Gary Neville admitted that England’s victory over Slovakia at the Euros was largely due to luck, criticizing Gareth Southgate for excluding Trent Alexander-Arnold, which he described as “wrong.” Alexander-Arnold, who had not missed a game at the Euros before, did not participate as England narrowly defeated Slovakia 2-1 in extra time. 
Although the win secured their spot in the tournament’s quarter-finals, England’s overall performance has been lackluster, with ongoing struggles throughout. Neville sharply criticized Southgate’s lineup choices, particularly regarding the omission of Alexander-Arnold, insisting that the young player should have been on the field due to his exceptional skills at full-back.
Despite England’s eventual triumph, which included Jude Bellingham’s last-minute equalizer and Harry Kane’s subsequent winning goal, Neville expressed relief tempered with acknowledgment of England’s poor performance over four games. He emphasized the need for significant changes and suggested Southgate was close to making necessary adjustments.
Alongside Neville, Ian Wright summarized England’s tournament experience, highlighting a focus on individual players over team cohesion due to Southgate’s selections. Alexander-Arnold, who had faced scrutiny after playing in an unfamiliar midfield role in the first two games, exemplified this trend. Wright stressed the importance of structural improvements to enhance England’s ability to compete effectively.
