Every tournament, England fans end up having the same argument.
Who exactly is our best team?
So as I smashed my Fastasy Premier League mini leagues again this season, I started thinking about how you’d actually build an England side if you stripped away reputation, nostalgia, social media hype, and all the endless “he’s world class” noise that follows certain players around (you know who you are).
Instead, I kept it simple.
Goals matter. Assists matter. Clean sheets matter too. Simple isn’t it.
For this little experiment, goals are worth 5 points, assists are worth 2, clean sheets are worth 5, and defenders or goalkeepers playing in teams that concede one goal or fewer per game get another 2 points.
Straight away, something interesting happens.
The side starts picking itself.
Not the most exciting England team. Not the most fashionable one either. But probably the one best built to survive international tournament football, which is often slow, tense, tactical, and decided by moments rather than domination.
The Formation
I’ve gone with a 4-3-3.
Not because it’s trendy, but because it still gives the best balance between defensive shape and attacking threat. International teams don’t spend enough time together to play complicated systems properly. You need structure players either play in today or can understand quickly.
A good 4-3-3 naturally shifts shape during matches anyway as you gain possession then defend.
Without the ball it should become compact and difficult to break down, plenty of pressing. With the ball, the wide forwards stretch the pitch while the midfield supports the attack in layers rather than chaos.
Most importantly, it stops England trying to squeeze four number tens into the same side and hoping for magic.
The Team
GK: Jordan Pickford
People still seem strangely reluctant to give Pickford proper credit, but England’s defensive record with him is excellent.
I think he actually suits tournament football. He’s vocal, aggressive, quick off his line, and usually reliable when the pressure rises. He also has that slightly unhinged goalkeeper energy that great international keepers seem to possess.
You don’t always need the world’s best goalkeeper. Sometimes you just need one who consistently turns into a nightmare to beat in tournament football.
RB: Kyle Walker
I don't like the guy, and there are technically better right-backs available.
But Walker still gets in because recovery pace saves goals.
International football becomes dangerous when games stretch late on. One loose pass, one tired midfielder, one counter attack, and suddenly a centre-back is isolated. Walker cleans up situations most defenders simply cannot recover from.
His experience matters too. England sides in the past have sometimes looked mentally fragile in big moments. Walker rarely does, and he has that "hoof it out" mentality that I love on the back line.
CB: John Stones
I hate to admit it because I hate his style of play, but England still look calmer when Stones plays.
He carries the ball well, often reads danger early, and can (on good days) give the whole side composure. International football is full of nervous clearances and rushed decisions. Stones slows games down when England need control. For me though he still loves to play the with the ball at his feet too much.
He also suits a back four far more naturally than some of England’s other centre-back options.
CB: Marc Guéhi
Not flashy. Not constantly discussed. Just dependable.
Guéhi feels like one of those players managers quietly trust because he does the boring bits properly. His positioning is good, he stays calm under pressure, and he rarely turns matches into unnecessary drama.
That matters more in tournaments than people admit.
LB: Lewis Hall
This is probably my boldest selection, but I've already spoken to a few lads at work today and he'd be in their teams too.
Hall gives England something they often lack from deeper areas: genuine energy and width without becoming reckless. Modern full-backs have to contribute going forward now (like old fashioned wing-backs). Sitting deep for 90 minutes just invites pressure.
Hall also looks very comfortable receiving the ball in tight areas, which England badly need against compact sides that like to push.
DM: Declan Rice
Automatic selection here, I'm not a fan of Arsenal, but they are a solid unit.
Rice does the ugly work that allows other players to shine. He covers space quickly, protects the defence, wins second balls, and stops transitions before they become dangerous; he also likes to sometimes play an attacking role when his teams are in control, he's never reckless about it.
And while I hate agreeing with a friend of mine, you're right Owen, you notice players like Rice most when they’re missing.
CM: Jude Bellingham
Bellingham is the complete modern tournament midfielder.
He scores goals, creates chances, carries the ball through pressure, and seems completely unfazed by big occasions. There’s also a physical edge to him that England sides have sometimes lacked in midfield.
He already plays like somebody who believes he belongs at the highest level. That confidence spreads through teams.
CM: Cole Palmer
This was the hardest call, he's not had the best domestic season, but he's a player that likes to be noticed, so he's on the ball a lot, and hes got a decent distribution.
Palmer is there for goals, assists, and the big moments.
Palmer also has something slightly unusual for a young player. Nothing about him seems rushed. He plays at his own pace, even when matches become frantic around him.
That calmness feels very useful in knockout football.
RW: Bukayo Saka
Saka is probably England’s most complete attacking player right now.
He's a very reliable player. He has some intelligent movement with and without the ball. He's solid defensively when needed, and just consistent.
He rarely disappears from matches completely, which is surprisingly rare for attacking players, especially at international level.
I suppose in one word, he's trustworthy.
ST: Harry Kane
I really wish he wasn't, but I think he's still England’s best striker my a mile.
He gets himself into excellent positions and the goals keep coming, he has a excellent passing range which causes problems for defenders dropping too deep.
There are quicker forwards available. But better finishers? Strikers that are pretty decent at set-pieces and hardly misses penalties ... probably not.
LW: Anthony Gordon
International football desperately needs runners, and boy can this lad run.
Too many technically gifted teams become slow because everyone wants the ball into feet (yes Liverpool and Spurs, I'm looking at you). Gordon stretches defences constantly, he runs beyond defenders, attacks space aggressively, and forces teams backwards.
All this creates room for Kane, Bellingham, and Palmer to operate centrally.
You can see it in defenders, there's something slightly irritating about playing against him.
So that's it
The interesting thing about building a side by simply scoring players is how quickly the balance started to show.
The best international football rarely goes to the prettiest side, it normally goes to the team that stays organised, survives difficult moments, and has enough quality to punish mistakes when they come along.
This England side feels closer to that than some of the wildly attacking versions people keep trying to build on paper every summer.
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