England continues to shine with an impressive scoring run in the 2024 European Championship games – successfully scoring in their last six games. This not only marks their longest scoring streak, but it’s also clear evidence of their prowess on the international stage.
Making their pathway to major tournaments seem effortless is something England can be proud of. The mastermind to their success? Gareth Southgate. His strategic guidance saw England emerge from potential defeat to dominate Italy with a 3-1 victory in Tuesday’s game, officially securing their slot at the 2024 Euro in Germany – with an impressive two games to spare.
As yet, England’s journey through the qualifiers remains unbeaten. Their last loss in such games sends us back by 24 years when the Czech Republic triumphed over them 2-1 in 2019.
On the face of it, England’s qualifying group, including the reigning European champions Italy, Ukraine, North Macedonia, and Malta, posed a daunting challenge. But England tackled it with grace and strategy, emerging victorious with five wins, one draw, and no losses.
Southgate, not one to rest on laurels, feels the team still has untapped potential. He was quoted saying, “We need to make sure we are one of the top seeds next month. We need to win our next two games. We want to be in control of that.”
Indeed, England has shown not only their ability to qualify but also their potential to be crowned champions at Euro 2024. Critics might have chided them for not battling tough opponents enough, but it was their performance against Italy at Wembley, for Euro 2020, that was the game-changer.
Their gritty determination was displayed in full force against Italy – unequivocally brushing aside the criticism flung at them. Falling behind initially to a 15th-minute goal by former West Ham United striker Gianluca Scamacca, England rebounded with Harry Kane equalising from the penalty spot. This was followed by a spectacular second-half performance by Marcus Rashford and Kane, further cementing their victory.
Key to England’s spectacular performance against Italy was Jude Bellingham. A firm favourite at Real Madrid, the 20-year-old amazed all with an extraordinary display of tenacity and skill. He managed to secure the penalty for Kane’s equaliser before setting Rashford up for the next goal. His performance drew praise from all quarters, with the young player seeming to improve by leaps and bounds.
It wasn’t just in this match that England unveiled their potential. An earlier match against Australia saw England’s ‘fringe team’ carve out a 1-0 victory. Manchester City midfielder Phillips was particularly impressive despite limited game time this season at the club level.
Phil Foden, who stepped into the starting XI due to an injury to Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka, also displayed remarkable impact, aptly demonstrating the depth of quality in the England squad. This promises to add more colour and dynamism to Euro 2024, and the chances of England coming up tops look far more plausible than ever before.
