Day 140 of 365: My Preferred 26 to Euro 2020 (England)

I started following the 3 Lions of England just after Euro 2000 which held in Belgium and the Netherlands. I can’t explain the love I have for this team despite the many heartbreaks they have given me. They are the Arsenal of National Teams, perpetual heartbreakers and if there are still people supporting Arsenal I might as well just deal with the English National Team. Even after dumping them (for 3 months) when they were eliminated by Iceland at the 2016 Euros, my friends and family were having none of it. They still tagged me a die hard fan of the English National Team.

I was however impressed by their semi-final posting at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Can they go one better by getting to the final of the Euros this year? I digress. The most painful game of my English National team journey has to be the quarter final game against Brazil at the Korea/Japan 2002 World Cup where the 3 Lions lost 2:1.

Coming up with my preferred 26 man army that would represent England at the Euros was difficult as I have left out some really good players  This has to be the most difficult compilation for me.

Goalkeepers

1. Dean Henderson (Manchester United)
2. Nick Pope (Burnley)
3. Sam Johnstone (West Bromwich Albion)

Defenders

4. Harry Maguire (Manchester United)
5. John Stones (Manchester City)
6. Conor Coady (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
7. Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa)
8. Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
9. Luke Shaw (Manchester United)
10. Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid)
11. Trent-Alexander Arnold (Liverpool)

Midfielders

12. Declan Rice (West Ham United)
13. James Ward-Prowse (Southampton)
14. Kalvin Phillips (Leeds)
15. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
16. Jack Grealish (Aston Villa)
17. Mason Mount (Chelsea)
18. Jadon Sancho (Dortmund)
19. Jude Bellingham (Dortmund)
20. Phil Foden (Manchester City)

Forwards

21. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
22. Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton)
23. Mason Greenwood (Manchester United)
24. Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
25. Patrick Bamford (Leeds)
26. Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)

I would have loved to add Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa after having a fantastic season. Jesse Lingard of Manchester United also deserves a mention after having a great 5 month spell with West Ham on loan.

CHEERS!!!