Who Is The Key Player For England In The World Cup 2022?
The start of the World Cup 2022 will be here before we know it, as the action gets underway in Qatar in November.
One of the favorites in the World Cup betting odds for the competition later this year comes in the form of England, led by Gareth Southgate.
The Three Lions came agonizingly close to reaching the World Cup final in 2018, before being beaten by Croatia in extra time, while they improved on that showing to reach the final of EURO 2020 last year, before coming up short against Italy. However, which player is the most important for England later this year if they are to win a first major honour since 1966?
Harry Kane
When it comes to England’s most important player, it would be hard to argue against the captain- Harry Kane. The 28-year-old finished the previous World Cup with the Golden Boot, and is undeniably one of the best strikers in world football. By the time that the World Cup comes around, many will be hoping that Kane has already broken Wayne Rooney’s international scoring record, as it would ease the pressure on his shoulders knowing that the record is already secured.
The striker endured a difficult campaign with Tottenham Hotspur in 2021-22, as he started extremely slowly due to the interest shown in him by Manchester City. However, once that was put behind him following the arrival of Antonio Conte, Kane went on to score 27 goals and record ten assists in 50 appearances across all competitions.
It could be argued that his importance to the national team is often overlooked, but it’s hard to argue against the belief that the drop off in quality in the position is hugely weaker should Kane be unavailable for selection.
Declan Rice
A problem position for England in major tournaments since 1966 has been in the midfield area, as they have lacked a player that can win the ball back and get the game moving forward. However, Southgate finally looks to have an answer to those prayers with Declan Rice. The 23-year-old is seen by many as one of the best young holding midfielders in world football, and he has taken his game to new levels with both West Ham and England over the previous two seasons.
Rice switched allegiance to England from the Republic of Ireland back in 2019, and made his international debut a month later in the EURO 2020 qualifier against the Czech Republic. Since then, he has become a regular in Southgate’s team, and was among the first names on the team sheet throughout England’s run to the final at the European Championships last year.
His natural ability to read the game expertly has been seen at international level, and there are no other players available for selection that offer what the West Ham captain does. Should he be unavailable, then Southgate’s tactics will need to be altered and reverting back to three in defence looks to be the solution.
While players such as Jude Bellingham, Kelvin Phillips and Jordan Henderson are all proven at the highest level, none of them are a natural fit in the holding midfield position. Therefore, keeping Rice fit over the early months of the season could be huge for England’s chances at the World Cup later this year.
Harry Maguire/John Stones
A lot has been said about England’s defense over recent years, which includes doubts surrounding their ability to keep clean sheets going into EURO 2020. However, it could be argued that England’s most important players actually come in a pair. Harry Maguire and John Stones were both sensational at EURO 2020, as the Three Lions kept five straight clean sheets before conceding a free kick from long distance against Denmark in the semi-finals.
Maguire and Stones have an excellent understanding of the game, and both also offer threats from set pieces, which has been a big part of Southgate’s plan with the national team since taking over. The pair has worked extremely well in both of the previous two national competitions, and barring injury, it’s unlikely that Southgate will be giving up on the pair before the World Cup later this year.
Like with the previous two players mentioned, there is a big drop off in the quality of players in this position should Maguire or Stones not be available. That was evident in England’s 4-0 hammering at the hands of Hungary, as Southgate tested Marc Guehi alongside Stones.
Further evidence was also available from England’s away defeat against Hungary, as Connor Coady played alongside Maguire. The system with four at the back only works as long as Maguire and Stones are playing, but they will need to recover their form in the early months of the Premier League season.