England – No. 10 in FIFA World Rankings
Team Strengths:
There’s a reason England were the only side to finish qualifying with a 100 percent record – 10 wins out of 10 – with 31 goals scored and just three conceded (the second-fewest in Europe). Under manager Roy Hodgson, the English are much more tactically savvy and defensively solid.
Hodgson will likely bring a very youthful squad to France, with the young Tottenham tandem of Harry Kane (+2,400 to win the Golden Boot as the tournament’s top scorer) and Dele Alli tasked to provide some much-needed quality in attack.
Thanks to a favorable draw, the Three Lions are big -110 favorites to emerge as Group B winners.
Team Weaknesses:
Captain Wayne Rooney has been a shadow of his old world-beating best in recent seasons, and may even be actively hurting the team by continuing to start ahead of younger, more mobile forwards.
But despite these shortcomings, England are still priced at +800 to end their 50-year major international title drought at the Euros.
Team Stats (During Euro Qualifiers):
| Category | Stat |
|---|---|
| Goals Scored Per Game | 3.1 |
| Goals Conceded Per Game | 0.3 |
| Goal Attempts Per Game | 19.4 |
| Pass Completion Percentage | 89% |
| Ball Possession Percentage | 60% |
Starting Lineup:
| Position | Name (Age) | Career Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goalie | Joe Hart (29) | 57 | 0 |
| Defender | Nathaniel Clyne (25) | 11 | 0 |
| Defender | Gary Cahill (30) | 41 | 3 |
| Defender | Chris Smalling (26) | 23 | 0 |
| Defender | Danny Rose (25) | 2 | 0 |
| Midfielder | Eric Dier (22) | 4 | 1 |
| Midfielder | James Milner (30) | 58 | 1 |
| Midfielder | Adam Lallana (28) | 21 | 0 |
| Midfielder | Wayne Rooney (30) | 109 | 51 |
| Midfielder | Dele Alli (20) | 6 | 1 |
| Forward | Harry Kane (22) | 10 | 4 |
Writer’s Prediction
England win Group B, but fall short once again in the quarterfinal stage.
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