England defender Kieran Trippier has spoken out after the team’s loss to Spain in the Euro 2024 final. Despite the Three Lions’ 58-year wait for a major tournament victory continuing, Trippier isn’t willing to use tiredness as an excuse for the team’s shortcomings. Following the final, England manager Gareth Southgate said some of his players were “a little bit short of their physical peak” during the month-long tournament, but Trippier has argued that this isn’t a valid reason for the defeat.
Trippier also noted that the team is highly fit, with England having the highest running stats throughout the tournament. While Trippier admitted that some moments in the game weren’t ideal, such as their opponents’ second goal, he emphasised the importance of fine margins in football and praised his fellow players for giving everything they had.
England had a mixed tournament, only managing draws in two of their three group games and nearly going out in the last-16 stage to Slovakia before a last-minute equaliser. Penalties were also needed to clinch a win against Switzerland in the quarter-finals. However, Trippier sounded optimistic about England’s future, eager to highlight the achievements of the team’s young, inexperienced players like Kobbie Mainoo and Marc Guehi. Trippier believes they will learn a lot from the tournament and continue to grow as players.
While the loss to Spain was no doubt a disappointment for England, Trippier’s comments provide some insight into the team’s mindset going forward. By acknowledging that fatigue wasn’t a factor, Trippier is signalling that the team will continue to work hard and fight for victory in future tournaments. With young talent already showing promise, England’s performance in Euro 2024 could well be a precursor to greater things to come
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More