Gareth Southgate: 6/10. England got to the final but they rode their luck to get there. Southgate was bailed out by good players seizing their moments to rescue England. He didn’t demand a better tempo, more conviction, attacking more. Spain did. He stumbled on his right midfield, eventually settling on Kobbie Mainoo as Declan Rice’s partner after using Conor Gallagher, who is not elite level, after the Trent Alexander-Arnold experiment was abandoned. He will have seen close up how fit Harry Kane was – or otherwise - and persisted too long. At the very least, Kane should have come off at half-time. Southgate was rightly praised for his subs against the Dutch. Southgate was not bold enough, not proactive enough. The criticism was hardly excessive of his England side, and focused on the football elements, the lack of balance etc, but the criticism by Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer hurt. But enough of sideways football. Enough of a good midfielder being made to pass back to his keeper from the kick-off. Southgate’s proud, patriotic and deserves to go with the nation’s respect. He cared
Jordan Pickford: 8/10. Definitely enhanced his reputation. Everton’s keeper was not properly appreciated before the Euros. He is now. Some vital saves as in denying Virgil van Dijk late on against the Dutch, and psyching out Switzerland’s Manuel Akanji during the penalty shootout. He was also up for taking a penalty against the Swiss. Delivered consistently throughout. Could do little with the goals he conceded. Having watched his training sessions, I can vouch for his unbelievable commitment, throwing himself around, making saves for an hour or more in the searing sun (along with the similarly focused Aaron Ramsdale and Dean Henderson).
Kyle Walker: 5/10. Time to retire from England. The pace is still there, and no English player ran quicker than his 22mph, but the 34-year-old got caught out for Spain’s goals. Liverpool fans immediately highlighted the questions that would be thrown at Trent Alexander-Arnold should he had made those errors. Walker has played 61 times this season and it looked like some of the season had caught up with him. What a servant he has been for England. What a competitor. Time for Ben White’s return should Southgate go?
John Stones: 6/10. Great to see the centre-back enjoying seven consecutive starts after a difficult season. Enjoyed some good moments, especially in the duel with Wout Weghorst, and stepped into midfield promisingly but then became frustrated by the lack of movement around him.
Marc Guehi: 8/10. Failed to go with his runner for Spain’s second but otherwise enjoyed an outstanding tournament, definitely England’s best outfield player. Crystal Palace may have a job to hold on to such a talent, who has had such a good Euros. He would get into any defence in the Premier League. Looking to the future with England, Guehi and Ezri Konsa could form the central defence with some pressure exerted by Jarrad Branthwaite and Levi Colwill.
Kieran Trippier: 6/10. Wholehearted but how much did he really contribute? A right-footed left-back. Other teams had better balance. It’s not Trippier’s fault, he gives everything, but England were vulnerable down their left.
Luke Shaw: 7/10. Suffered a setback to his hamstring problem early in the tournament, meaning he was available to start only for the final, but what a performance he still produced across the 90 minutes. Whether he was running on adrenalin or fumes by the end, Shaw delivered a remarkable performance for one who had not started a game since February 18. Let’s hope he stays fit because Shaw is elite level, defensively and going forward.
Declan Rice: 6/10. Still needs to learn how to play on the half-turn, giving an extra dimension to his already considerable game. Nobody worked harder and ran more for England. Also impressed with his remarkable press conference, the longest of any of England’s players at Schloss Blankenhain. What came over during that 40-minute session was his knowledge of the game, of other teams and also his hunger to learn. Future England Captain.
Kobbie Mainoo: 8/10. What a tournament the Manchester United midfielder had. If only Southgate had believed in him earlier. Defended well, attacked promisingly. His Futsal background ensured that he was comfortable in tight situations, not only with his technique to retain possession but with his judicious decision-making. England’s future.
Bukayo Saka: 7/10. When Saka was running at the opposition left-back, the heart lifted, the hopes lifted. This is what England needed more of, a player willing to express himself, to play with a smile and also with a huge desire to elude his marker. Met his match in the dogged, annoying, clever, persistent Marc Cucurella in the final.
Phil Foden: 7/10. He is the Footballer of the Year. He is a wonderful talent used so successfully by Pep Guardiola at Manchester City but not by Southgate. Foden’s ability to create was complicated by Harry Kane dropping into the No 10 role. Showed against the Swiss and the Dutch what he could do but, like England, it was mainly in flashes.
Jude Bellingham: 6/10. La Liga’s finest reduced, at times, to a support act for England in Germany. Bellingham’s worth more than this. He’s a generational talent, his gifts so well used by Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid. England should be building around him. Whoever succeeds Southgate has a call to make on whether Bellingham and Foden can play in the same team. Both are magnificent footballers but England’s focus gets blurred with this double vision.
Harry Kane: 4/10. Disappointing. He still finished joint top of the finishers’ charts but another year slips by without a trophy. He looked tired, lacking his usual snap and determination to close down keepers and defenders. Only Kane, Southgate and the England and Bayern Munich medical staff will know how fit he was but Southgate should have hooked him earlier, certainly at half-time against Spain. Kane now needs pace around him, as at Bayern, and there was no service from out wide.
Ollie Watkins: 8/10. Seized his moment when called upon.
Cole Palmer: 8/10. Should have played more. Always a threat.
Ivan Toney: 7/10. Helped dragged England back into it against Slovakia. Nerveless, no-look pen against the Swiss.
Anthony Gordon: 7/10. Needed longer. That pace down the left was needed more.
Conor Gallagher: 5/10. Hard-working, good presser, but limited creatively.
Eberiche Eze: 6/10. Brought some dribbling skills.
Ezri Konsa: 7/10. Filled in admirably for the suspended Guehi. Can expect more caps.
Trent Alexander-Arnold: 6/10. Will always the memory of that pen.
Jarrod Bowen: 6/10. Brief, promising run-out.
I’ve changed my mind about Pickford. I thought he had a good tournament. Rice was a big disappointment, expected so much more and he gave the ball away too many times last night. Stones, was as reliable as ever. Kane is obviously injured and much like Pochettino played him in the CL final when not fit, he should have said to Southgate to bench him prior to the final. Second half, as soon as Rodri was replaced and Saka pushed further upfield we were exposed on the left where both goals came from. Southgate is a decent person and man manager but he’s not the finest tactician and I felt he made the easy choices with Kane and not using Gordon and Cole more. Time to give someone else a go. Eddie Howe.
Excellent column and thanks for the superb writing and posts during the tournament. Best team win and it’s time for Southgate to move on. I am surprised you only gave Bellingham a 6 and Foden a 7 considering Jude got two goals including a massive one against Slovakia. Foden didn’t score any. I can’t understand why Gareth changed to a back four for the final after doing better with the 3. Bellingham is not a wide left player ticked in. I thought Walker was dreadful all tournament. People talk about his pace to much. Had a very average season at City to. Trent is the answer at right back now. White hopefully comes back to.