England's Euro 2024 players have been ranked from best to worst (2024)

It has been an interesting Euro 2024 tournament for England so far. Interesting in that they have played terribly for the most part and yet made it to the final, having now beaten Netherlands 2-1 in the semi.

Scoring just twice in Group C, England beat Serbia and then drew with Denmark and Slovenia to finish first. They then relied upon a last-gasp bicycle kick from Jude Bellingham and an extra-time winner from Harry Kane to beat Slovakia.

Individual moments of brilliance have been key for the Three Lions, with Bukayo Saka hitting a stunner vs Switzerland, before Ollie Watkins bagged a superb late winner vs the Dutch.

In short, England have been uninspired in large parts, relying on flashes of magic to get them through. As such, it's quite hard to rank them in terms of performance, with so many subpar. And yet, the somewhat underwhelming bunch have indeed been listed in order of best to worst performer at the tournament so far.

Ranking Factors

• Impact when playing
• Expectations of the player going into the tournament
• Minutes played

10 Kyle Walker

Right-back

See Also

The Briefing: Netherlands 1 England 2 - Late substitute Watkins hits winner to set up Euro 2024 final with SpainNetherlands 1-2 England: Gareth Southgate on the brink of Euro 2024 final historyDeclan Rice vows England won’t ‘sit back’ against SpainEngland still haunted by Italy defeat – but this is why they are different

Kyle Walker has delivered one fine moment in this tournament, catching out the opposition as he raced down the flank vs Denmark to set up Harry Kane's goal for England. Beyond that, the rest has been pretty average and at times poor.

He was awarded a 3/10 rating by French outlet L'Equipe for his display against Slovakia, and highlights from the game only serve to explain why. That was by far his worst display in Germany to date, and he's looked a little more steady vs Switzerland and the Netherlands without quite reaching his usual standards.

9 Phil Foden

Left-winger

So much was expected of Phil Foden going into the tournament but he has struggled to excite fans or neutrals in an English shirt. The Premier League Player of the Season for 2023/24 was in blistering form for Manchester City but has not maintained that in Germany.

A goal against Slovakia may have kick-started his tournament but he strayed offside, meaning his effort was fairly ruled out by VAR. He at least looked bright for 45 minutes vs the Dutch and was unlucky not to score – having one effort cleared off the line before then hitting the post. That will probably be enough to silence the calls for him to be replaced on the left flank by Antony Gordon which echoed loudly earlier in the tournament.

8 John Stones

Centre-back

Usually so calm and composed in possession, John Stones has looked a little off it on the ball throughout the tournament but has still managed to get by with an impressive 95.5 per cent accuracy – even if those passes haven't been as progressive as they would be when in a Manchester City shirt.

Without Harry Maguire beside him, he managed to quickly form a steady relationship with Marc Guehi, and then with Ezri Konsa when the Crystal Palace man was suspended. Now England have gone to a back-three, he's also enjoyed more support from Walker.

7 Harry Kane

Striker

Harry Kane bagged 36 Bundesliga goals in 32 games for Bayern Munich this summer, so it seemed certain that his form in Germany would translate perfectly for Euro 2024. Sadly, this has not been the case.

While he has three goals in six games, he's looked a shadow of his usual self for England. He found the back of the net against Denmark but "didn't affect the game otherwise" and it was pretty much the same story when he bagged the winner vs Slovakia and netted his penalty against the Netherlands. At least he's still been able to make some vital contributions but he's looked unfit throughout the tournament.

6 Kobbie Mainoo

Central-midfield

Before the tournament began, fans were desperate to see Kobbie Mainoo deployed in the middle of the park. The 19-year-old, however, was forced to wait until the last 16 before he finally got a start.

He had looked bright when coming off the bench vs Slovenia for the entire second half and his undeniable talent has flickered in moments vs Slovakia, Switzerland and the Dutch. The Three Lions have looked a little vulnerable defensively with him on the pitch, but what he gives in possession has undoubtedly helped free up more creative players like Foden and Bukayo Saka.

5 Declan Rice

Central-midfield

It's fair to say Declan Rice has been way below his best so far in Germany. The Premier League midfielder who so often dominates games for Arsenal has struggled to deliver his usual standards in an England shirt. That he makes the top five here, shows how poor the Three Lions have been as a collective.

That said, he has at least worked tirelessly to pick up the slack in a dysfunctional midfield. Playing alongside Trent Alexander-Arnold, then Conor Gallagher and then Kobbie Mainoo, it's been a thankless task for Rice in the middle of the park. For that, he deserves some credit.

4 Jude Bellingham

Central-midfield

For those who haven't been paying close attention, it might seem odd that Jude Bellingham doesn't top this list. After all, he's scored two goals – the second-most for England – including that stunning bicycle kick. However, he's looked tired and leggy at times through the competition so far, often trying to take on too much himself.

Even so, he was fantastic in the opening match against Serbia and having popped up with two vital goals for his nation, the Real Madrid star deserves more credit than most. He's also looked a little more energised in the past two games, working hard for the team.

3 Jordan Pickford

Goalkeeper

Jordan Pickford has played every minute for England between the sticks and has probably been the only player to have not made any obvious mistake so far. That said, he perhaps could have done a little better for Xavi Simons' strike for the Dutch.

Truth be told, he hasn't been that busy in most games but his stand-out moment came vs the Swiss. With his trusty water bottle to guide him, the Everton star made a crucial save from Manuel Akanji's penalty during the shoot-out. Pickford has once again been reliable for Southgate at a major tournament.

2 Marc Guehi

Centre-back

There were understandable concerns when Maguire was ruled out of the tournament through injury with the Manchester United defender a stalwart for Southgate alongside Stones. Marc Guehi, on the other hand, was an unknown quantity at this level.

The Crystal Palace defender had never played at an international tournament before Euro 2024 but was "outstanding" in the 1-0 win over Serbia and was solid in the remaining group games. He picked up a yellow card vs Slovakia and was missed vs Switzerland. Showing just how important he has become to the team in a short period of time, he came right back into the team vs the Netherlands and looked solid throughout yet again.

1 Bukayo Saka

Right-winger

Bukayo Saka started the tournament with an assist during a blistering first-half display against Serbia. He then went quiet for a bit – compared to the usual standards he brings to Arsenal – before delivering an astonishingly good goal and performance against Switzerland.

Perhaps what has been most impressive is that Saka has been able to shine for England despite having played as a right-wingback in the last two games. He's been the most threatening player on the pitch across both the games, while still helping out definitely.

There is good reason as to why Southgate relies upon the 22-year-old ahead of someone like Cole Palmer. Jonathan Liew summed it up most aptly for The Guardian, writing:

"In a team of inconsistent mavericks, perhaps it is his [Saka's] reliability that now appeals to Southgate. He doesn’t give the ball away in stupid places. He doesn’t wander out of position. He doesn’t start acting out or bawling at teammates or complaining about his rotten luck. By way of comparison, you try putting Bellingham at left-back and see how he reacts."

Stats via Transfermarkt and UEFA (as of 02/07/24).