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LONDON – Gareth Southgate is aiming to undo the historic failures in the tournament that have permanently undermined England’s chances, and Sunday’s 1-0 win over Croatia at Wembley is another notable step on that path.
The 50-year-old is steeped in Three Lions history, and stands out prominently in the biannual strain of disappointment dating back to 1966. As a player, he missed the crucial penalty kick in England’s Euro 96 defeat to Germany before re-establishing his place at the top the National. Consciousness as a progressive team manager for the past five years.
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In Russia three years ago, England finally won a knockout match in a major tournament for the first time since 2006 – and only the seventh time ever – and banished their penalty shootout fear by beating Colombia on penalties as the heaviest weightlifter The shirt was gradually lifted by Southgate’s almost remedial dismantling old preconceptions.
And here, against the team that ended their hopes in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup, England secured their first-ever victory in the opening match of the European Championship at the tenth attempt (draw five, lost four).
This may be vital in setting the tone for what is to come. This certainly takes the pressure off England’s run to the quarter-finals in Russia, where its roots lie in the injury-time win against Tunisia in the first round, helping them reach the tournament and providing a platform on which confidence and faith grew.
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The expanded format of Euro 2020 – with third-placed teams still in place – means that one win is likely to be enough to qualify for the Round of 16, so England can approach their upcoming matches against Scotland and the Czech Republic with greater comfort.
“It takes the tension out of preparing for the next game,” Southgate said after the match. “But we still have to get points to qualify. It’s nice to give our fans and country a really fun time. The players coped with this big occasion really well.”
And they did so on Southgate’s terms. There were several big selection decisions, most notably the one to persevere with striker Raheem Sterling despite his miserable end to the season with Manchester City and Leeds’ Calvin Phillips focusing the midfield in the biggest game of his nine-game international career. .
A spectacle of Phillips and Sterling uniting for a single goal would therefore be the best of Southgate, who has been facing accusations of an overly cautious squad given the array of offensive talent at his disposal.
However, this approach was derived from knowing England’s usual opener struggles, factoring in any lingering scars since 2018, Luka Modric still manages to dictate matches at the highest level with his own brand of midfield.
Raheem Sterling scored the winner in England after a assist from Calvin Phillips. Karl Rissen – Paul / Getty Images
Phillips flicked a clever pass through Sterling to blast past Croatia goalkeeper Dominic Levakovic 12 minutes into the second half, but the midfielder sparkled throughout, helping to choke Modric whenever he ran away from Mason Mount, who seemed to be detailed to keep tabs on for the duration 35 years old when Zlatko Dalic got the ball.
It was only Sterling’s third goal in 20 matches for Manchester City and England dating back to February 20. He was fortunate to start last month’s Champions League final defeat to Chelsea after being out of shape for some time, but Southgate selected his players in part based on their performance in international matches in March when Sterling appeared in all three games as they beat San Marino, Albania and Poland 9- 1.
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Croatia, of course, is a tougher proposition. They are ranked 14th in the world by FIFA, and in another sign of the turbulent past Southgate faces, England have not defeated a team that has been placed higher in a major tournament (excluding the Nations League) since their 1-0 win over Argentina in 2002.
After a rowdy early run with Phil Foden hitting the post and Phillips’ long shot from Levakovic, they slowed the game down to their preferred pace – particularly in the sweltering London heat – and put pressure on England with a defensive line. The line that nullified Southgate’s side for a brief period.
Sterling, who earlier this week received an MBE award in Queen Elizabeth’s birthday honors list, was the only player constantly threatened to be late and from there the goal came at last. Having grown up in London’s Brent, within sight of Wembley Arch, it’s perhaps no surprise that he enjoys such an environment: six goals in his past five games at this stadium, and 13 in his last 17 appearances for England.
The clamor over the inclusion of Jack Grealish – perhaps at Sterling’s expense – was only just beginning among the England fans as he arrived for the opening goal in the 57th minute, underlining the balancing act between Southgate and whatever coach in his position has always faced.
“I think one of the things about playing football and being in the big leagues for so long now is knowing when to block out the noise,” Sterling said in response to whether he justified his inclusion of Grealish, Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka. Jadon Sancho. “I just tried to focus and get into this tournament with a clear head. I know what I can give the team, and it’s that simple.”
There were unsettling moments for England, not least when substitute Mario Pasalic fired the ball deep into injury time. Captain Harry Kane looked subdued while full-backs Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier – the latter operating in an unfamiliar position at left-back – weren’t particularly effective. England got to their knees before kick-off and the boos came again, albeit this time engulfed in cheers and applause. Judd Bellingham became the youngest ever player to play in a Euro for eight minutes; Southgate’s trust in a 17-year-old to help see a game of this magnitude underscore how far his commitment to youth extends.
England deserved their win and Southgate can now start plotting for even bigger achievements. The fans sang “It’s Homecoming” as the players began to embrace the honor and Southgate returned the double salute to the fans. That final victory is a long way off, but finally at Euros, England start on the right track.
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