Some England players were surprised by Gareth Southgate’s decision to put Bukayo Saka in the first five penalty takers against Italy, according to reports.
The 19-year-old Arsenal forward’s penalty was saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma to hand Italy victory in the Euro 2020 final with some fans and pundits feeling more experienced England players should have been taking a spot-kick.
The clash with Italy ended 1-1 after extra-time, with Roberto Mancini’s men silencing Wembley by triumphing 3-2 on penalties after Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Saka failed from the spot in the shoot-out.
The top ten reasons for England optimism after Euro 2020
And now the Daily Mail claim some of England’s players ‘were shocked’ by Southgate’s decision to award Saka the crucial fifth penalty in the shoot-out.
Click Here: cheap converse classic chuck shoes
More experienced players such as Raheem Sterling, Luke Shaw and Jack Grealish didn’t make the cut as they were left for possible sudden death.
Having ‘never previously taken a penalty at senior level’ the England players ‘were shocked that a teenager had been put in a position to determine the outcome of their biggest match in 55 years’.
The list of penalty takers was decided by a ‘league table’ drawn up by England coach Steve Holland, who had been monitoring ‘players’ performances from the spot in training last season’.
The report adds that if Saka had scored his penalty then he was ‘due to be followed by Grealish, [Jordan] Pickford and Kalvin Phillips in that order, with Sterling not due to take one until England’s ninth penalty at the earliest.’
Pickford was apparently set to be England’s sixth penalty taker, only for Grealish to insist on taking one and therefore moving up the order from eighth to sixth.
Rashford, Sancho and Saka were all subjected to abusive posts in the wake of their missed penalties in the shoot-out.
Figures within the sport, from the Government and even the Duke of Cambridge were united in their condemnation for the abuse, and Three Lions captain Harry Kane said on Twitter: “Three lads who were brilliant all summer had the courage to step up and take a pen when the stakes were high.
“They deserve support and backing not the vile racist abuse they’ve had since last night. If you abuse anyone on social media you’re not an England fan and we don’t want you.”