Wayne Rooney has selected the England XI that he would go with for Sunday’s Euro 2024 opener if he was in charge of the Three Lions.
Gareth Southgate’s men get their campaign underway on Sunday night as they face Serbia at the the Arena AufSchalke (Veltins-Arena) in Gelsenkirchen.
Rooney, who featured in three European Championships for England, was asked by Gary Neville on The Overlap to name his preferred starting line-up.
Only a few positions in the team are causing any serious debate and Rooney agreed that Jordan Pickford, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane should all start in their usual positions.
One of the big questions going into the Euros is who will play on the left side of central defence following the injury to Harry Maguire.
‘I don’t know,’ Rooney said. ‘I think just for form in the league I’d play Marc Guehi but I’d be worried’.
Rooney accepted that Kieran Tripper will have to start until Luke Shaw finds fitness.
‘It is (a guarantee that he’ll start). ‘For me he’s been really poor all season. I thought the other night against Iceland he was poor again but he’ll play, he has to play.’
Rooney wants Rice at the base of midfield with Bellignham just in front of him, allowing Phil Foden more of a free role in the No 10 position.
Many believe Foden will be played on the left this summer but Rooney would prefer to see Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon there.
‘He’s different,’ he said. ‘He runs off the ball, gets in behind, takes players, holds the width. All the other options like coming inside.’
Rooney thinks Southgate will go in another direction, however, with Foden on the left and either Trent Alexander-Arnold or Conor Gallagher in midfield.
England face Denmark in their second match of Group C on June 20 before taking on Slovenia on June 25.
