World Cup 2018: 5 Top Performers for England
Who would have thought it? Less was expected of this England team than any other at a World Cup. A quarterfinal was seen as a success in the lead up to the tournament, but England are now just one game away from their first World Cup final since 1966, and the nation believes.
England didn’t have the toughest task getting through the group stage but needed a late winner from captain Harry Kane to beat Tunisia in their opener, before the skipper’s hat-trick inspired them to a 6-1 in over Panama to secure qualification to the round of 16.
The third game saw England rest eight players to play Belgium and losing 1-0. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the Three Lions, because it meant they ended up in the weaker half in the draw, with, in terms of favourites, just Spain for company.
England finally broke their World Cup penalty shootout hoodoo against Colombia in the round of 16. Jordan Pickford was the hero, saving from Carlos Bacca before Eric Dier stepped up to score the winner.
They put in their most complete performance yet against Sweden, as they played their first quarter-final for 12 years. In the end, they came out comfortable 2-0 winners and set up a semi-final clash with Croatia.
The country has got behind the team, the likes of which we haven’t seen in England since 1996. Gareth Southgate has helped the team form a bond with the supporters, and now there is a real belief that football is coming home.
Here are the five best players from England’s campaign in Russia so far:
#5 Jordan Henderson
Henderson has received criticism for most of his England career. It has often been said that he isn’t progressive enough, he passes sideways, and doesn’t bring enough to this team. At times, this has been right. He hasn’t always been the right man in this England midfield, but that was in a system that included two defensive midfielders, and he would often play alongside Eric Dier in a quite defensive formation.
This tournament though, he has been on his own at the base of the midfield, and he has played a key role in the side. He has kept it simple when they have needed to keep it simple, and he has gone for the balls over the top when they are needed as well. It all could have been very different. Had Jordan Pickford not come to his rescue in the penalty shootout against Colombia, he probably would have been remembered as a villain for his penalty miss.