Daniel Storey: It’s not a redemption, Raheem Sterling has just silenced the ignorant
There is a narrative forming during this tournament that Euro 2020 has been a time of redemption for Raheem Sterling. That is nonsense: He never had anything to redeem. He was treated apallingly by certain sections of the English tabloid media and has never let his country down. Gareth Southgate always considered him part of his first team and that trust has been repaid in spades. This is not redemption; it is a young man proving that those who sought to demean him were guilty of ignorance.
It is impossible not to admire the manner in which Sterling has resolved to prove those doubters wrong. He has been England’s best and most consistent performer in this tournament. While others — Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, Harry Kane — have grown into the tournament and understandably taken the headlines after Germany and Ukraine, Sterling has been key to England’s attacking drive. He never once forgets his defensive responsibilities.
Take a moment to listen to Sterling’s teammates. They speak of a man who is comfortable in his own skin, someone who has shut out the noise and produced the best form of his international career when England needed a leader. He is now the favourite to be named the best player at this tournament.
It is unusual for a player to be so blunt about his relationship with a manager during an international tournament. One of the best aspects of Southgate’s management is that he allows his players to express themselves; the discipline within the squad does not come through whip-cracking or rule with an iron fist.
Last week, Shaw expressed his disbelief that Jose Mourinho continues to talk about a defender who believes he was unfairly castigated by him. Under Mourinho, Shaw’s Manchester United career looked over. But that career has been reborn, first under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and then under an international manager who trusts him implicitly.
And look at the difference when a player feels loved. Shaw has become the perfect attacking full-back during this tournament providing assists from open play, finally delivering from set pieces and forming part of the most successful England defence at a major tournament. He is now one of the first names on Gareth Southgate’s team sheet.
There have been two waves to the praise that Denmark have rightly received during this tournament. First came the outpouring of love and admiration that followed their response to Christian Eriksen’s collapse, a horrific incident that eventually brought football team and country closer together than they have ever been before.
Then came the plaudits on their own merit: Denmark are dangerous in attack and in Jannik Vestegaard and Simon Kjaer have a mightily effective central defensive partnership. Jacob Maehle has taken on much of the creative responsibility from Eriksen; his cross to assist Kasper Dolberg’s goal against the Czechs wss the pass of the tournament.
But Denmark are not perfect. Their route to the semi-finals has been easier than England’s, swatting aside an ill-disciplined Welsh before squeezing past a Czech side that lacked the energy to mount a concerted salvo late in their quarter-final.
England will not be complacent; every interview with members of the camp insists that the focus is only on the next game. But if they play to their attacking potential once more, England will merit their status as favourites to reach their first final in 55 years. This really could happen.
Until his untimely serious injury against Belgium, Leonardo Spinazzola was probably the prime candidate to be named the best player at this tournament. Italy focused their attacks down the left flank purely because of Spinazzola’s adventure. Either he could stay wide with Marco Verratti tucking in in central midfield to create a lopsided 3-4-1-2 formation with Lorenzo Insigne drifting infield or Spinazzola himself could move infield, often receiving the ball in places we might usually expect a No. 10 to occupy.
Spinazzola’s loss will inevitably have a lasting effect on this Italy team. They have lost their best source of attacking impetus and Roberto Mancini will probably be forced to use regulation left-back Emerson Palmieri as a replacement. That does not mean they are not still the form team of this tournament, but Spinazzola’s absence creates doubt where none previously existed. That may be music to England’s ears if they can reach the final.
Spain have been a baffling team at this tournament, Luis Enrique’s Medico Jekyll and Senor Hyde XI. They have had more shots on target than anyone else (39), set a record for scoring five goals in consecutive matches and yet scored three goals in 300 minutes against Sweden, Poland and Switzerland.
As with England and Denmark, you could argue that they are yet to face an elite opponent and they have won only one one match inside 90 minutes despite playing three matches at home. If Italy can combine the effervescence and control of their first 40 minutes against Belgium, they will surely be too strong.
But there is also a suspicion that Spain are a team that are untouchable when they click. For periods of their victory over Croatia and romp against Slovakia they played the quick passing triangles that no other side in this tournament are capable of. That semi-final is a wonderful clash of styles and approaches that may well come down to the ability of two maligned strikers — Alvaro Morata and Ciro Immobile — to take the chances that come their way.
