the next stage. Winning the group would take The Three Lions to the top of the draw where Brazil and France should be waiting in the wings, while finishing second would lead them on a potential collision course with Spain, Argentina or Germany. Before that, England would need to get past the Round of 16. Whether it tops the group or it finished second, the English national football team will face a squad from Group H, which can be pretty much anyone. The thing is, if Southgate’s men finish second and beat their Group H opponent, they’ll likely meet Germany, their nemesis, in the quarter-final. On the other hand, topping the group likely means a quarter-final meeting with Brazil.
Left or right, top or bottom, regardless how you turn it, England will need to beat some powerful opponents to reach the final. This is the World Cup after all. Unlike previous England teams, though, this one is not going to be scared by the occasion. They are here to prove themselves. Since this is not going to be the last World Cup for many of the players in the team, they can afford to play freely with nothing to lose. That type of mindset can be either very detrimental or very beneficial. We’ll see how it goes, but I truly believe that this England squad has what it takes to go a long way and should not be underestimated.