Graeme Souness has urged Gareth Southgate to drop England captain and record goalscorer Harry Kane for the Euro 2024 final against Spain.
The Three Lions are one game away from lifting their first major trophy in 58 years and winning the Euros for the first time as they prepare to meet Luis de la Fuente’s impressive Spain side on Sunday night.
Southgate has made subtle changes to his team throughout the tournament, relying heavily on a core group that includes his skipper Kane.
But Souness believes the England boss must ‘seriously consider’ dropping the Bayern Munich striker and bringing in Ollie Watkins for the Euro 2024 final in Berlin.
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Kane enjoyed a prolific first season at Bayern after leaving boyhood club Tottenham last summer – scoring 44 goals in 45 games in all competitions – but the 30-year-old picked up an injury towards the end of the campaign which appears to be affecting him at the Euros.
Despite looking far from fully fit, Kane has still scored three goals in the tournament, making him the joint-top goalscorer and a huge contender to claim the Golden Boot award.
Kane was replaced by Watkins late on in the semi-final against the Netherlands and the Aston Villa striker went on to score a 90th-minute winner to send England into back-to-back European Championship finals.
‘Gareth Southgate faces the biggest football decision of his life on Saturday: whether to drop Harry Kane,’ Souness told the Daily Mail.
‘If he gets it right, it is a decision that will make Gareth a national hero and, on current evidence, I’d say you have to leave Harry out.
‘I’ve been one of Harry’s greatest supporters. He is a fantastic goalscorer, who has shown terrific ability at Tottenham, Bayern Munich and for England but this tournament he has looked like he is towing a caravan around the football pitch.
‘The introduction of Ollie Watkins against the Netherlands enlivened the team. Park the fact he scored a wonderful goal, his contribution changed England as an attacking threat.
‘Gareth has been fiercely loyal to Harry, often with good reason as he has been a matchwinner on many occasions, and as I’ve said before I wouldn’t like to begin to second guess what England’s manager does next, but he has to seriously consider this change.’
England underwhelmed in their three Euro 2024 group games but still managed to top Group C and move into the easier side of the draw.
Southgate’s side needed a late and dramatic comeback to get past Slovakia and then beat Switzerland on penalties in the quarter-finals and the Dutch last time out.
Spain, meanwhile, topped Group B with three victories before dispatching Georgia, knocking out hosts Germany and edging past France to reach the final.
Looking ahead to the showpiece event, Souness added: ‘Spain are the favourites, but they are certainly not unbeatable.
‘England, with their players, should have no fears, they have to adopt that mentality to finally win this tournament for the first time.’
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