UEFA EURO 2020
Players to watch One of the pleasures of major tournaments is the chance to spot Premier League players performing for their national sides. Club Mirror profiles six players who could catch the eye in June and July. ENGLAND Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) The England captain has become a talismanic figure for the national side and is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career in club colours, despite the well-publicised problems experienced by Spurs over recent months. Winner of the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup, England fans will be hoping that Kane’s rumoured wish to head to another club will not distract him from the job in hand. The 27 year old has not only been in scintillating goal-scoring form – he is currently on course to finish the domestic season as the Premier League’s top scorer – but has also demonstrated genuine creativity, threading inch-perfect cross through to team-mates Son Heung-min and Steven Bergwijn. Given his global reputation, Kane is sure to receive plenty of attention from defenders during the tournament, but the centre-forward appears to be far more robust this season than in previous years. Kane will be desperate to get his hands on the trophy this summer after the disappointment of England’s semi-final defeat in the last World Cup and will be straining every sinew to lead his men to glory at Wembley. SCOTLAND Andy Robertson (Liverpool) It hasn’t been a vintage season for the Reds but Robertson has never let his standards drop. No wonder then that the left-back has been an almost ever-present in Jurgen Klopp’s side this season. Admittedly, his statistics are not as stellar this time around as during the last season when Robertson’s ability to press forward and supply his strike force with perfectly placed balls was a key factor in Liverpool’s Premier League title win, contributing two goals and 12 assists during the season. Having performed at the highest level for his club, Robertson will relish the chance to appear for his country in a major tournament and has been an inspirational figure for Scotland since making his debut back in 2014 with an eye-catching appearing off the bench in the 1-0 victory over Poland. Robertson further cemented his place in the Scotland team by scoring his first international goal in a friendly against England at Celtic Park in November of that year scoring Scotland’s only goal as they were beaten 3–1. Robertson was duly appointed as Scotland captain by then manager Alex McLeish in 2018 and has continued to impress with his work rate, passing skill and ability to motivate his teammates.
CLUB MIRROR FOOTBALL SPECIAL 11
>
