The highly anticipated Euro 2024 final is imminent, and anticipation is running high. Football legends Gary Neville, Roy Keane, Jill Scott, and Ian Wright came together to discuss and select their combined England-Spain XI ahead of the big game, adding to the excitement. The stakes are high, and the tough decisions they had to make were the subject of much attention.
On the final episode of Stick to Football: The Overlap Special, hosted by Sky Bet, the four football icons faced the challenging task of choosing the best players from both teams. Despite Spain being the favourite to win the trophy, the panel engaged in intense debate over which players from England could make it into the formidable Spanish squad.
The selection process was filled with difficult choices, but the former players eventually settled on a combined XI. The lineup includes Harry Kane leading the attack, with Rodri anchoring the midfield. The surprising revelation was the number of English players that made the final cut, with the tally ultimately leaning in England’s favour.
The goalkeeper position saw a close call between Jordan Pickford and Unai Simon, as Wright initially favoured the Spanish keeper before ultimately choosing England’s No. 1. In defense, Kyle Walker, Marc Cucurella, John Stones, and Aymeric Laporte secured their spots, with the panel acknowledging Marc Guehi’s impressive tournament performance despite not making the cut.
The midfield provided the most challenging decisions, with an all-Spanish pairing of Rodri and Fabian Ruiz narrowly edging out Declan Rice and Kobbie Mainoo. The panel expressed admiration for the English duo but ultimately selected the Spanish players based on their current form.
The forward line saw an all-English attack, with Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden, and Jude Bellingham claiming their spots. This decision led to a moment of solidarity, as Wright firmly stood by Saka’s exceptional tournament performance, while Keane wholeheartedly agreed.
With a combined XI finalised, all that was left to do was tally up the number of English players that made the squad. The final count revealed a six-to-five lead in England’s favour, much to the group’s relief and exhaustion after the challenging selection process.
To watch the final episode of Stick to Football: The Overlap Special, fans can tune in to ITV1 & ITV X or watch it on The Overlap YouTube channel.
The Euro 2024 final promises to be an exhilarating clash of footballing titans, with this combined XI serving as a testament to the incredible talent of both the England and Spain squads. The panel’s thorough analysis and debate have provided fans with an insightful preview of the players to watch out for in the upcoming final.