- The Three Lions defeated the Netherlands 2-1 to reach the final this weekend
- Alan Shearer praised several players before picking his best player
- Listen to It’s all about to begin! EUROS DAILY: Why you should believe England can beat Spain in the final
Alan Shearer has named Bukayo Saka as England’s best player for Euro 2024, praising the forward for being a “breath of fresh air”.
Saka caught the eye this summer, scoring one goal and assisting one assist on the Three Lions’ rollercoaster ride to the final against Spain on Sunday.
The striker found the net in the won quarter-final against Switzerland. With his beautiful, curled shot he ensured the equalizer and extra time. He also seemed to have scored his goal against the Netherlands, but his strike was disallowed.
He is expected to retain his place in Gareth Southgate’s starting line-up in Berlin, and Shearer also named him as the favourite when asked to pick England’s best player.
“If you look at who the best players in England are, you have to name a few,” Shearer said Betfair. ‘Saka has been fantastic, Kobbie Mainoo too. Everything about him, he has that aura, nothing seems to bother him.
Alan Shearer has named Bukayo Saka as his pick for England’s best player at Euro 2024
Saka (left) has caught the eye this summer, scoring one goal and also providing an assist
‘We all thought the English defence would be a weak point, but it wasn’t. Marc Guehi played a very good tournament together with John Stones.
‘Jordan Pickford also deserves a mention, not just for his penalty saves but because he has made some great saves in big games.
‘I have to say that Bukayo Saka is my player of the tournament. He has had a great tournament, he is a breath of fresh air and everyone loves him.
‘Let’s hope he has another magical moment on Sunday.’
Shortly after the final whistle on Wednesday, Arsenal player Saka shared a short 11-word message on social media to mobilise his supporters.
Shearer praised the winger as a ‘breath of fresh air’ and said he was ‘amazing’
Saka issued a short 11-word statement to mobilize supporters after the win against the Netherlands
Gareth Southgate said it would be impossible for him to make a decision about his future at this time
“This team! Book your flights people… we’re in the final!” he wrote on Instagram.
Southgate, meanwhile, has insisted it is impossible for him to make a “logical” decision about his England future so close to the final.
His contract expires in December and he had indicated before the tournament that he would step down if he did not lead his team to victory.
When asked how difficult it would be for him to leave if the Three Lions won their first men’s trophy since 1966, Southgate told Sky News: ‘Nothing is so difficult.
‘But emotionally it is impossible for me to make a logical decision because for the last two years I have only focused on winning this tournament.
‘The last five, six weeks have been a real rollercoaster, so I don’t know where I am now, other than I’m focused on preparing the team for this game and determined to continue to lead them in the way we have done over the last month.’