England fans and pundits have ripped into their “arrogant”, “boring”, and “disappointing” national side after a “shambolic” 1-1 draw against Denmark at the Euros.
While the draw means England remain unbeaten and all-but certain to advance to the round of 16, the consensus is they’re not good enough to have title ambitions.
It was a slack, mistake-filled display that left coach Gareth Southgate angrily gesturing at his players for gifting a slew of scoring chances late in the game.
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“The team didn’t function today, that is my responsibility,” said Southgate, who heard jeers from fans behind the England goal in a ragged second half.
Harry Kane gave England another fast start when he scored in the 18th minute. He was substituted off in the second half.
Denmark levelled in the 34th when Morten Hjulmand fired in a powerful low shot from long distance, after Kane gave away the ball in defence.
Eight years with Southgate has earned England sustained tournament success. The Three Lions reached the final of Euro 2020 — after beating Denmark in the last four — and a semifinal and a quarterfinal at the past two World Cups.
“We’re in the environment of winning on the biggest stage,” Southgate acknowledged, before adding “you have to accept what (criticism) comes our way”.
And come it did.
“This was a performance that was actually too bad to be boring, a performance that actively courted our disapproval, a thin gruel laced with rat poison and carpet tacks,” Jonathan Liew wrote for The Guardian (UK).
Former Ireland international James McClean was similarly scathing.
“For a country that’s won one World Cup and have never won the Euros, they’re very expectant and very arrogant about their chances.”
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England’s last piece of major silverware was the World Cup in 1966 – 58 years ago.
England has never won back-to-back games to begin a Euros and a pattern of second-game syndrome has repeated at three straight tournaments.
Opening wins in the past three years have been following by tepid 0-0 draws with Scotland and the United States, now a 1-1 with the Danes who deserved more.
“I can’t say we are disappointed but it’s a shame,” Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand said.
“There is a result we could have gotten.”
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Still, England started Euro 2024 by beating Serbia 1-0 and now sits top of Group C with four points. That tally always has been enough to advance in the 24-team Euros format where four third-place teams from the six groups go forward to the round of 16.
England can finish in any position from first to third in the Group C standings after playing unbeaten Slovenia next Tuesday.
Slovenia drew 1-1 with Serbia, four days after getting the same result against Denmark. Serbia meets Denmark in their final game next week.
Southgate had defended his players from what seemed like unfair criticism for the nervy nature of the win against Serbia, ceding some control after Jude Bellingham’s early goal.
Bellingham was subdued, and Southgate removed the stellar strike trio of Kane, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka in one sweep in the 69th minute. Jarrod Bowen, Eberechi Eze, and Ollie Watkins came on and within two minutes Watkins almost scored with a shot after a darting run.
The coach’s patience seemed to run out in the 85th when his players repeatedly gave away the ball and surrendered scoring chances. He gestured from the sideline with both index fingers pointing to his temples, urging them to think more.
England had led by seizing on sleepiness in the Denmark defence. Hesitation by Victor Kristiansen let right-back Kyle Walker surge past him to steal the ball for a pass across the goalmouth.
When the ball reached Kane he poked home a left-footed shot for a record extending 64th England goal for the captain.
Kane had his part in Denmark’s leveler. His unwise pass out of defence soon went to Hjulmand, who strode forward to fire a low shot past goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and in the net off his right-hand post.
The game was played beneath a closed stadium roof on slippery turf that cut up after steady rain this week.
The teams had royal watchers from the stands with the king of Denmark, Frederik X, and future king of England, Prince William – who is also president of the FA – at the game.
– Additional reporting by Damien McCartney