Nobody would’ve expected this shock inclusion at the start of the Euros
Jeff Stelling has named his top five players of the Euros including an England star which is surprisingly not Jude Bellingham.
England have flattered to deceive at the tournament so far, however the most important thing is that Switzerland await in the quarter-final with a potential formation change likely.
Many world-class stars are yet to show their true capabilities and hopefully Saturday can be the day where it all starts to click for Gareth Southgate’s men.
Bellingham is one man that has showcased his genius, with a moment of magic to save the Three Lions from the bell against Slovakia in the dying seconds.
However, when naming his top five Euros players, Stelling didn’t include the Real Madrid superstar and opted for another England man.
Speaking exclusively on talkSPORT, Stelling stated:
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“Well, he’s my England choice and I was tortured about whether to put Saliba in this because I think he’s been brilliant. Does what it says on the tin, he defends.
“But, Marc Guehi. He for me, he’s been the surprise package. You know, he’s played better than I imagined he could.”
Guehi is sadly suspended for the quarter-final after receiving two bookings, however has performed impeccably for England at the back so far.
Upon initial inclusion, fans knew Harry Maguire’s absence was going to leave a massive void as he’s been a consistent performer and ever-present at the back under Southgate.
However, Guehi has never once looked out of place and at just 23, he’s now likely to be an integral part of the Three Lions’ future.
Stelling names 4 other superstars in the limelight
The Euros is absolutely packed with superstars, so undoubtedly the other four players chosen would’ve taken some serious consideration.
Despite this, one name that instantly sprung to mind was Spain’s electric winger Nico Williams.
Advancing into the semi-finals after knocking hosts Germany out last night, Williams is often unplayable and has subsequently been linked with Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool.
Going onto the third inclusion, Stelling named Germany’s dynamite Jamal Musiala:
“I love Julian Nagelsmann said the thing about Musiala is he plays like he’s having a kick around with friends.”
An absolute joy to watch, it was sad to see him exit the tournament last night.
Going onto the fourth player, Stelling named a formidable goalkeeper that made headlines in the last 16:
“Diogo Costa, obviously the goalkeeper. He’s not high-profile at Porto, is he? But I looked at his penalty saving record and it’s ridiculous.
“It’s something like 13 in 42, which is like one in three penalties!”
Expect a swarm of clubs circling him this summer transfer window.
The final inclusion was a player Stelling “didn’t expect” to be including before the start of the tournament, however he’s made headlines for his goalscoring ability:
“Cody Gakpo, I just think he’s been sensational. He’s not prolific at Liverpool, he’s not even sure of his place.
But I love the way he gets the ball, is unafraid to run with the ball, he’ll drive down the middle, down the wings.”