Afghanistan
Angola
Argentina
Asia (AFC)
Asian Games
Australia
Belgium-Netherlands
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Central American & Caribbean Games
Central American Games
Congo DR
Denmark
England
Europe (UEFA)
FYR Macedonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
International Tournaments
Italy
Mediterranean Games
Mexico
National
Nepal
North & Central America (Concacaf)
Palestine
Pan American Games
Panama
Russia
Scandinavia
Serbia And Montenegro
South American Games
Spain
Syria
USA
World (FIFA)
Yemen
Zimbabwe

Welbeck, Smalling and Lallana all feature in unlikely England XI that stunned Germany

talksport.com, 26 September 2022, 15:45
Gareth Southgate will have to put out his strongest England side to beat Germany as the old rivals prepare to do battle once again.

Although, history has proven that sometimes victory can be delivered by the most unlikely of sources…

Advertisement

England's rivalry with the Germans is one of the most fierce in the history of international football.

With the Three Lions' World Cup victory over West Germany in 1966 seeing Alf Ramsey's side to glory, England then enjoyed another stunning victory in 2001 when Sven-Goran Eriksson's side hammered their rivals 5-1 in Munich.

Fans will be hoping Southgate's side can halt their worrying slide ahead of the World Cup and record record another stunning victory when they host Germany at Wembley Stadium.

Advertisement

The Three Lions go into this game on the back of a dismal run of five games without victory, with last week's 1-0 defeat to Italy seeing them relegated from the top tier of the Nations League - a fall from grace for the Euro 2020 finalists.

Southgate is expected to name a strong side as he prepares to name his travelling World Cup squad, and victory wouldn't necessarily be seen as an upset, but more like where this current talented side should be.

The same wasn't said back in 2016, though, when England recorded a wonderful 3-2 friendly win in Germany with the most unlikely of teams on display.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Wedged between two golden generations of talent, Roy Hodgson set off to face their arch rivals with a starting XI that, on paper, looked questionable at best.

So who was part of the England XI to see off Germany in March 2016? talkSPORT.com takes a look.

Advertisement

GOALKEEPER: Jack Butland (Fraser Forster)

A 23-year-old at the time, Butland was regarded as one of the top young goalkeepers in the country at the back end of the 2015/16 season thanks to his form for Stoke City.

Despite starting the match, Butland was replaced by Fraser Forster who after successful spells with Celtic and Southampton now plays for Tottenham after a free transfer in June.

RIGHT-BACK: Nathaniel Clyne

Advertisement

Long before Trent Alexander-Arnold's emergence at Liverpool or Reece James coming through the ranks at Chelsea, it was Clyne who was picked to face the Germans.

Unfortunately a number of injuries stopped the pacey full-back from nailing down the spot long-term, making the Germany clash one of just 14 appearances for his country.

CENTRE-BACK: Chris Smalling and Gary Cahill

Advertisement

A partnership that is now past its prime, Smalling and Cahill were the men chosen to face the Germans that night in Munich.

The pair dominated for Manchester United and Chelsea at the time and did a decent job of keeping a talented German attack quiet that night.

Now, Smalling plays in Italy for Roma and Cahill is without a club after leaving Bournemouth in the summer.

LEFT-BACK: Danny Rose

Advertisement

A player who was undoubtedly England's best left-back during the mid-noughties.

Rose was at the peak of his powers for Tottenham and certainly put in a good display for his country that night.

CENTRE MIDFIELD: Eric Dier and Jordan Henderson

Advertisement

A player who had made his England debut in November 2015, Dier got his first goal for the Three Lions with a last-minute winner in Munich to very much endear himself to supporters.

As for Henderson, the Liverpool star was coming to the end of his first campaign as Reds' captain and showed that influence and maturity for England in a massive match.

RIGHT WING: Adam Lallana (Ross Barkley)

Long before the current crop of talented young players came along, England were perhaps enduring something of a drought in that department as Lallana was named as a starter.

Advertisement

He lasted just over 70 minutes before being replaced by Ross Barkley who was arguably at his peak as a 23-year-old with Everton.

LEFT WING: Danny Welbeck (Jamie Vardy)

Dat guy was a real favourite in the England set-up in 2016 and would have been a part of the squad to travel to the Euros that summer had it not been for a knee injury.

Advertisement

However against Germany it was his replacement, Jamie Vardy, who perhaps inspired the Three Lions as he scored a late equaliser to set up a dramatic finale.

ATTACKING MIDFIELD: Dele Alli

A player who is really struggling to recapture the form he showed early in his career, Alli was unstoppable back in 2016.

The midfielder was named PFA Young Player of the Year in his first full year as a Tottenham player and the clash with Germany was arguably his highest profile success of that season.

Advertisement

STRIKER: Harry Kane

The 2015/16 campaign was the year in which the Premier League learned that Kane was no one-season wonder.

Advertisement

Having beaten Vardy and Sergio Aguero to the top flight's golden boot, Kane was now a regular feature for England after making his debut one year earlier, before going on to become arguably Gareth Southgate's top star.

Kane is among only three players who featured in this game to still be in the frame for England, along with Henderson and Dier.

How England lined up against Germany in 2016:

Top News

16 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Czech Republic suffered a huge blow ahead of Euro 2024 when key midfielder Michal Sadilek was forced to withdraw from the squad due to an injury which he suffered while riding a bike. 16 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Cristiano Ronaldo is set to lead the Portugal line in the country's Euro 2024 opener against Czech Republic, with the forward remaining a vital player for his country at the age of 39. 16 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk One of the favourites for this summer's European Championship will take to the field on Tuesday evening, with Portugal opening their Euro 2024 campaign against the Czech Republic at Leipzig Stadium. 16 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City are reportedly pushing to hijack Real Madrid's proposed move for River Plate starlet Franco Mastantuono. 16 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have reportedly received a significant boost in their pursuit of Crystal Palace's Michael Olise, as the Eagles have begun negotiations to sign a possible successor. 16 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk French giants Lille have reportedly rejected an offer from an unnamed Premier League club for the services of 18-year-old defender Leny Yoro. 16 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia will headline the Georgia side in the country's first-ever match in the finals of a major tournament on Tuesday evening. 16 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Turkey head coach Vincenzo Montella is expected to name Juventus' 19-year-old attacker Kenan Yildiz in his starting XI for Tuesday's Euro 2024 opener against Georgia. 16 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Group F at Euro 2024 will get underway on Tuesday evening in Dortmund, with Turkey and Georgia locking horns for what is likely to be a very important match in the section. 16 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk AC Milan are reportedly considering a move for Chelsea striker Armando Broja during this summer's transfer window. 16 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk England captain Harry Kane believes that the Three Lions' squad for Euro 2024 may be the "best" that his nation have ever had. 16 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Juventus have reportedly moved into pole position to sign Manchester United attacker Jadon Sancho, with the Old Lady cooling their interest in his teammate Mason Greenwood. 16 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United will reportedly have to come up with an offer of €50m (£42m) if they wish to sign Bayern Munich centre-back Matthijs de Ligt during this summer's transfer window. 16 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk France have received another timely injury boost before the start of their Euro 2024 campaign, as one of their fundamental cogs has returned to full training following injury. 16 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United have reportedly held talks with the representatives of Austrian youngster Oghenetejiri Adejenughure to discuss a move to Old Trafford this summer. 16 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Bayern Munich marksman Harry Kane is poised to break a handful of England records when the Three Lions tackle Serbia in Sunday's Euro 2024 Group C opener at the Veltins-Arena. 16 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Even before its first weekend of action is complete, the 17th European Championship has delivered a dizzying array of new bests and curious firsts. 16 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Croatia and Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric has drawn level with Cristiano Ronaldo on a record-breaking number of Euros appearances, but he may only stand alongside his Portuguese foe for a matter of days. 16 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The transfer window is open! Clubs around the UK and Europe are getting business done as they look to give themselves the best possible chance at success in the new season. 16 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Mere weeks after a gruelling domestic season concluded for the continent's most celebrated talents, 24 teams and over 600 players are now going again with Euro 2024 supremacy at stake. 16 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Vitoria vs. Internacional (Sunday, 8.00pm) Looking to secure their maiden win of the 2024 Brasileiro campaign at the ninth attempt, bottom side Vitoria will welcome Internacional to Estadio Manoel Barradas on Sunday afternoon. 16 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Ecuador vs. Honduras (Sunday, 8.30pm) Playing their final warm-up fixture ahead of the Copa America, Ecuador meet Honduras in Connecticut on Sunday evening. 16 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Poland vs. Netherlands (Sunday, 2.00pm) Getting Group D under way at Euro 2024, Poland and the Netherlands meet at Hamburg's Volksparkstadion on Sunday. 15 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool manager Arne Slot has reportedly given the thumbs-up to the Reds making a move for a highly-rated Eredivisie attacker in the summer transfer window. 15 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal have reportedly laid out their financial demands to let struggling attacker Emile Smith Rowe leave the club this summer. 15 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk One of Arsenal's home-grown talents has reportedly informed the Gunners that he wants to assess his options for a transfer elsewhere in the summer window. 15 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk European Championship holders Italy bounced back from an early setback to record a 2-1 victory over Albania in their Euro 2024 opener on Saturday night. 15 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Nedim Bajrami has broken a European Championship record after scoring in Albania's 2-1 defeat to Italy in their opening Euro 2024 Group B clash at Westfalenstadion on Saturday night. 15 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Croatia captain Luka Modric has said that his side must move on quickly from their disappointing 3-0 defeat to Spain in their opening match at Euro 2024. 15 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Spain captain Alvaro Morata is confident that he will be available for his country's second match at Euro 2024 after suffering an injury scare against Croatia on Saturday evening.