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25 Sports Monday, July 16, 2018 Euphoria over, back to reality for Southgate’s England ‘It will be even harder for emerging talent’ ST PETERSBURG: It could have been the greatest day Henderson was an essential part of their run to the of their lives but England’s World Cup squad returned Champions League final last season but he too faces home yesterday with the euphoria that surrounded their expensively-recruited competition in the shape of run to the last four having dissipated and familiar, less Brazilian Fabinho and Guinean Naby Keita. It is even exhilarating, challenges lying ahead. harder for emerging talent. Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who The Premier League begins in just four weeks and ended the tournament with a promising display in the Gareth Southgate’s squad, players who were being hailed third-place playoff defeat to Belgium, does not even as national heroes just a few days ago, will return to the know where he will be playing next season. day job and the struggle for starting places at their clubs. His club Chelsea loaned him out to Crystal Palace last In a league where a large majority of the players are term and a change of manager at Stamford Bridge adds imported from Europe and beyond, being a member of to the uncertainty he faces. the England squad is no guarantee of first-team football. It makes life tough for the England manager, who, even at AIR OF OPTIMISM the height of their World Cup optimism, noted the unique Those who can be confident of regular football are issue facing him. “We only have 33 percent of the league found at Tottenham Hotspur-where Harry Kane, Dele Alli to pick from. So that is still a huge problem for us,” he and Kieran Trippier are established first-teamers. said. So for all the talk of England being stronger at the Outside the Champions League clubs, goalkeeper European Championship in two years time, Southgate Jordan Pickford is a clear number one at Everton and knows it is not as simple as just adding experience to his Harry Maguire is at the heart of Leicester’s defence. side. The situation is particularly hard for those players at There is an undeniable air of optimism around the the biggest clubs — none of Marcus Rashford, Phil England team though and Football Association Technical Jones or Jesse Lingard are guaranteed a regular starting Director Dan Ashworth summed up the view that gaining spot under Jose Mourinho at Manchester United. experience is now the key. “We’ve got some good players SAINT PETERSBURG: England’s midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek (L) and England’s defender Harry Maguire Fabian Delph, John Stones and Raheem Sterling will all in our senior team and some good technical players in (R) applaud as England’s coach Gareth Southgate walks between them following their loss in their Russia have a battle on their hands to appear regularly on the our development pathway as well,” said Ashworth. 2018 World Cup play-off for third place football match between Belgium and England at the Saint Manchester City team sheet alongside their England “We’re probably a little bit short on big-game experi- Petersburg Stadium in Saint Petersburg on Saturday. — AFP team mate Kyle Walker, who is a fixed presence at right ence, a bit short on number of national caps and we’re a back. Sterling may have scored 18 goals in 33 appear- bit young for what a winning national team looks like,” he ances in last year’s title-winning campaign, but while he said. Much of the optimism over England’s future stems playing time those youngsters will get at their clubs. Manchester City’s midfield. was in Russia, City manager Pep Guardiola completed from the success of the junior teams. Last year, England’s Phil Foden, the talented captain of that Under-17 team, “He’s got a lot of ability and I can see him developing the signing of Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez from junior teams won the Under-20 World Cup, the Under-17 has been highlighted by many as a possible answer to the into a really talented player,” said his team mate Delph, Leicester City for a reported club record fee of 60 mil- World Cup and the Under-19 European Championship. lack of a creative midfielder in Southgate’s squad but the who offered a reminder that Foden is still “learning his lion pounds ($79 million). Liverpool midfielder Jordan But there is long-standing concern over how much 18-year-old faces a daunting challenge even to get into craft”.— Reuters seasons with Real Madrid, Modric boosted his case to be the first hurdle for the first time in 80 years. WCup tops considered the world’s best midfielder with three man-of- the-match awards before the final. Modric’s stunning African teams strike was the highlight as Croatia announced themselves For the first time since 1982 no African teams made it and flops as contenders by thrashing Argentina 3-0 in the group beyond the group stage. Nigeria, Senegal, Tunisia, Egypt stage. He bounced back from missing a penalty in extra- and Morocco won just three matches between them, Rooney makes time against Denmark to make amends in penalty shootout sparking concerns over the competitive balance of a tour- MOSCOW: Kylian Mbappe and Luka Modric-at different wins against the Danes and Russia. nament dominated by European sides. triumphant MLS ends of their careers-have dazzled in Russia to help propel Bad luck, though, also played a big part in Africa’s France and Croatia to yesterday’s World Cup final. Four Eden Hazard downfall as Senegal missed out on second place in Group years ago Germany were in the same position, but the It was another case of what might have been for H to Japan because of a marginally poorer disciplinary debut in 3-1 holders were sent home in the group stages, while another Belgium’s ‘golden generation’, who lost their semi-final record, while Egypt’s talisman Mohamed Salah’s impact chance of World Cup glory for Lionel Messi and Cristiano defeat against France by the finest of margins. But unlike was limited by injury. Ronaldo slipped by. four years ago and at Euro 2016, Hazard showed his full DC United win range of skills on the international stage. Messi, Ronaldo domination over? TOPS The Chelsea forward scored three times and was Messi, 31, and Ronaldo, 33, may have seen their last Kylian Mbappe instrumental in both a spirited fightback from 2-0 to beat chance to win a World Cup come and go as Argentina and WASHINGTON: England career goals leader Wayne Hardly an unknown following a 180-million-euro ($210- Japan 3-2 in the last 16 and then victory over Brazil in Portugal both exited in the last 16. Ronaldo at least had Rooney was thrilled at his triumphant Major League million) transfer from Monaco to Paris Saint-Germain, arguably the game of the tournament. the consolation of a hat-trick to kickstart the competition Soccer debut Saturday, assisting on a goal in DC Mbappe became a global phenomenon after tearing into life in a thrilling 3-3 draw with Spain, but added only United’s 3-1 victory over Vancouver. The 32-year-old Argentina apart in a thrilling 4-3 last-16 win. FLOPS one more goal and was even lucky to avoid a red card striker, star attraction in the opening match for United’s In scoring twice, Mbappe, 19, became the first teenager Germany against Iran. Messi scored just once, against Nigeria, to at new 20,000-seat stadium, entered in the 58th minute. since Pele in 1958 to score multiple times in the same The defending champions went the same way as least avoid the embarrassment of a group-stage exit, but Former Manchester United star Rooney helped set World Cup game. Spain four years ago and Italy in 2010 as holders was no match for Mbappe in the seven-goal shootout with up Paul Arriola’s goals in the 69th and 80th minutes who failed to get out of their group. Defeats to France. After 10 years of sharing the Ballon d’Or, with five after Argentine midfielder Yamil Asad provided United Luka Modric Mexico and South Korea saw the four-time world wins each, the time may finally have come for Messi and the lead for good in the 27th minute. “Excellent. It was Fresh from winning a fourth Champions League in five champions finish bottom of their section and fall at Ronaldo to be dethroned. —AFP a great victory,” Rooney said. “I thought we played some fantastic football. It was a big night for the club opening the stadium and it was important to get the win.” Rooney, who played for hometown Everton last year, signed a 3 1/2-year deal worth $13 million with US dominates United on Tuesday. “We were very sharp in the second half, especially when Wayne came on,” United coach Ben Olsen said. “Stalwart, high quality, made some opening day great passes and got on the end of some. Good balls in the box. That’s what we expected from him.” of inaugural The $500 million Audi Field, already nicknamed “Wayne’s World,” features a Rooney-dominated front banner declaring “This is Our House.” Dozens of fans Athletics WCup sported his number 9 United jersey and a cheer erupt- ed when he took the field for warmups. “It has been easy (adjusting). I’m enjoying it,” LONDON: The United States will take a healthy lead into Rooney said.

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