Due to the coronavirus pandemic, it has been a long wait for football fans to take in the brilliance of Euro 2020.

With a week to go until Gareth Southgate reveals his three lions squad for this year’s competition, Sheffield Wire’s sports team give their picks for the tournament.

Our reporters pounced on the chance to deliver their say on who deserves those all important seats on the plane, and as per usual, there are a few surprises in the mix.

UEFA today confirmed each nation could take 26 players, which relieved a few painful selection headaches. However, there are still plenty of huge decisions to be made.

 

Adam Stanworth

Goalkeepers – Jordan Pickford (Everton), Nick Pope (Burnley), Dean Henderson (Manchester United)

Defenders – Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Michael Keane (Everton), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), John Stones (Manchester City), Ben Godfrey (Everton), Reece James (Chelsea), Luke Shaw (Manchester United).

Midfielders – Kalvin Phillips (Leeds), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton), James Maddison (Leicester), Declan Rice (West Ham United), Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund).

Forwards – Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Dominic Calvert Lewin (Everton), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Jesse Lingard (West Ham United), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City).

Adam says: “Phil Foden simply has to start. He is one of the most talented footballers in Europe at the moment and he has been a focal point of Manchester City’s success this season. He will provide explosive pace and positive play to England’s attack and can unlock defences.”

Amos Wynn

Goalkeepers – Goalkeepers – Jordan Pickford (Everton), Dean Henderson (Manchester United), Nick Pope (Burnley).

Defenders – Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Reece James (Chelsea), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Michael Keane (Everton), Conor Coady (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea).

Midfielders – Declan Rice (West Ham United), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton), Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jesse Lingard (West Ham United), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa).

Forwards – Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Danny Ings (Southampton), Dominic Calvert Lewin (Everton) Marcus Rashford (Manchester United).

Amos says: (on Jordan Henderson) “If he can regain fitness before the end of the season, he should be a starter. Although Harry Kane will be wearing the arm band, Henderson will be the true leader of the team”. (On Grealish) “For most people he’d be a certainty; for me he just creeps in ahead of James Maddison. There is no doubt he is a talented player but I’m not sure if he as at the same level as some of the players ahead of him.”

 

Michael Jones

Goalkeepers – Jordan Pickford (Everton), Dean Henderson (Manchester United), Nick Pope (Burnley).

Defenders – Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Michael Keane (Everton), Conor Coady (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea).

Midfielders – Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Declan Rice (West Ham United), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton), Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal).

Forwards – Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Dominic Calvert Lewin (Everton), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United).

Michael says: (On the Right-Back position) “We have real depth here and this is definitely one of the benefits of having a 26-man squad, it provides a balance of offensive and defensive full backs and I think Walker deserves the starting role for the season he has had.”

 

Omar Garrick

Goalkeepers – Jordan Pickford (Everton), Nick Pope (Burnley).

Defenders – Kyle Walker (Manchester City), John Stones (Manchester City), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Conor Coady (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Manchester United).

Midfielders – Phil Foden (Manchester City), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Declan Rice (West Ham United), Jesse Lingard (West Ham United), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds United), Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool).

Forwards – Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Mason Greenwood (Manchester United).

Omar says: (On his selection of forwards) “All here have had a very good season. Ollie Watkins goes for me because if you give him more chances, he’ll score goals. He also offers something different to Harry Kane and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Greenwood goes for me because he’s been on fire in recent weeks. It looks as though he has overcome some difficult periods and seems back to his best.”

Sam Gilder

Goalkeepers – Jordan Pickford (Everton), Nick Pope (Burnley), Dean Henderson (Manchester United).

Defenders – Kyle Walker (Manchester City), John Stones (Manchester City), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Conor Coady (Wolverhampton Wanderers).

Midfielders – Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds United), Declan Rice (West Ham United), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Jesse Lingard (West Ham United).

Forwards – Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).

Sam says: “I really like the look of this young England team, including Bellingham and Phillips. Both have been instrumental for their clubs this season and I am excited to see how they link up with our attack. Ollie Watkins has been great up top for Aston Villa this year and I think he deserves a spot.”

 

Tom Hardwick

Goalkeepers – Dean Henderson (Manchester United), Nick Pope (Burnley), Jordan Pickford (Everton).

Defenders – John Stones (Manchester City), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Conor Coady (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Ben Godfrey (Everton).

Midfielders – Declan Rice (West Ham United), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds United), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Mason Mount (Chelsea).

Forwards – Harry Kane (Tottenham), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Danny Ings (Southampton).

Tom says: “There’s no place for Patrick Bamford or Ollie Watkins among the attacking options in this squad. Danny Ings has shown his class again this campaign, with a respectable return of 10 goals for a stuttering Southampton side. The high-pressure environment of international football calls for big-game players, and with Ings boasting more top-flight experience than both Watkins and Bamford combined, he deserves the final place among England’s forward players.”