Alexander-Arnold Supports Lineker's Criticism Of England's Euro 2024 Efforts
Trent Alexander-Arnold has revealed that England's players largely agreed with Gary Lineker's blunt assessment of their Euro 2024 performances. Lineker criticised England's display during a 1-1 group-stage draw with Denmark on his podcast, The Rest is Football. This drew a strong reaction from captain Harry Kane, who urged former players in the media to be more supportive of the national team.
Despite Kane's call for support, Alexander-Arnold noted that many within the squad found truth in Lineker's comments. He mentioned that some players even used the criticism as motivation to improve their performances. "We had all seen it and heard it and felt it," the Liverpool star told The Daily Mirror. "We all knew that we could be playing and performing better."
England managed to create chances worth only 6.15 expected goals (xG) across their seven games in Germany. Their average xG per game was just 0.88, which was lower than all but five teams: Scotland (0.32), Serbia (0.7), Slovenia (0.81), Albania (0.82), and Italy (0.84). Jude Bellingham’s stoppage-time overhead kick was crucial in overcoming Slovakia in the last 16.
The Three Lions needed a penalty shoot-out to advance against Switzerland in the quarter-finals and a last-minute goal from Ollie Watkins to beat the Netherlands in the semi-finals. However, their dramatic run ended with a 2-1 loss to Spain in the final, after which Gareth Southgate announced his resignation following eight years as manager.
Alexander-Arnold believes that England must aim to finally win a major tournament at the 2026 World Cup. He emphasised that the squad will give their all for Southgate's successor, stating, "Everyone has a high expectation with England now and rightly so." He added, "We feel we should be winning tournaments; that is the goal and standard we have set ourselves."
The Liverpool defender also acknowledged that while it is never pleasant to hear criticism, it often reflects what players already know internally. "It is never nice for someone to point that out but everyone deep down knew it within ourselves too," he said.
After Southgate’s departure, England faces the challenge of finding a new manager who can lead them to success. The search for his replacement has already begun, with several early favourites being discussed.
After Gareth Southgate's resignation, England must find a new manager... but who would be best suited? @DavidSegar_ analyses the early favourites, as well as some outside shouts.
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) July 16, 2024
Reflecting on their Euro 2024 journey, Alexander-Arnold highlighted how criticism can sometimes serve as a catalyst for improvement. "It was something we were already thinking about; we knew we needed to be better," he remarked.
The team’s journey through Euro 2024 was marked by narrow escapes and dramatic moments, underscoring both their potential and areas needing improvement.
The upcoming World Cup presents an opportunity for England to build on their experiences from Euro 2024 and strive for greater success under new leadership.
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