The squad certainly seems to be on Gareth Southgate’s side.
England is the strongest favorite to win the tournament. Sports statistics site Opta used a supercomputer to simulate the tournament, and England was the top favorite with a 19.9% chance of winning. They were followed by France (19.1%) and hosts Germany (12.4%). England is also the favorite to win the tournament at various betting sites.
England has never been able to win the tournament, reaching the final only once in 15 previous appearances. Their best runner-up finish came at their last tournament, Euro 2020. England will be looking to win their first title in the tournament with an ultra-luxury squad. Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Buckayo Sakho, and Declan Rice, the so-called front six, led the way.
However, even after reaching the quarterfinals, the team was criticized for their poor form. After a 1-0 win over Serbia in the first leg of the group stage, they were held to a 1-1 draw against Denmark in the second leg and a 0-0 draw against Slovenia in the third leg. After topping their group, England’s next opponent in the round of 16 was Slovakia. 에볼루션 바카라사이트 England conceded a goal in the 25th minute of the first half. After Bellingham’s stunning bicycle kick in second-half stoppage time narrowly extended the game, England were forced to settle for a late Kane winner in stoppage time to reach the quarterfinals.
Naturally, the criticism has been directed at Southgate, but the players feel differently.
“The players have to take some of the blame,” Foden said in a recent interview. “The leaders need to get together and discuss why things aren’t going well and find solutions,” he said. “There are limits to what a coach can do. “I feel sorry for the coach because he has set the tactics and dictated the pressing shape, but if it doesn’t work in the game, the players have to solve it,” he said. In training, he tells the players to press from high positions. I think to some extent the players have to show it.”
Kane has also come to Southgate’s defense. “I know the manager is being criticized,” said Kane, who is preparing for the quarter-final against Switzerland. “I know the manager is being criticized, but at the end of the day it’s the players on the pitch that make the difference,” he said. “We think he’s given us a lot and he’s one of the most successful managers in England’s history. It’s only right that we give back.”
The game against Switzerland will be Southgate’s 100th cap for England. Kane added: “For Southgate, 100 games is a massive achievement, and all he wants is to win. It would be the best gift we could give him.”