Raheem Sterling won the penalty and, albeit after Kasper Schmeichel saved his initial effort, Harry Kane scored from it. It cemented their status as the two faces of England’s charge to a first final in 55 years.
Kane may yet lift the European Championship trophy and win the Golden Boot, though a brace could see Sterling claim that instead. One more assist would make Luke Shaw officially the most creative player in Euro 2020. Meanwhile, Jordan Pickford’s five clean sheets mean he is already guaranteed the Golden Glove, regardless of what happens in Sunday’s final against Italy.
And yet England’s best tournament since 1966 is a triumph of the collective. There have been influential bit-part roles for players as different as Jack Grealish and Kieran Trippier, but their surge has been built on solidity. And that, in turn, comes from the five men who constitute the core of the team. Gareth Southgate’s relatively unsung heroes are Declan Rice, Kalvin Phillips, Kyle Walker, John Stones and Harry Maguire.
They are reasons why England have the best defensive record in the tournament and why only Germany, who have played 210 minutes fewer, have allowed fewer shots on target. They have kept Pickford well protected.
Rice and Phillips have been key
Arguably, their defensive efforts have started in the midfield. England have applied the most pressures (937) in the tournament, four ahead of Italy; they have made the most (474) in the middle third of the pitch, which is where they tend to try and win the ball back.
In particular, it shows the importance of the workaholic Phillips, whose 172 pressures are 60 more than third-placed Jorginho (Konrad Laimer’s 151 in four games for Austria is also remarkable). In the middle third, Phillips, with 115, is 44 clear of Laimer. The all-action Phillips has run 67.3km, behind only Pedri and Jorginho, who have both played more minutes.
Phillips is also England’s leading tackler, with seven won. He has been the interrupter, the disrupter. His three seasons playing for Marcelo Bielsa, whose Leeds invariably outrun their opponents, has equipped him to hassle and harry for his country.
Others show England’s blend of physical power and skill. Sterling has made the most dribbles in the tournament. His combination of pace and stamina means is the only player with a top speed of over 33kph to have run over 50km; but, in a very different role, Walker is close in both categories, at 32.8 and 48.0 respectively. Walker’s speed is a major reason why he has recovered more balls (37) than any other England player.
The strict division of responsibilities between the full-backs is shown by their attacking numbers. Shaw has put in 14 crosses to Walker’s two, but Walker and Rice share the lead in the team for the most interceptions, with 16.
In the midfield, too, there is a difference between the more constructive and defensive presences. Only six players in the tournament have completed more crosses than Shaw and Mason Mount, who are both on eight. Mount, with seven, has the joint most dead-ball passes that have led to a shot.
But England’s games have been relatively low on drama. Their six matches have produced 11 goals and a total xG of 11.0, the lowest per match of any team’s. Likewise, their xGA (3.4) is the lowest per game of any country’s.
That is partly the consequence of defending, and England’s total of 120 clearances is topped only by Sweden and the Czech Republic. Stones’ 24 are the most by any of Southgate’s players, while he has blocked seven shots; only the Czech Tomas Kalas (eight) has stopped more.
But England have only recovered the ball once more than the Czechs (222-221), who went out in the last 16, which is partly a consequence of how well they have kept it. In turn, that reflects on the quintet of solid citizens. England’s pass completion rate is the sixth best at 87.5 percent. It is a dramatic rise on Euro 2012 (80.6).
Stones and Maguire crucial in possession
If Spain dominate all the possession statistics, Stones has completed the sixth most passes, behind five Spaniards. His 95.5 percent pass completion rate puts him sixth among those who have made 100 passes. His 87.5 percent pass completion rate for long balls – defined as being over 30 yards – is the best of anyone who has managed at least 70.
In fewer minutes, Maguire ranks seventh, with four Spaniards ahead of him, for moving the ball forwards with his passing, at 906 yards. England’s ability to keep the ball at the back is a reason why they have allowed so few chances against them. Maguire has a 92.4 percent completion rate, Walker one of 88.4. In front of them, Rice (93.4) and Phillips (87.6) have similar figures.
A reason why England have not lost any games is that they have rarely lost the ball. They have only been behind for nine minutes but they have been level for 333. They have only been ahead by at least two goals for 44, so with games in the balance, they have had to be diligent. And that is what Southgate’s sturdy five have been.
