Although England hasn’t impressed at Euro 2024 so far, the Three Lions did make it to the round of 16 by winning Group C. They will play Slovakia, the 45th-ranked team in the world, on Sunday in what might be an advantageous path through the knockout stages.
Is the domestic perception of England overly negative? Do we have high expectations for Gareth Southgate’s team? Are we seeing too much criticism in the media?
Cesc Fabregas, the winner of two European Championships and the World Cup, claims that the Spanish press is even harder on their national team.
“The English media is not that tough with the players,” he stated. “The contrary is true. We are far more critical in Spain.”
It raises the question: What is England’s standing in the rest of Europe?
The Spanish media is all really disappointed. We elevated England to the status of one of the contenders because we like the people in it, we like Southgate, and we saw promise and success with the clubs.
Seeking explanations has been the response. Our experiences are similar to those of the English press, but we draw slightly different conclusions.