After a thrilling 4-0 victory over Ukraine, our England player ratings are in after Gareth Southgate's team advanced to the Euro 2020 semi-finals.
The nature of England's performance against Ukraine will live long in the memory of England fans. If the win over Germany in the last round was historic for ending such a dreadful run against a far more successful old rival, the nature of the performance against Ukraine will live long in the memory of England fans.
DON'T MISS:
It feels weird to see England win such a crucial match so comfortably and convincingly, and it's difficult to find fault with any of the players following their performance at the Stadio Olimpico.
Continue reading for a complete list of our England player rankings. Spoiler alert: it's all about the high scores!
Jordan Pickford (number eight) – Another shutout! Yes, Jordan Pickford has a great defense in front of him, and this was not the most difficult game, but he deserves a lot of respect for the way he elevates his game when he puts on an England shirt. After his form for Everton last season, many would have questioned his place in the starting lineup, but he's been rock solid and has absolutely vindicated his starting spot.
DON'T MISS:
Kyle Walker (7) – A possible weak link in the side at points, particularly in the first half as Ukraine had some joy on his side, but recovered well and showed why he continues to earn Southgate’s trust. There might be some sense in switching back to a back three against Denmark, however, allowing Walker to play centrally and bringing in Kieran Trippier to give England more going forward.
Luke Shaw (9) – What a performance from the Manchester United star, who looked positively embarrassed to be told after the game that he now had more assists at the European Championships than Zinedine Zidane ever managed. He also didn’t put a foot wrong defensively and his work rate seems endless. All at the home ground of new Roma manager Jose Mourinho too.
Harry Maguire (9) – Another great performance in central defense, and a big goal just after halftime as well to ensure this was the comfortable victory it should’ve been. As ever, his passing out from the back was hugely important for England, and some Man Utd fans may well be wishing he looked quite this good when representing the Red Devils.
John Stones (8) – Quietly brilliant, doing his job and making it look easy. This guy really hasn’t put a foot wrong in this tournament so far and is a big part of why England hasn’t conceded a single goal yet.
Declan Rice (8) – What a player Declan Rice is becoming. He seems to mature with every game for England, and it’s just going to get harder and harder for West Ham to keep hold of him for much longer if he can continue to boss these big games.
Kalvin Phillips (8) – Jordan Henderson may have come off the bench and scored, but it’s still hard to see Kalvin Phillips losing his place in this England side. The Leeds United midfielder looks so comfortable at either end of the pitch and just seems to have a way of making this team tick.
Mason Mount (7) – One of the slightly quieter performers, particularly at first, but Mason Mount grew into the game and it was his well-taken corner that gave Henderson his first England goal in the second half.
Jadon Sancho (8) – England fans finally got to see why there’s so much fuss about Jadon Sancho. Bundesliga viewers will know all about this guy, but he’s yet to really get going at the international level. Now a Manchester United player, maybe Sancho is about to become more of a household name. He certainly took his chance tonight, showing great skill and ability on the ball, whilst being unlucky not to score with a good chance he fashioned almost by himself in the first half.
Raheem Sterling (9) – Right now, this guy is possibly heading for being a player in the tournament. Raheem Sterling was once again superb for England, providing Harry Kane with a beautiful assist to get England going with an early goal. No goal for him this time, but Sterling is a big presence in this team and it’s exciting to see him play with such confidence after what was a slightly below-par season for him at Manchester City.
Harry Kane (9) – Two well-taken goals, and it’s pretty clear that Harry Kane is back in business. It’s hard to believe there were some people calling for the Tottenham man to be dropped, but those voices have gone very quiet now. Opposition teams should be very afraid that Kane now looks confident and back to his best, as we all know how prolific he can be when he gets on a run in the Premier League.
Subs:
Jordan Henderson (7)
Kieran Trippier (6)
Marcus Rashford (6)
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (6)
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