London: Star England allrounder and stand-in-captain Ben Stokes spoke highly of the England football team hailing them ‘absolute legends’ after their Euro 2020 show which concluded on Sunday. England lost 2-3 on penalties at the hands of Italy, but Stokes believed that the players have a bright future ahead of them.
“It’s such a young team full of talent that the sky is the limit for them. There are so many more years ahead, so many more tournaments to go and prove themselves in. But in my eyes and everybody else’s eyes in this changing room, they are absolute legends already,” Stokes said.
England played their first major final in 55 years. The last time England won any big tournament was the 1966 World Cup at home beating West Germany in the final. The 2019 World Cup hero, Stokes, urged his football counterparts should not to be judged on the basis of the loss in the final.
He insisted that while the football team is absolutely gutted after Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho’s misses, and this is the time these plyers need everyone’s support.
“They’ll be absolutely devastated, no doubt,” Stokes said. “But what they’ve managed to achieve is incredible. The nation has been completely captured by what they’ve done on the field,” added Stokes.
“Obviously everyone in the nation would have loved to see England win, but just watching the games you feel a real connection to the team. The way Gareth Southgate has led, the way Gareth Southgate speaks… I think he’s been phenomenal in everything he’s done. “
Stokes, who has been a part of similar agonies, understood the feelings of the players who missed the penalties. “I hope they’re not defined by it,” Stokes said. “You look at where they’ve gone over the last two or three years and the things they’ve managed to achieve and you know it’s just such a young team.
“They’ve got so much more time on their hands to go out and win trophies for England. Never has an England team been so exciting to watch,” he said.
