England will strive to go one better than 2018 and reach the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar, where Gareth Southgate could again afford some Three Lions stars’ their debuts at a finals.
Southgate led England to the semi-finals in Russia four years ago, but lost 2-1 to Croatia in extra-time. Their path to the penultimate round also included winning a penalty shootout in a World Cup finals for the first time in history by beating Colombia 4-3 during the last 16.
Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Kieran Trippier and Eric Dier hit home from 12-yards for the Three Lions against Los Cafeteros. Jordan Henderson also took his nation’s third spot-kick but David Ospina was a match for the Liverpool captain, saving at his bottom right corner.
Henderson was one of just five England players with prior experience of a World Cup finals before flying to Russia. The 69-cap star featured twice at the 2014 finals. Gary Cahill, Phil Jones, Danny Welbeck and Raheem Sterling also played in the Brazil and Russia events.
Who was in England’s World Cup squad in 2018?
Southgate named 23 men in the England squad that reached the World Cup semi-finals in Russia. He called on a blend of experienced international pros and a handful who were yet to represent their country. Here is the full 23-man squad list England used four years ago:
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Jack Butland, Nick Pope
Defenders: Kyle Walker, Harry Maguire, Kieran Trippier, Gary Cahill, Eric Dier, John Stones, Danny Rose, Phil Jones, Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Midfielders: Jordan Henderson, Jesse Lingard, Fabian Delph, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Dele Alli, Ashley Young.
Attackers: Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Jamie Vardy, Danny Welbeck, Marcus Rashford.
Which England stars made their World Cup finals debuts in 2018?
Of the 18 England players without prior experience of a World Cup finals, 16 would feature in Russia under Southgate. The only members of the Three Lions side who did not play any minutes during the tournament were the backup goalkeepers, Nick Pope and Jack Butland.
Pope and Butland spent each of England’s seven ties on the bench, with Jordan Pickford starting all of the ties. The 43-cap shot-stopper had only made his international debut the previous November in a friendly with Germany, and remains their number one to this day.
England’s goalless draw with Die Mannschaft in 2017 was just one of Pickford’s three prior international games entering the 2018 World Cup. He also played against the Netherlands and Nigeria during friendlies in the run-up to the tournament in Russia ahead of Joe Hart.
John Stones – 7 apps, 7 starts at Russia 2018 World Cup
Alongside Pickford, John Stones was the only other England player Southgate started in all seven fixtures in Russia who had no previous World Cup finals experience before 2018. The centre-half had missed out on the 2014 tournament in Brazil after making the standby list.
Stones offered two goals during a group stage win over Panama as the Three Lions finished fourth in Russia. The £47.5m Manchester City ace has since gone on to amass 55-caps for his country, after the 27-year-old regained his place as a mainstay ahead of Euro 2020.
Harry Maguire – 7 apps, 6 starts at Russia 2018 World Cup
Harry Maguire made his World Cup finals debut in 2018 and played in all of England’s ties, but started six. Southgate initially rested the Manchester United captain in the third group stage match against Belgium, before introducing him at half-time to give Stones some rest.
The £80m defender scored once and assisted once in Russia and has since taken his tally to seven goals. He has also featured in all but one of Southgate’s squads since the World Cup in 2018 when fit. Maguire sat out the September 2020 matches for personal reasons.
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Harry Kane – 6 apps, 6 starts at Russia 2018 World Cup
Southgate used England’s group stage clash with Belgium as a chance to afford Kane a rest at Russia 2018. The Tottenham Hotspur forward and Three Lions captain started all six of their other fixtures, as he marked his World Cup finals debut with six goals in six games.
Five of his strikes came in group stage meetings with Tunisia and Panama – including two penalties. Kane – who is just four goals shy of becoming England’s all-time leading scorer – also struck from 12-yards out against Colombia before Yerry Mina’s 93rd-minute equaliser.
Kieran Trippier – 6 apps, 6 starts at Russia 2018 World Cup
Trippier sparked jubilant celebrations in England when the right-back scored his free-kick against Croatia in the semi-final at Russia 2018. It put Southgate’s side ahead after just five minutes, but Ivan Perisic and then Mario Mandzukic eliminated England after extra-time.
Trippier was another of the Three Lions’ stars who only made their international debuts in 2017 and first World Cup finals appearance in 2018. But the now-£12m Newcastle United star has not been a regular feature for his country since playing five matches at Euro 2020.
Jesse Lingard – 6 apps, 5 starts at Russia 2018 World Cup
Jesse Lingard made his England debut under Southgate in October 2016 and his first World Cup finals appearance in 2018. He played six games in Russia and started five, only missing out on their 1-0 group stage defeat and not starting the third-place play-off with Belgium.
Eric Dier – 6 apps, 2 starts at Russia 2018 World Cup
Hodgson awarded Dier his England debut in November 2015 before Southgate offered the £4m Tottenham defender his World Cup finals debut at Russia 2018. He started two of his six games during the tournament, but has not represented the Three Lions since 2020.
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Marcus Rashford – 6 apps, 1 start at Russia 2018 World Cup
Rashford was another of Hodgson’s England debutants who got their first World Cup finals outings under Southgate four years ago. He featured six times in Russia after only missing the group stage tie with Panama, but only started their 1-0 group stage defeat to Belgium.
The Manchester United attacker has gone on to reach 46-caps with the Three Lions. Yet he has not represented England since Euro 2020 after undergoing shoulder surgery, and has majorly struggled for form this term to lose his place in Southgate’s plans ahead of Qatar.
Kyle Walker – 5 apps, 5 starts at Russia 2018 World Cup
Kyle Walker has been an England international since 2011, but missed out on Brazil 2014 due to a pelvic injury. Instead, he played his first World Cup finals with five games and five starts in Russia, as Southgate used the right-back as part of his three-man central defence.
Southgate has kept Walker in mind for further games at centre-back since, but has mostly utilised the 31-year-old at right-back. He also omitted the Manchester City defender from his March friendlies squad to take a closer look at younger options like Kyle Walker-Peters.
Ashley Young – 5 apps, 5 starts at Russia 2018 World Cup
Ashley Young’s international career started back in 2007, but missed out on the World Cup finals in 2010 and 2014. Yet Southgate started the now-Aston Villa midfielder five times in Russia. The 36-year-old has not represented his country since starting their semi-final loss.
Dele Alli – 5 apps, 4 starts at Russia 2018 World Cup
Dele Alli had a slow start in Russia, as he fell to the bench after starting his first World Cup finals appearance against Tunisia in England’s opening game. But the then-Tottenham ace and now-Everton midfielder recovered to start the Three Lions’ first three knockout ties.
His form declining in north London and a difficult start to life at Goodison Park after a free transfer in January that could reach £40m has seen Alli not represent England since June 2019. Southgate has not named the 26-year-old in any squad during the past three years.
Danny Rose – 5 apps, 2 starts at Russia 2018 World Cup
Danny Rose had never featured in a World Cup finals before the Russia 2018 tournament and began things on the bench. The left-back would continue as a backup option through the competition, only starting against Belgium in the group stage and third-place play-off.
The Watford defender’s international career would last from 2016 to 2019, and included 29-caps. His final appearance came in a Euro 2020 qualifier against the Czech Republic.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek – 4 apps, 3 starts at Russia 2018 World Cup
Ruben Loftus-Cheek had only played four games for England before the 2018 World Cup and each outing came in friendlies. Yet he started three of his four appearances in Russia – including two group stage ties. But his only knockout outing was the third-place play-off.
Southgate has since afforded the Chelsea ace two further caps. But Loftus-Cheek has not represented the Three Lions since November 2018 in a friendly against the United States.
Fabian Delph – 4 apps, 2 starts at Russia 2018 World Cup
Fabian Delph made his England debut in September 2014 as Hodgson started to look for new ideas after a disappointing Brazil World Cup. The Everton ace went on to earn 20-caps with the Three Lions, including four appearances and two starts at the Russia World Cup.
Jamie Vardy – 4 apps, 1 start at Russia 2018 World Cup
Jamie Vardy made his England bow in 2015 and effectively retired from international duty in 2018 after a disappointing World Cup on a personal level. The Leicester City striker only started one of his four outings in Russia, so elected to focus on his family and the Foxes.
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 1 app, 1 start at Russia 2018 World Cup
Trent Alexander-Arnold could only make his first World Cup finals appearance in 2018 as he debuted for Liverpool in 2016. He has since gone on to win the Premier League and the Champions League with the Reds. But his international career has only returned 16-caps.
Just one of his Three Lions outings came at the Russia World Cup, as well, after starting the final group stage match with Belgium. The right-back watched the remaining ties from the bench, after earning his first call-up to an England squad ahead of the 2018 tournament.
Alexander-Arnold is yet to cement himself as England’s first-choice at right-back with the Liverpool star battling Walker as well as Chelsea’s Reece James for minutes now. He has only started successive matches in the same international break during November 2019.
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