Alan Shearer has revealed the England team he would pick if he was in charge of the Three Lions at Euro 2024.
Gareth Southgate and the 26-man England squad are travelling to Germany on Monday ahead of their opening Euros game against Serbia on Sunday.
After kick-starting their Euro 2024 campaign against Serbia at the Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen, England turn their attentions to group games against Denmark and Slovenia.
It is 58 years since England last won a major trophy in men’s football but Shearer is optimistic about the Three Lions’ chances ahead of the Euros, insisting this is ‘our best chance for a long, long time’.
Southgate’s squad, who suffered a penalty shootout defeat to Italy in the Euro 2020 final, boast several of the best players in the world let alone Europe, with Premier League player of the season Phil Foden and La Liga player of the season Jude Bellingham set to feature heavily for England over the next month.
But Southgate also faces some tricky selection decisions, most notably in defence after Harry Maguire was ruled out of the tournament through injury and fellow Manchester United star Luke Shaw remaining an injury doubt.
While England’s attacking options are an envy to the rest of Europe, Southgate must also decide which talented forwards to leave out and where to play Foden and Bellingham.
Shearer, who scored 30 goals in 63 appearances for England, has named the team he would pick in Germany, selecting Marc Guehi and Kieran Trippier in defence and a star-studded front-three of Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon, with Foden in the No. 10 role.
Explaining why he would pick Guehi and Trippier, Shearer said on The Rest is Football podcast: ‘Harry Maguire’s going to be a big miss, at both ends of the pitch. I would go with Guehi but it’s a big concern for England, the defence.
‘Luke Shaw is the only alternative to Trippier but he’s a gamble given his fitness. I would go with Trippier. He hasn’t had as good as a season as he did the previous one but with his experience I would trust him in that position.’
On Foden’s role in his England team, Shearer added: ‘I’m playing him just in front of Bellingham and [Declan] Rice, he has to be in that position because he affects the game so much.
‘He wants to get on the ball, he’s brilliant on the ball and he’s got better and better this season. He’s been absolutely magnificent and I really hope he plays in that 10 position rather than on the left-hand side because that’s his best position.’
As well as reaching the Euro 2020 final, England advanced to the latter stages of the last two World Cups under Southgate, going out in the semi-finals in 2018 and the quarters in 2022.
Despite going 58 years without a trophy, Shearer believes England fans should be ‘really, really excited’ ahead of Euro 2024 and says the Three Lions do not need to fear anyone.
While England are one of the favourites, World Cup runners-up France, hosts Germany and three-time winners Spain are also expected to challenge for the trophy.
‘I think we should be super excited about this team,’ Shearer said. ‘The front half of that team is incredible, there’s so much talent in that team.
‘We should be really, really excited. They can win this tournament, no doubt about that. I think it’s important we go for it because we shouldn’t be afraid of anyone. This is our best chance for a long, long time.’
