Featured Image Credit: Getty and talkSPORT
Topics: England, Gareth Southgate, Euro 2024
Alex Brotherton
Topics: England, Gareth Southgate, Euro 2024
A five-year old prediction of England's starting XI at Euro 2024 has resurfaced and it is shockingly bad.
Anticipation and excitement ahead of Euro 2024 has started to ramp up following the announcement of England's squad for upcoming friendlies against Brazil and Belgium.
The two matches at Wembley will be the final opportunities for players to stake their claim to be included in Gareth Southgate's squad for the tournament in Germany this summer.
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While many players - like Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham - are nailed-on to be on the plane to Germany, there are several spots in Southgate's final squad still up for grabs.
Predicting England squads is never easy, especially not when looking years ahead into the future.
Back in 2019 talkSPORT had a go at predicting the England starting XI that would take to the pitch at Euro 2024, and it's fair to say things haven't turned out as expected.
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Jordan Pickford looks set to be England's starting goalkeeper for a fourth consecutive major tournament, but the outlet predicted that Dean Henderson would take his place as number one.
Two interesting - yet understandable - inclusions were Jadon Sancho and Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Both young attackers were flying back in 2019, and Sancho likely would have been in the squad had his form for Manchester United not nosedived last season.
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Perhaps the headline omission is captain Harry Kane. The thinking was that Kane - who will be approaching 31 by the time the tournament comes around - would be past his prime and not up to the task.
In reality, Kane is in the form of his career and is currently enjoying a record-breaking season with Bayern Munich, for whom he has scored 37 goals in 35 games since joining from Tottenham last summer.
Mason Greenwood was touted to replace Kane in the forward line after impressing at Manchester United, although that was before he was suspended by the club after being charged with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Proceedings against the attacker were later dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service and he joined Spanish side Getafe on loan.
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Raheem Sterling was predicted to be in the side, but his form has dipped dramatically and he hasn't been included in an England squad since the 2022 World Cup.
Dean Henderson; Trent Alexander-Arnold, John Stones, Fikayo Tomori, Ben Chilwell; Jadon Sancho, Conor Gallagher, Phil Foden, Callum Hudson-Odoi; Mason Greenwood, Raheem Sterling.