Fabio Capello has identified one player he believes could cost England at Euro 2024.
England head into Euro 2024 as one of the favourites to win the tournament, with Gareth Southgate's squad stacked with some of the best players around.
England's recent tournament experiences count in their favour too; after reaching the final of Euro 2020, the Three Lions were perhaps unfortunate not to get past France in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup.
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Despite that, ex-England boss Fabio Capello doesn't think England have what it takes to win their first major tournament since 1966, and he believes one player in particular will end up costing them.
The Italian coached England between 2007 and 2012, but his only major tournament was a major disappointment.
England underperformed at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, finishing second in their group behind the USA before losing the Germany in the last-16.
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Speaking at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid, Capello identified England's defence as a barrier to success, in particular goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
"I like England. Their midfielders and forwards are the best - [Jude] Bellingham, [Harry] Kane, [Bukayo] Saka," Capello said.
"The problem is defending and the keeper. At centre-back they are weak, not at the same level as the rest of the team.
"So I have my doubts about the central defenders and Pickford, the goalkeeper. Sometimes he can be good. But for a defence to be good it needs to have confidence in the keeper.
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"I have watched him in games, like the Euro 2020 Final, and after 20 minutes he just kept on kicking it long. It was as if he didn’t want the ball to be near him and just wanted it as far away as possible."
Capello suggested that England play with too much fear at tournaments.
"When they arrive at the moment to win they play with fear. It’s the fear. It’s the fear.
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"When you get to the very important trophies you miss something. That is the fear that freezes the team and it happens very often with England. It is this history of not winning. It is a monkey on their backs.
"My team was really good in the qualifying campaign and won many games but when we arrived in South Africa for the 2010 World Cup they were another team.
"They were tired because it was the end of a long season and the players had had too many games.
“Every game in England you have to be strong and fight, it is so physical. The teams have to run and run so when they arrive at a tournament they are not the same players. They are tired and then they play without confidence."
Topics: England, Football, Fabio Capello, Jordan Pickford, Euro 2024, Gareth Southgate
Alex Brotherton