If the Benzema-Mbappé-Griezmann trio has something to envy all the selections in the world, there is surely a nation whose attacking potential is just as striking. Across the Channel, the monarchy will be able to count on a powerful offensive sector with still unexplored potential for the next Euro (June 11 - July 11). Winner of Austria last Wednesday (1-0), with a reorganized team, England faces Romania this Sunday. Against David Alaba's teammates, the English coach even started Jesse Lingard… not selected for the Euro. This time, the eleven that will be proposed by Gareth Southgate should look a little more like the one that will start against Croatia on June 13 at Wembley.
However, the Three Lions are much more affected by injuries than are the Blues.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has withdrawn from an injury against the Austrians while Jordan Henderson, Harry Maguire, Marcus Rashford, and Kalvin Phillips are still in trouble with their health.
Despite these potential absences, His Majesty's attack remains very competitive: Harry Kane, Jadon Sancho, Raheem Sterling, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Jack Grealish, Bukayo Saka, not to mention Phil Foden or Mason Mount who are (very) offensive midfielders .
On paper, this attack can legitimately challenge French superiority, even if the experience at a very high level largely benefits the Tricolores.
Similarities with France in 2018
Kane, Sancho, Rashford, Sterling, Calvert-Lewin and Grealish together total six 199 European Cup matches (C1 and C3 combined) and 187 caps. In France, Benzema, Mbappé, Griezmann, Dembélé, Giroud and Coman count 383 European meetings and 376 capes. Almost twice the experience. In addition to these statistical notions, the firepower of the English could be terrifying this summer, but also for the next international competitions. Conditional all the same because England did not build a solid reputation during the Euros and the World Cups. Despite teams sometimes overflowing with talent as in the 2000s, they have not returned to the final of a major competition since their coronation at the 1966 World Cup.They never made it past the semifinals of the European Nations Championship (1968, 1996).
But this generation looks different.
Many of the executives who took the selection to the small final of the last World Cup in Russia, their first since 1990, are still present in the workforce.
Harry Kane, Jordan Pickford, Harry Maguire, Raheem Sterling will be able to benefit from this Russian experience to accompany a slew of newcomers, who are just waiting to hatch.
This team, especially in attack, finally looks like the France team of three years ago, with many very young players who had never known very big international competition (Mbappé, Dembélé, Pavard, Hernandez), supervised by executives (Griezmann, Giroud, Matuidi, Pogba, Varane).
Why not carry out a French robbery for the English.
Read also
Euro 2020: Belgium-Croatia, a preparation match between favorites?
