Euro 2024: 'Harry Maguire will be a big miss but England have an amazing squad,' Patrice Evra on Three Lions' chances

Despite boasting of a talented squad in most of the major international tournaments in the recent past, the England football team have always come either heartbreakingly short or performed below expectations. Be it their loss to Italy in the final of Euro 2020 at Wembley, or their narrow 1-2 defeat to France in the 2022 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals, things have not gone well for the Three Lions at the latter part of big tournaments, especially when it comes to handling pressure.

There were reports that Gareth Southgate could quit as England manager if they fail to win the upcoming European Championships, but former France international Patrice Evra believes that his job was always on the line. Evra added that while England look formidable during qualification, the tournament proper is where their struggles begin.

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“I think Gareth Southgate’s job is always beyond the line. This is the manager of England. And for me, he’s doing a great job. We can see in all the past competitions how he did,” said Evra, an expert on Sony Sports Network for the Euro 2024, to select media.

“He even helped England reach the final against Italy. But you know England have amazing players, an amazing squad. My only worry is sometimes, you know, they’re doing very well in the qualification game. Then after, when the competition starts, sometimes the pressure becomes difficult to handle,” he added.

England, who have been placed in Group C alongside Denmark, Serbia and Slovenia, boast of a tremendous midfield that consists of Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Eberechi Eze. The inclusion of Declan Rice, Cole Palmer and Kobbie Mainoo adds versatility to that midfield and while Evra says Bellingham is a certainty, Southgate will be spoilt for choice when it comes to picking his other midfielders.

“England have a great midfield. I love Jude Bellingham. There are so many players now. It will be for Southgate to see who should start.”

The 43 year-old feels Harry Maguire would be a big miss for England . The centre-back missed Manchester United’s FA Cup final win over rivals City in May with a muscle injury that has kept him out of the Euros as well.

“But I think, and I’ll be honest and not because as a United legend, Harry Maguire will be a big miss for England. You can mark my words. I think people sometimes are confused. He has had not some good performance when he was playing with Man United.”

“He (Maguire) has had not some good performances when he was playing with Man United. And I know his exclusion is related to an injury. But it will be difficult for Maguire to understand that when Luke Shaw also still on the squad despite nursing an injury. As for players like Jack Grealish, they can make the difference. We can talk also about Marcus Rashford. But when the manager picks his team, everyone has to be behind him. And we don’t know the inside story around the injury or whatever. But I’m convinced that England will miss Maguire,” added Evra.

The former Manchester United player backed Bukayo Saka to shine, three years after his fateful penalty miss in the Euro 2020 final that cost England the trophy. “I think Saka needs to show himself on the biggest stage. We could not see much of him at the UEFA Champions League. This is a good moment to shine. He loves those one-on-one challenges. I don’t like to compare him with players (When asked about Phil Foden), but I am waiting for him to perform at the highest level.

“Biggest challenge for France is France themselves”

Former champions France find themselves in a tough group consisting of Netherlands, Austria and Poland, and Evra feels that France are their own biggest challenge at the Euros. “I think for me and it’s not because I’m French. France are the favourites. Because when you look at every squad in this tournament, is no one of a better squad than France. France have like two, three players in each position.

“It’s just amazing. And they can put any team, they will still be a strong side. But like I said, the biggest challenge for France is them to be not confident and not to be too arrogant. And the problem, this is inside our DNA.

“Sometimes we are too good and we think things are going to be easy. And that’s when we will have to be humble and respecting the team. But, you know, Germany also are the host. We people don’t want to talk about Germany, but you can see in the history, when you are the host of the competition, normally you always do well, or you win it, or you reach the final at least,” added the ex left-back.

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Evra further commented that England, Spain and Netherlands were formidable sides but stuck with Les Bleus as favourites due to a “no surprise” element. France last won the Euros in 2000, when they beat Italy in the final. “And then you got also England. You got also England. I think everyone expect England to do a great tournament because like France, they have like so many quality players. And you got also Spain coming back, also strong. You got Netherlands. So you got, like, many teams. Many teams.”

“But if you ask me, the favourite, the one I think people won’t be surprised if they win is France. You know, I think it’s the only team people won’t be surprised if they win the tournament,” opined the Senegal-born former athlete.

Watch UEFA EURO 2024 from 15th June 2024, 12:30 AM IST onwards, LIVE on Sony Sports Ten 2 SD & HD, Sony Sports Ten 3 SD & HD (Hindi), Sony Sports Ten 4 SD & HD (Tamil / Telugu), Sony Sports Ten 5 SD & HD (Malayalam / Bengali).