Dion Fanning: England's identity crisis still looks elsewhere for answers

 England are not at peace with themselves, but, more importantly, they aren’t sure who they are supposed to be.

SACRIFICED: Trent Alexander-Arnold of England is substituted by Gareth Southgate during the Euro 2024 clash with Denmark. Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images

Ten years ago this week, England played Uruguay in a critical World Cup game in Sao Paulo. They had been beaten by Italy in Manaus five days earlier and England needed a win.

Uruguay were a fading team and Luis Suarez, their most important player, had undergone knee surgery 28 days before the game. He wasn’t fit. Afterwards, England’s manager Roy Hodgson spoke of how his team had done well against Suarez “in general play” and “kept him quiet for long periods”. This may well have been true. Suarez had indeed left the field on a stretcher but before he did, he had scored twice and knocked England out of the World Cup.