Lallana & Welbeck: What it’s like to play for England at a Euros
Brighton players representing their country at international tournaments still feels like something of a weird concept. That is because it barely happened before 2016, a time when current Albion favourites Adam Lallana and Danny Welbeck were regularly turning out for England at World Cups and Euros.
Welbeck went to three competitions with the Three Lions, travelling to Euro 2012, the 2014 World Cup and the 2018 World Cup. Lallana joined Welbeck in Brazil and was part of Roy Hodgson’s England squad for the 2016 Euros in France.
Speaking to Betway in an interview about what it it like to play for England at the Euros, both conveyed their pride at representing their country at the pinnacle of the game.
“The whole country is behind you,” said Welbeck. “Growing up at the Manchester United academy, we’d always been told to play the game and not the occasion. Try and take that pressure and use it as a positive.”
Welbeck certainly did that at Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine. Having drawn 1-1 with France in their first group game, the Three Lions needed a victory against Sweden in Kiev if they were to stand a chance of progressing to the knockout stages.
A crazy game saw Andy Carroll give England the lead. A Glen Johnson own goal levelled things up, the bearded beast Olof Mellberg put Sweden ahead before Theo Walcott equalised just three minutes after replacing James Milner.
That set the stage for Welbeck to score the winner with 12 minutes remaining via a goal of the highest quality. Walcott provided the assist, darting into the box to deliver a cross which Welbeck met with a cheeky backheel flick past Andreas Isaksson to give England a first ever competitive win over Sweden.
Hodgson’s side beat Ukraine in their final group game to progress to the quarter finals, where they suffered a penalty shoot defeat to Italy.
Welbeck had already been withdrawn prior to Italy match reaching those dreaded spot kicks – just as well if his penalty in West Brom 1-0 Brighton back in February was anything to go by.
Fast forward four years from Welbeck starring and it was time for Lallana to shine at a Euros for England. Lallana was one of the few bright spots for the Three Lions at France 2016, where his performances were good enough to help him be voted as England Player of the Year.
Lallana started all four of England’s games at the tournament; a 1-1 draw with Russia, the glorious last-gasp 2-1 win over Wales, a 0-0 draw with Slovakia and then that infamous exit at the hands of Iceland (the country, not the shop where Kerry Katona does her weekly).
“When you win, there is no better feeling in football,” Lallana told Betway. “It is worth fighting through the disappointments just to achieve those moments. I’m sure I will look back one day once I’ve retired and be extremely proud of those occasions and moments during my career.”
In those Euros that Welbeck and Lallana went to, England failed to get beyond the quarter finals. If Gareth Southgate’s class of 2021 (or should that be 2020?) are to advance further, then they will need to find a way to defeat Germany at Wembley in the second round.
The last time England won against Die Mannschaft, Welbeck and Lallana both started. Things were going very swimmingly for the World Champions, who led 2-0 through Toni Kroos and Mario Gomez with an hour played in Berlin in an international friendly which took place two months before Euro 2016.
Harry Kane pulled one back before Hodgson withdrew both future Brighton players in a double change on 71 minutes. On came Ross Barkley and Jamie Vardy, which turned out to be quite an inspired bit of management from Old Roy.
Vardy netted the equaliser three minutes after his introduction, Barkley buzzed around like the new Paul Gascoigne and eventually, Eric Dier popped up to head home Jordan Henderson’s corner in the 91st minute to complete a famous comeback.
If starting Lallana and Welbeck together is the secret to beating Germany, then perhaps Southgate should give the duo a call before England’s date with destiny at Wembley?
You can watch Adam Lallana and Danny Welbeck talking about their England Euros experience by visiting the Betway website.
