The time for hard-luck stories and excuses is over for England as they head into Euro 2024 with expectations of a first major men’s trophy since 1966 justifiably sky high.
Gareth Southgate’s squad will be unsurpassed in terms of quality in Germany and any scenario other than Harry Kane holding aloft the trophy on July 14 will be regarded by the majority of fans as under-achievement.
The head coach, who took over in 2016 with England at a low ebb, has an enviable cast to choose from and, while there are still legitimate concerns about their defence, England clearly have the firepower to go all the way.
Captain Kane will lead from the front after an incredible first season at Bayern Munich where, despite not winning a trophy, he has smashed more scoring records.
Midfielder Jude Bellingham has been equally impressive in his first season at Real Madrid -- the 20-year-old settling in instantly and becoming the leader of a team that cruised to the La Liga title and reached the Champions League final.
Manchester City’s attacking midfielder Phil Foden has taken his game to new heights this season, as have Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice at Arsenal while Ollie Watkins has emerged as a striker capable of taking some of the load off Kane.
While still youthful, England’s squad also have the benefit of experience of the pressure associated with reaching the business end of tournaments and the pain of a Euro 2020 final loss to Italy on penalties, and a quarter-final defeat by France at the Qatar World Cup will fuel their desire to shed the ‘nearly-men’ tag.
Bellingham was an unused substitute at Wembley against Italy in the ill-fated Euro 2020 final but Southgate’s likely starting line-up for their opener against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen will be considerably stronger as will his options off the bench.
While some England fans remain critical of Southgate’s cautious approach -- accusing him of failing to unlock the squad’s full potential against top opposition -- there is no question he has raised standards on and off the pitch during his tenure.
With uncertainty about whether he will remain at the helm beyond the summer and talk of him potentially replacing Erik ten Hag at Manchester United, this could well be his last opportunity to cement his legacy.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has no doubt that England’s previous near-misses have left them ready to deliver.
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“They are really good,” the Spaniard said. “It’s not just the talent of the strikers, it’s the whole package, the whole group and Gareth knows perfectly what he has to do.
“When you arrive at these stages every two years, it’s going to happen. It’s quite similar to (Manchester City); we were close, and in the end, we lifted it. Just believe it. If they believe it, they can do it.”
UEFA’s decision to allow 26-man squads for the Euros should, in theory, be a further boost to England’s chances in view of the depth of talent available.
England should make light work of a group containing Serbia, Slovenia and Denmark but the key will be Southgate’s ability to use the many tools at his disposal in the most effective way as the tournament progresses.
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- With inputs from AFP
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