The English dream generation

All of England are looking ahead to the horizon of Euro 2024. After the latest upsets, most recently at the World Cup in Qatar when they fell to France in the quarterfinals, the continuation of Gareth Southgate, in a long cycle of six years at the helm of the ‘three lions’ team, is praised by all, including the most critical sector of the media environment that has censored his tactics. Now the confidence is felt again for the English team to take advantage of a privileged generation of young talents, and with them to break the spell of titles, which lasted since 1966.

There are no magic formulas in soccer to predict success. It is, on the other hand, a pretty fair sport. He ends up rewarding, almost always, persistence in a job well done, when experience and youth come together, in the union of the dressing room and good technical direction. Great champion teams have always been built on these solid foundations, sharing, in equal parts, the profession of established players with the enthusiasm of the youngest, and the tactical capacity of the coach. And all that is now brought together by Gareth Southgate England, Therefore, any fan who stops for a few minutes to watch their matches can feel a future champion in the English team.

What the ‘three lions’ lacked in the previous European Championship was only the accuracy of the penalties, launched in an atmosphere of maximum tension and responsibility. The defeat against Italy in the final was very painful, because it took place at Wembley, along with the disappointment of the whole country. And the easy thing is to give up and find another coach profile to try again. In good judgment, the commitment to Southgate and the group of players he trusted returned to the World Cup in Qatar and the result was also deserved. They are lacking. He just bumped into finalist France.

Bellingham and Saka, the stars

Selection cycles usually last four years, joint Eurocup and World Cup seasons. Covering that time, the breakdown of coexistence, whether it is success or failure, he advises renewal and starting over. But in England there is a strong argument not to change. Now he is very good at playing football, because he is taking advantage of his very good youths (Bellingham, Then, Rice), embedded in a group of more experienced players (Walker, Stones, Shaw, Kane, Rashford, Grealish), and a technician who gained his complicity in field strategies. The players follow and support him. Marcelo Bielsa has always defended his work on what he can deliver to football players: “A coach is not better for his results or for his style or model, but for his arguments and the depth of his project.” That is what England clings to Southgateto an idea defended in the field with balance and also appreciated outside it, without cracks.

Southgate he is treading unusual territory for an England manager, heading into a fourth qualifying campaign. He was there for six and a half years and 81 games, making him the longest serving coach in the English team since Sir Bobby Robson and the second with more years in front of the ‘pross’ since then Sir Alf Ramsey. If all goes according to plan, it will exceed the number of 95 games of Robson.

There are not many examples of a coach England to regain the support of the public and the media when it starts to wane, except for what happened on his day with sir Bobby Robson, was widely criticized during the eight years he remained in office and, nevertheless, was received as a hero when England reached the semifinals of the World Cup in Italy-90. In case Southgate This gives hope as it goes against the grain of technical bets on the English team. And for his bold commitment to young people.

There you will find the champion. In the group’s way of dealing with battles, in the technical and tactical level, and in the ability to cope with difficulties. Of course with players of enormous quality like bellingham and thenand a big scorer like Harry Kanethat broke all the records in the national team against Italy, which went beyond Wayne Rooney. Favorable winds are blowing for Englandto try, once again, the title that had fought him for 57 years. Southgate and their players won many arguments, but they must insist, more than ever, after qualifying for the final stage, that saying that Johan Cruyff often repeated: ‘If you don’t win, make sure you don’t lose’ .