1966 until 2022.
The slogan of football coming home was shouted for nearly a minute. The two protagonists in the 1966 World Cup winner photo: Queen Elizabeth II and England captain Bobby Moore have died, and the Remet Cup in their hands has long since disappeared. In between, the heroes of the Three Lions Legion continue to emerge. Every generation, England is bound to produce at least one representative world-class star. From David Beckham and Rooney to Harry Kane now, it seems that he can feel the edge when he jumps, but he can never just grasp it. In this way, endless waiting has become helpless and habitual.
England has never lacked world-class superstars, but they have been slow to win the long-awaited major titles.
The countries with the world's No. 1 league have been slow to win the long-awaited World Cup. Or maybe that's the real problem. As the most watched league in the world, the Premier League naturally attracts good players from all over the world. The Premier League team, from top to coach, management and down to the players, is made up of players and coaches from different countries and styles. Coupled with the Premier League's global broadcasts and high ratings, players and coaches from all over the world will naturally become more familiar with Premier League players. Most of the members of the English national team are star players of the Premier League, and various factors make the weaknesses and characteristics of players easy to recognize, resulting in frequent losses in short-term cups.
This year, England are as usual made up of Premier League stars and a small number of foreign talents. The squad is still strong, there are many young stars in the squad, and with the blessing of last year's European Championship runners-up, this most expensive team in this World Cup may bring us a lot of surprises.
Predicted starting lineup:
Goalkeeper:
Jordan Pickford
England's three goalkeepers are of similar quality this year. Compared to Nick Pope and Ramsdale, Jordan Pickford, who has been the number one international for about 4 years, is still quite solid. Jordan Pickford's long-pass prowess has improved considerably in recent seasons, and with saves being his strength, Jordan Pickford is no surprise that this England starter is the perfect choice.
Nick Pope
In September's UEFA Nations League, Nick Pope, who had been consistent in the league, replaced the injured Jordan Pickford to start with the national team. But he didn't perform well in several games, and multiple defensive misses and goals conceded were key to the team's losses, and many questioned his consistency in major tournaments.
Ramsdale
And Ramsdale's defensive ability and ball ability are excellent, Arsenal can stay in the Premier League leader this season, Ramsdale is indeed indispensable. But due to Jordan Pickford's steady form, coupled with the experience and merit he has accumulated in the past two tournaments. Ramsdale is still difficult to shake Jordan Pickford's first international position. As England's second international goalkeeper, if Jordan Pickford is unable to play in any situation, Ramsdale will definitely be a trustworthy option.
Finally, I would like to talk about the jewel in my heart, 25-year-old Manchester United loan youngster Dean Henderson has a good quality and has made a number of key saves in the Premier League this year. Perhaps it had something to do with Nottingham Forest's shaky record, and Dean Henderson failed to make the World Cup squad and had to wait for the next four years.
Fullback:
First come to the defender part. This is the most variable position in England this year. England are expected to adopt a 3-4-2-1 five-back formation, consisting of three central defenders plus left and right full-backs. First of all, let's talk about the central defender who is more variable and controversial, and has the most selection.
Stones
The first is Manchester City's Stones, one of the most consistent starting options in England's centre-back group. Under Manchester City's passing system, Stones has always been a very important link, and high pass success rate and ability to pass key balls at the back will become an important role in England's backfield organization.
Mcguire
Harry Maguire's poor form in recent years is well known, and a large number of mistakes in the past two seasons have also made him the "king of memes" in football. After being frozen on the bench by Manchester United manager Eric Tenhach this season, the team has played an excellent result, making his Manchester United captain in name only, and the embarrassing situation in the team has also made him questioned from all walks of life.
Harry Maguire is a tall defender, and his speed and turning ability are his obvious weaknesses, and because of this characteristic, he often loses his position on the field. Coupled with his recent trance on the field, the problem of inattention has gradually surfaced. Despite his tall stature, he has a great advantage in the high-altitude competition, and in the last European Cup, there were also many key high-altitude scramble and set-piece headers.
But whether Maguire, who has significantly declined in form, can regain the most expensive defender in history, and whether the tall defender will become a blessing for the Three Lions or a burden, remains to be seen by fans.
Kyle Walker
Kyle Walker has always been a very important core player in the English squad, with his high speed, he can play full-back and central defender, and is a living chess piece in the English backfield. Speed has always been Kyle Walker's biggest strength, not only can it be an important breakthrough in attack, but also used to see Kyle Walker use his speed advantage and rich experience to save teammates' defensive dispositions and holes. Especially with Harry Maguire and Alexander-Arnold, two defenders who are prone to defensive misposition, Kyle Walker has become particularly important in this year's England squad.
Only recently returned from injury, whether he can return to the field and regain his form as soon as possible will be a chess piece that will determine the fate of England. With the group stage expected to start as a substitute, how to stabilize the defence in the event that Kyle Walker may be absent will be an important issue for manager Gareth Southgate and England.
Eric Dale
In the early stages of Kyle Walker's very likely absence from the group stage, Eric Dale's role is very important. Eric Dyer, who played as a midfielder before the injury, still maintains a very good ability to play the ball after turning into a central defender. Eric Dale is excellent defensively, with great concentration and discretion, and this season has seen Eric Dyer have many key tackles at Tottenham backcourt. In Kyle Walker's absence, Eric Dyer would be the first choice to top the centre-back position.
Ben White
Ben White's consistent play is definitely an important factor in Arsenal's dominance this year. With Tomiyasu out due to injury this season, Ben White's replacement at right-back has become an important factor in stabilizing the team's defense. High movement speed, consistent defensive skills, excellent ball handling and passing ability, and flexibility in the middle of the wing are all important advantages for Ben White in his quest for starting opportunities.
Luke Shaw
After arriving at Manchester United, Eric Tenhach overhauled the Reds' inherent system and formation, and played quite well. And Luke Shaw, who did not perform well, silently became a regular on the bench. Defense has never been Luke Shaw's forte, although he has good offensive ability and can be used as a starting point for the team's backcourt attack. But he will be a big hole in the backfield, plus England has a lot of defensive holes in the backfield this year, which will be a key factor in whether Southgate uses Luke Shaw.
Kieran Tripier
Kieran Trippier quickly established himself at Newcastle United after returning to the Premier League this year. Relying on two set-pieces, the goal announced to the fans: "I'm back!". After the 16th round of the Premier League, the Magpies entered the hiatus with a third-place finish. Before the Premier League break, he won four straight games, including a 2-1 victory over powerhouse Tottenham. Kieran Trippier is definitely the most important contributor to the Magpies' inclusion in the Premier League front this year. In the past, he has slowly completed this ability with poor defensive ability, and coupled with his excellent offensive ability and high formation flexibility that can be competently on the left and right, it will become a living chess piece in Southgate's tactical changes.
Arnold
As one of the most talented right-backs in English history, you can see the shadow of David Beckham in Alexander-Arnold's long passes, coupled with a keen sense of attack and the ability to shoot from distance, he is undoubtedly the world's top right-back talent.
However, behind such a coveted talent, there is a very big loophole.
Alexander-Arnold's defensive misposition has always been a problem, but in the past, behind him, he was guarded by the world's number one central defender Van Dijk, who has wiped Arnold's ass a lot in all competitions over the years. Van Dijk's form has declined slightly this year, and the self-conscious Van Dijk can no longer calmly fill Arnold's defensive holes. In this way, more and more standing mistakes, more and more defensive mispositions, Arnold has become the target of major teams, although he is still eye-catching in attack, but gradually loses the trust of fans.
And the battle between Reece James and Arnold slowly came to an end in Arnold's increasingly poor defensive state. Just when everyone thought Reece James would be England's unmoving right-back candidate, a sudden injury gave Arnold another chance to become a regular in the national team.
Could this be God's redemption for Arnold? In any case, Alexander-Arnold's defensive loopholes are a problem that England will have to face. How to allow Arnold to display his talented offensive talent on the field and fill his defensive holes will greatly test Southgate's military skills.
Connor Cody
With England's backline extremely volatile, bringing Connor Cody back into the national squad was a very important decision for Southgate.
He came to Everton this year and still plays a very important role in the team. Although the team is still on the brink of relegation due to various problems such as squad depth, Connor Cody is still consistent on both ends of the offensive and defensive ends. Connor Cody is expected to start as a substitute in the England squad, changing the pace of the pitch through his consistent defense and good passing ability.
Midfielder:
Coming to England's long-standing strengths, this year's England midfield squad can be described as star-studded, and what is more frightening is that young players under the age of 25 account for a large number of places. These young players have long been the main players of the club and even have an important place in the Three Lions.
Zud Bellingham
Failing to win the Copa Award and the Golden Boy this year is Zude Bellingham's biggest regret this season. In these two seasons, Zud Bellingham has long been the most important member of the Dortmund squad. Last year's over-age record of 6 goals and 14 assists in all competitions made people forget that he was a 19-year-old youngster. And he's also a very important leader in the Hornets' locker room, not just as the team's third captain. He also wore the captain's armband in the Champions League and showed outstanding leadership skills at a young age.
After Haaland's departure, Zud Bellingham took on the team's shoulders and has played 22 games in all competitions so far this season, with nine goals and three assists. If nothing else, he will become an important starting midfielder for England.
Declan Rice
And the one most likely to match Zude Bellingham in midfield. It is the current West Ham United captain, Declan Rice, who is worth £100 million. As England's hottest back-up superstar at the moment, Declan Rice has very top defensive ability. Once a central defender, he has a very good sense and concept of defense, is not prone to defensive misposition, coupled with very outstanding physical conditions, he will be an important factor in stabilizing England's unstable defense.
He has been in the Premier League for many years, giving people a very stable sense of stability. In fact, the calm midfielder is only 23 years old, but he already plays a fairly outstanding midfield commander on the pitch. Declan Rice is not only excellent defensively, but also has superb passing and organisational skills, and with the long expectation of being the captain of West Ham United, he has developed a fairly solid style of play. His long pass was quite good and created plenty of chances for his team-mates, and he was an important member of West Ham's seventh-place finish last season to qualify for the UEFA Europa League.
Mason Mount
If you ask me, who is the most popular player in the Premier League? I'll give you this answer, Mason Mount.
The "Mangbao" on the doorstep of Chelsea fans is finally about to usher in the first World Cup of his career. Mason Mount's high appearance has made him quickly attract fans in recent years and has become one of the Premier League's watchers. Of course, Mason Mount doesn't just have a handsome face! With 13 goals and 16 assists in all competitions last season, he plays a significant role in Chelsea's front-line squad.
Mason Mount, who is full of offensive talent, often plays key passes on the field. In the England squad, he will definitely be the biggest helper of Harry Kane's forward group. It is expected that Harry Kane and Phil Foden will be around Harry Kane and Phil Foden as an attacking midfielder or winger, and will be a heavy task assigned to him by Southgate.
Connor Gallagher
Connor Gallagher won Southgate's favor this year and wore the Three Lions shirt.
On loan at Crystal Palace last season, he became the heart of the team's iron fight. The blond handsome young man who recorded eight goals and five assists at Crystal Palace last season also earned him a chance to be selected for the national team.
Connor Gallagher returned to the Chelsea squad this season, but was hampered by Chelsea's talented midfield, which greatly reduced playing time. Originally thought to be reused by Thomas Tuchel, he seemed to be slowly losing patience, not only began to decline in statistics, but also in the Premier League match against Leicester City on August 27, in just 28 minutes two yellow for one red, leaving the team facing a 10-on-11 dilemma.
After this match, Connor Gallagher began to be unused by Thomas Tuchel until early September, when Thomas Tuchel was dismissed in amazement. New Graham Porter slowly began to reuse Connor Gallagher before he slowly regained his confidence and skill, and his aggressive running on the pitch made him an important part of Chelsea's midfield.
Connor Gallagher returned to Selhurst Park, home of Crystal Palace, with Chelsea on 1 October. In the 90th minute, Connor Gallagher received a pass from a teammate on the left side of the penalty area, swung past the defender and hit the far post, and a world wave made him the main player for the team's victory.
Connor Gallagher's positive attitude and lots of movement will inject a lot of energy into this edition of the Three Lions, and don't forget, he's only 22 years old. He will definitely be a very important member of this young England midfielder. Even in the future Chelsea and Three Lions squad, this blond midfielder is definitely indispensable.
Calvin Phillips
Perhaps because of the consistent performance at the European Championship, even if he did not play time after coming to Manchester City this year, coupled with his recent injury, Calvin Phillips was still called up by Southgate and played for the country again.
Whether it's leading Leeds United on an incredible journey back to the Premier League. It was also a consistent performance at the European Championship that helped England reach the final. None of us question Calvin Phillips' strength. Excellent physical conditions and positive defensive attitude make him almost the player with the most running range on the pitch, and all kinds of excellent conditions make him an important ball breaking machine in the defensive line, coupled with excellent conduction, he will be an important killer for England to launch counterattacks.
Jordan Henderson
In the extremely young England midfield, 32-year-old Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson will be the mentor of this group of young players. Liverpool's poor record this year has a lot to do with the aging of the main players in the central midfield, and Jordan Henderson is no exception. In recent years, his performance has not been as prominent as in the past, and this year's downward trend is more obvious. Jordan Henderson has lost his position on the field this year, creating defensive holes more frequently.
Compared with the decline in defensive ability, Jordan Henderson on the offensive end has maintained a good state, as one of the important relay points of Liverpool's midfield conduction, Jordan Henderson's key passing ability is still very good, and it has created many opportunities for the team.
Jordan Henderson is not expected to get too many starting opportunities in this tournament. As a bench starter, being able to rely on his experience to change the pace of offense and defense on the court will be Jordan Henderson's main task this year.
Striker:
It's very similar to last year's Euros squad. Captain Harry Kane is still leading the young and talented England strikers into the Golden Cup. Compared with the last European Championship, young stars such as Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden, and Marcus Rashford have improved, and this majestic frontcourt squad will be a great weapon for England to attack the Gold Cup.
Harry Kane
The last thing you need to worry about in this team is Harry Kane. He won the Golden Boot at the World Cup in 2018 and reached the final of the European Championship with a number of key goals in 2021 LinkedIn Gran. Whether it is in the tournament or at the club, Harry Kane will always be the most consistent killer in the team.
In Tottenham, Harry Kane does not need to be at the front all the time because of Son Heung-min, doing the traditional number nine job. On the contrary, due to the high tacit cooperation between the two, coupled with the terrible performance of Son Heung-min blocking and killing God and Buddha blocking and killing Buddha in recent seasons, Harry Kane honed his skills of holding the ball on the back side. Not only does he have a stable finishing ability, Harry Kane does not hesitate to pass the ball at his feet to a clever position when his teammates need support, providing assists to his teammates.
Son Heung-min's form has declined slightly this season, but Harry Kane's form remains hot. Harry Kane has had a lot of set-piece headers this year and has amassed a formidable 12 goals so far. If it weren't for Haaland's open-hearted performance, Harry Kane would already be the number one contender for the Premier League's Golden Boot.
Harry Kane, who came to England, has quite a few talented players in the midfield who can create opportunities for him, plus he also has very good ball playmaking skills. Compared to the more comprehensive Harry Kane four years ago, it is quite exciting to see how far LinkedIn Gran can take this time.
Bukaio Saka
Perhaps Bukayo Saka will never forget the penalty he missed at the European Championship, but that doesn't mean he will be shackled by this shadow forever. After experiencing abuse, questioning, and deep remorse, Bukaio Saka has long become the most psychologically qualified player among players of his age. Instead of being knocked down by criticism, 21-year-old Bukayo Saka returned to Arsenal with a stronger self. With 12 goals and seven assists in all competitions at Arsenal last season, he became the most important attacker in the team. Arsenal's rebirth this season is also inseparable from Bukayo Saka's outstanding performance. And when people admire the brilliant performances of players such as Granit Xhaka, Martin Odegaard, Jesus and so on, they often forget how much this young player who quietly broke through on the wing has contributed to the team.
In the 22-23 season, Bukayo Saka handed over 5 goals and 6 assists in all competitions, and under the steady play of Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli this season, Bukaio Saka used his own breakthrough ability to create more favorable offensive opportunities for his teammates. Coupled with his maturing crossing ability, Bukayo Saka will bring a more comprehensive approach to the World Cup.
And excellent dribbling skills and outstanding finishing ability are very important strengths of Bukayo Saka, making him a role that cannot be ignored in the front. Be able to break through on your own at key moments to create scoring opportunities. England can have such talented young players, what can they ask for.
Marcus Rashford
Also missing a penalty in the European Championship final like Bukayo Saka, Rashford did not come out of the haze as quickly as Bukaio Saka, but went around in circles.
After the European Championship, Marcus Rashford, who returned to Manchester United, was in extremely poor form, and his finishing ability was very poor. Many exaggerated one-handed goals and shots hit the post have also made him a regular in the Manchester United memes. Rashford played less and less time late last season and was no longer expected to be included in England's World Cup squad.
Until this year new coach Eric Tenhach came to the team. After thoroughly overhauling the team's system, Rashford also turned over through this hard-won opportunity. He played 19 games in all competitions, scoring eight goals and three assists, and was named Premier League Player of the Month in September. Let this once super genius striker enter the eyes of the world again.
He was in good form and was also named in England's World Cup squad. Many have questioned Rashford's failure to improve his passing and finishing abilities, arguing that his recent success has benefited from a blip in the system. But a closer look at Manchester United's games shows that Marcus Rashford has played smarter this season, using his running ability to compensate for his lack of finishing ability. If combined with England's talented central midfield, if he can create a lot of room and scoring opportunities for Marcus, he will become a very scary presence in this England team.
James Madison
I believe that fans who are following the Premier League must know that in this year's relegation zone, there was an unexpected team. Leicester City have maintained a fairly good record after winning the title in the 15-16 season, and are known as the BIG7 by fans. But with near-zero operations in the transfer window this year, combined with the aging of owner Jamie Vardy, the team unexpectedly wandered the relegation zone this season until the ninth round of the league was won.
At this time, a player on the team jumped out, and James Madison became the new savior of the Foxes. They have won four of their last five league games and lost by just one point to the spaceship Manchester City. Let Leicester City get out of the relegation zone and move to the mid-table 13th place before the Premier League break.
With seven goals and four assists this season, he was finally included in Southgate's squad and fulfilled his long-held dream of representing his country in the World Cup.
To be selected for the national team again after three years is to represent the country in the World Cup. James Madison will come to this big stage with a bigger dream. Dreams are no longer dreams, the wind blows slowly in Qatar, James Madison will put on the Three Lions robe, step by step to gradually close the distance between dreams and reality.
Jack Grealish
A transfer fee of 100 million yuan is not only an affirmation, but also an invisible pressure. Since Manchester City paid a lot of money to bring Jack Grealish to Manchester, the skepticism has not stopped, and he has not been able to hand over his past performance at Aston Villa.
Jack Grealish's dribbling ability on the wing is still excellent, but compared to the style of play in the past at Villa, Jack Grealish's desire to attack the goal has been greatly reduced, and his breakthrough ability has also decreased significantly. Although he is still a very good player on the wing, he is far from what fans expect from a player worth 100 million.
Jack Grealish still has some destructive ability on the wing, and how to use Jerk Grealish to change the tempo on the field will be a test for Southgate.
Phil Foden
From a cynical little genius to one of the league's top stars, Phil Foden has grown into the most indispensable soul of Manchester City's squad. The 22-year-old prodigy has scored seven goals and three assists in 14 Premier League games this season, and scored a double hat-trick with Haaland at the Manchester City derby on 2 October to lead his team to a 6-3 victory against Manchester United.
Surrounded by a list of world-class stars, Phil Foden is no less important to Manchester City than world stars such as De Bruyne or Joao Cancelo. Manchester City's abundance of talent has allowed Pep Guardiola to play in a variety of formations, and few players have absolute starting rights, Phil Foden being one of the exceptions. His excellent dribbling skills, combined with his rapid speed, allow him to take advantage of the opponent one step ahead. His presence on the pitch is very high and his influence on the pitch is quite huge. Coupled with his outstanding passing ability, he will definitely be Harry Kane's best assistant in the England squad, and it is quite exciting to see the national team duo play up front.
Stirling
"Happy Boy" Raheem Sterling was unsurprisingly selected for the England national team again. Sterling on the national team has been relatively consistent compared to his performances at the club, and at last year's European Championship, he seized a number of chances to contribute to England's final in one of the most important contributions.
Leaving aside the problem of easy missed opportunities. Raheem Sterling has all the qualities of a top frontcourt player, he will always be the fastest on the pitch, and dribbling is his absolute strength. Combined with the ability to play multiple positions up front, Raheem Sterling will be a key member of England's Hercules Cup this year.
On the national team, Raheem Sterling will once again join former Manchester City team-mate Phil Foden and become the most important help behind Harry Kane. Coupled with the long-term experience accumulated in the national team, as long as he can grasp the opportunities in key moments, he will definitely be the most important presence on the offensive line.
Callum Wilson
Both Ivan Tony and Callum Wilson were in pretty good shape ahead of this tournament. In the end, Southgate chose Newcastle United's Callum Wilson as the last man up front.
Shortly after the squad was announced, Ivan Tony was exposed to a gaming scandal and may face a ban, which may be one of the reasons why Ivan Tony was not selected.
In his second year at Newcastle United, the team is starting to show signs of becoming the seventh biggest player in the Premier League. Unlike the Qatari royal family's business model at PSG, Newcastle United chose to improve the system as the first priority and recruit big-name stars. In this transition period of team growth, Callum Wilson can be said to play a very important role.
With six goals and two assists in 11 Premier League games this season, he has become an important finisher in the upfield of the emerging giants. Relying on excellent physical conditions and finishing ability, he has become an indispensable frontcourt fulcrum for the team.
Callum Wilson, who came to the England national team, is likely to start as Harry Kane's substitute and is not expected to get too many playing opportunities.
Overall strength forecast:
As the most expensive team in any national team, England are still star-studded this year.
But compared to past generations, I think England is exceptionally strong this year. The overlap of positions and lack of organisational skills in the past double German + Beckham period will not be included in this year's England squad. England's midfielders are highly complementary, young and physically fit. Coupled with last year's European Championship runners-up, England will have no problem reaching the quarter-finals this year.
The only concern is the erratic play on the back line. Defensive performance will be an important factor in England's ability to reach the semi-finals and even reach the final this year. If Kyle Walker returns healthy or Maguire, Alexander-Arnold and Luke Shaw can improve their defensive misplacement a little, it could greatly improve England's chances of reaching the last four.