England can do really well with Harry Kane at the helm, admits Rio Ferdinand
England legend Rio Ferdinand believes Harry Kane and Jordan Pickford are going to be key to England’s chances of success at the UEFA Euro 2020. Gareth Southgate’s side will open their tournament with a game against Croatia on Sunday, the team they lost to in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup.
Boasting one of the best-talented squads in the tournament as well as one of the potential favourites to lift the trophy after France, many believe it’s time for England to shine and claim their first ever Euro trophy. The Three Lions have never managed to win the tournament with them never even reaching the finals in their storied history but many expected that to change this summer with Gareth Southgate at the helm.
Not only that with a batch of insanely talented young players in their ranks, the hope is that England can have a successful campaign with a near perfect blend of youth and experience helping their cause. It saw Rio Ferdinand admit that players like Harry Kane and Jordan Pickford can guide the young team to potential glory alongside the likes of Jude Bellingham and Jack Grealish who have had exciting seasons with their respective clubs.
"I think Kane, your talisman, your captain, you need him fit and firing. If he’s fit and firing England have a chance to do really good things. I was with Thierry earlier and he brought up a very good point that you need a very good goalkeeper.. I think Pickford proved in the last tournament that he likes the big occasion in an England shirt and if he can hit that type of form again then I think England have a chance," Ferdinand said, reported by Goal.
"From England the wide players that we’ve got, there's probably five or six that could get picked and you’d be delighted if any of them got in. If Bellingham gets time you want to see that. I like young players and seeing young players get opportunities. "Obviously Mbappe, you want to see him flying at a tournament like this, you want Ronaldo to go out on a high, he could provide us with some great moments. But I’d like to see someone like Joao Felix do well.
"I like the young ones, I was there when Michael Owen burst onto the scene and I saw what it did, not only for him but for football in general and you love to see it," he added.