Carragher Analyzes England's Euro 2024 Final Defeat, Focuses On Player Performance

Jamie Carragher has defended Gareth Southgate following England's Euro 2024 final loss, attributing the defeat to the players' inability to perform under pressure. Spain secured a 2-1 victory in Berlin, with Mikel Oyarzabal netting the decisive goal after Cole Palmer equalised Nico Williams' opener.

The Three Lions struggled to control the game, managing only 34.9% possession while Spain amassed 1.77 expected goals (xG) compared to England's 0.55. This lack of control was reminiscent of past failures under Southgate, such as the 2018 World Cup semi-final against Croatia and the Euro 2020 final against Italy.

England lost possession 98 times and completed just 66.5% of their passes in Spain's half. Among the starters, only Luke Shaw and Bukayo Saka managed to complete over 90% of their passes.

Despite criticism directed at Southgate, Carragher insisted that the blame lies with the players. He wrote on X: "Sven [Goran Eriksson] played 4-4-2, Fabio [Capello] was too strict, Gareth is too defensive! Funny how it's always on the manager isn't it? The fact is our big players didn't turn up in this tournament."

Carragher continued: "I have no relationship at all with Southgate. I feel he has been cautious from the bench throughout his time, but in this tournament, the substitutes have been great."

Player Performance Analysis

Jude Bellingham assisted Palmer's equaliser but had a pass completion rate of just 67.7%, with only Jordan Pickford (55.6%) performing worse among all starters. Captain Harry Kane also struggled, failing to register a single touch in Spain's area before being substituted for Ollie Watkins midway through the second half.

Kane's performance across both Euro finals was underwhelming; he had just one touch in the opposition area over two finals, one fewer than Jack Grealish managed in his brief appearance during the Euro 2020 final.

Historical Context and Player Accountability

Carragher questioned whether this team is any better than those from previous years like 1996, 1998 or 2004. He argued that international football relies more on player performance than managerial tactics: "International football is not littered with top managers; it's about the players."

He added: "Ours froze in that first half, allowing the keeper to go long [and] not demanding the ball [and] showing for it." This highlights a recurring issue where England’s key players fail to deliver during crucial moments.

This latest defeat adds another chapter to England’s history of near-misses in major tournaments. The focus now shifts to how both Southgate and his squad will respond moving forward.