Football Ground Map
Football Ground Map
Once again England fans will be nursing a hangover with the familiar feeling of disappointment in the air. Despite going into the tournament as one of the favourites alongside France, neither team really got going.
Once again England found themselves with a favourable draw that led to a relatively manageable route to the final, however, a young and impressive Spanish side continued their incredible run of all Spanish teams (club and country) that have reached a final since 2001 have won, that is 27 finals!
England fans will be looking to put this latest disappointment behind them and look ahead to the 2026 World Cup. The unwavering confidence of England supporters that football will "come home" means the national side will be heavily backed, and with the anticipated launch of bettingsites.ltd, many are already looking at the betting odds.
Once again, England (7/1) find themselves among the favourites with Spain (11/2), France (13/2) and Brazil (6/1), but the team will have to learn from the harsh lessons they were dealt in Germany.
Gareth Southgate has come under criticism since taking over after Sam Allardyce's ill-fated reign in 2016. The main bone of contention for fans is Southgate's defensive style of play, which is not surprising considering he was one of the Premier League's and England's most reliable centre-halves during his playing days.
Despite getting to the last two European Championship finals and a World Cup semi and quarter-final, Southgate's position could be threatened. He refused to comment on his position after the final, understandably, but fans will be keen for this to be sorted quickly.
Bookmakers have already shortened the odds on former Brighton and Chelsea manager Graham Potter who is still without a club. His adaptable managerial style allows stars the freedom to play to their strengths, a criticism Southgate has suffered for failing to do during the Euros.
Eddie Howe and Lee Carsley are the other names being linked with the position, but we will have to see what Southgate and the FA decide.
One of the reasons that England was one of the favourites going into the tournament was because of the squad's depth and quality, especially in midfield and attack.
However, Captain Harry Kane failed to find the form that saw him score 44 goals in his debut season at Bayern Munich. Despite this record-breaking return, Kane has still incredibly failed to land any silverware in his career.
During the Euros, he looked off his game, but still managed to finish joint top scorer on 3 goals alongside Gakpo, Mikautadze, Musiala, Olmo, and Schranz.
Saka and Foden failed to chip in with the goals and assists you would expect from two of the best attacking players in the world, and even the talismanic Bellingham looked tired after a long season.
A couple of positives to take from the tournament include Kobbie Mainoo and Cole Palmer who look to have bright England careers ahead of them.
At the back, Pickford, Stones, and Guehi had relatively solid performances throughout, but Kyle Walker was not his usual influential self.
Another issue that England must address if they want to win a major tournament is their left side. An unfit Luke Shaw, Trippier, and Saka all got slotted into a left-wing-back role at some point. The lack of a natural left-sided midfielder or forward also resulted in players being asked to play out of position.
Finding a way to get the best out of a very talented group of players could mean dropping some rather than trying to fit them into positions that detract from their game.
It is easy for fans and pundits to sit back and look at what went wrong. However, the fact of the matter is that Southgate's tactics have gotten England to within touching distance of a trophy. However, a more dynamic style could have utilised England's attacking quality, resulting in some more impressive performances.
Players like Foden, Bellingham, and Kane look like they will be guaranteed starters if they can stay injury-free, but trying to balance the tactics rather than squeeze players into the wrong positions should be a priority for Southgate, Potter, or whoever might be in charge in 2026.
Southgate has spoken about England's ability to keep the ball being the cause of the defeat to Spain. A midfield with Rice, Bellingham, Foden, Saka, and Mainoo looks great on paper, but he might have to rethink things if England wants to make an impression at the World Cup.
The opinions of most fans and experts point towards playing a team with natural balance and giving them more freedom to attack. Leaving Grealish and Rashford out of the side, and failing to give Anthony Gordon much game time left the team without a natural left-sided player.
Luke Shaw's lack of match fitness and Soutgate's decision to leave out Joe Gomez who has experience at left back is another decision that has been questioned.
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