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…

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

STRIKER: Harry Kane

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

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:

Read full version: https://talksport.com/football/1124557/england-team-germany-roy-hodgson-2016-dele-alli-harry-kane/

1966
Adam Lallana
Alf Ramsey
Chris Smalling
Danny Rose
Danny Welbeck
Dele Alli
Dier
England
Eric
Euro 2020
Football
Fraser Forster
Gareth Southgate
Gary Cahill
Germany
Hamme
Harry Kane
Inter
Jack Butland
Jamie Vardy
Jordan Henderson
Lallana
Nathaniel Clyne
Ross Barkley
Smalling
Sven Goran Eriksson
Wembley
Wembley Stadium
West Germany
World Cup

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