Harry Kane underperformed at the Euros and he's not the only high-profile player who might struggle to make the next major tournament
England's Euros dream died on Sunday, with Gareth Southgate's side suffering a second consecutive final defeat, this time losing 2-1 to Spain in Berlin. Consequently, the nation's agonising wait for a major title will drag on for at least another two years.
However, while it will take some time for England to come to terms with this latest heartbreak, will devastation soon give way to optimism? After all, the Three Lions managed to make it another tournament-decider without playing particularly well, meaning there remains the tantalising prospect of this relatively young squad peaking at the next World Cup – especially if they hire a more progressive manager to replace the outgoing Southgate.
So, which youngsters could be even better placed to end England's 60 years of hurt in 2026? And which veterans are likely to be moved on in the interim? Below, GOAL names its likely England squad for the next World Cup, provided they qualify of course…
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Jordan Pickford is one of the few England players that can say he had a decent Euros, with the penalty save against Switzerland the undoubted highlight of his tournament. His propensity for knocking the ball long to nobody in particular is one of the main reasons why he's not considered world-class, but he proved in Germany that he remains the best goalkeeper available to the Three Lions. Consequently, he should still be wearing the No.1 shirt in two years' time.
Aaron Ramsdale needs to leave Arsenal and secure regular first-team football if he's to challenge for a starting spot while it would not be a surprise to see the 21-year-old James Trafford usurp Dean Henderson as England's third-choice by 2026.
Sam Johnstone's time has likely passed but Nick Pope might come back into the equation if he gets back to his best after returning from injury.
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Moving Trent Alexander-Arnold into midfield did not pay off in Germany, meaning it's highly likely that the Liverpool man will go back to being classed as a right-back first and foremost, particularly as neither Kyle Walker (34) nor Kieran Trippier (33) look like they have another major international tournament in them.
Luke Shaw should be fine, though, as long he can stay fit over the course of the next couple of seasons. The versatile Manchester United defender turned 29 last week but is a cut above most of his rivals for the left-back berth, even though Chelsea's Ben Chilwell could re-establish himself as a decent alternative after being overlooked for the Euros.
It will also be worth keeping an eye on Newcastle's Lewis Hall and Manchester City's Rico Lewis, both of whom are only 19, with the latter looking particularly promising. Indeed, the City academy product has already made his England debut and has shown enough during his fledgling club career to suggest that he could become a big player for his country in the future, whether that's at right-back or as a defensive midfielder.
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Harry Maguire's injury-enforced withdrawal from the Euros squad was considered a major blow at the time but, in truth, the 31-year-old wasn't missed, with Marc Guehi excelling in Germany. Indeed, the Crystal Palace defender was easily one of England's most reliable performers and is likely to start the Nations League campaign as the preferred partner of John Stones, who may be just one year older than Maguire but once again proved himself a class act during England's run to the final.
Elsewhere, Ezri Konsa did well when called upon in the quarter-final clash with Switzerland, but Lewis Dunk is likely to be ditched after the Euros, while Joe Gomez's place in the squad could come under serious threat, too – and not just from his Liverpool team-mate Jarell Quansah, but also Jarrad Branthwaite and Levi Colwill.
Branthwaite is tipped for great things and could take his game to a whole other level if, as expected, he moves on from Everton, but Quansah and Colwill will also be very optimistic about their international prospects, given both are capable of playing at full-back too.
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Thanks to the emergence of youngsters Kobbie Mainoo (19) and Adam Wharton (20) over the second half of last season, England's midfield should remain pretty settled for the foreseeable future. After all, Jude Bellingham is just 21 himself, while Declan Rice is still only 25.
The 24-year-old Conor Gallagher should also continue to progress in the coming years (particularly if he leaves chaos club Chelsea!) and Curtis Jones could be considered if he ever manages to stay fit for a sustained period of time.
During the Euros, Southgate lamented Kalvin Phillips' decline since Euro 2020 but his time at the top is obviously over, and although James Maddison definitely has the talent to force his way back into the squad, his cause is not aided by the fact that England are well-stocked when it comes to attacking midfielders.
However, Harvey Elliott has a decent shot at inclusion if he maintains the kind of form he produced during the final stages of Liverpool's 2023-24 campaign, while Archie Gray is another incredibly exciting prospect. The 18-year-old midfielder, who can also play at right-back, has just joined Spurs from Leeds United and has long been considered a future England international – even though his dad Andy and grandfather Frank both played for Scotland.
