England can WIN Euro 2024 thanks to boasting world’s ‘best bunch of youngsters’ led by Jude Bellingham, says Geoff Hurst
SIR GEOFF HURST backs Gareth Southgate to lead England to Euro 2024 glory — thanks to Jude Bellingham and his fellow young guns.
The 1966 World Cup hat-trick legend reckons there is a “great chance” Three Lions boss Southgate will end 58 years of hurt this summer.
And he is tipping Real Madrid midfield ace Bellingham to inspire England to success.
The Euro 2020 final was the closest England have come to winning a major tournament since Hurst’s heroics.
Southgate also guided England to the World Cup semi-finals in 2018.
Hurst, 82, said: “Our chances of winning the European Championship this summer are very good.
“The leadership under Gareth has been really terrific and to have reached the semi-finals of the World Cup and the final of the Euros is good going.
“There was a spell a few years ago where players felt it was more important to play European football with a club than represent their country. That’s all changed now under Southgate, although I recognise there’s still a section of people who will moan about how he gets England playing.
“But you look at what he’s done and how he works. There’s been a gigantic step forward, so we’ve got a great chance.”
The former England and West Ham striker sang Southgate’s praises at the Redgrave Theatre in Bristol during An Evening with Sir Geoff Hurst: The Farewell Tour – but he was less complimentary about some of England’s past efforts on the biggest stages.
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Hurst explained: “Some of the performances going way back have been very poor, especially in the World Cup in Brazil (2014). We had three qualifying games and before we knew it we were out and back home.
“Some of the foreign managers haven’t done very well and some of our performances in tournaments have been shocking. But it will not be a shock to me if we win this summer.
“I say that because I think we’ve got THE best bunch of young players, although it will be hard.”
With Bellingham going from strength to strength in Spain, Hurst is optimistic England fans can finally celebrate as he continued: “Jude Bellingham is an unbelievable talent — what he’s done with his career so far is incredible.
“He’s gone to Real Madrid and it seems he can’t stop scoring. That shows what a fantastic player he is.
“But Jude is also one of a great bunch of young players, which is magnificent. He’s still only 20 which is astonishing and he is brilliant.
“Plus he seems to be a nice lad and doesn’t seem to be getting carried away with anything.
“I cannot speak highly enough about him. But he’s just one of a good number of young England players who will only get better, so we have a very good chance.”
Hurst scored one of the sport’s most controversial goals in the 1966 final. But while he agrees VAR would have shown his shot was a yard over the line at Wembley, he is far from impressed with the new system.
He said: “Decisions should be made quickly. It’s c**p. Fans can’t celebrate properly, players can’t celebrate and the referee goes off the pitch to look at the screen for ten minutes.
“And they somehow still make as many poor decisions, which is astonishing. It’s simply awful.”