Player ratings: how did England perform at Euro 2020?

Cameron Loftus
12 July 2021

England made history at Euro 2020, reaching the final of the European Championships for the first time. As the dust begins to settle, Planet Sport takes a look at how well each player performed.

After falling at the final hurdle, the Three Lions can look back on a summer in which they brought a sense of joy and pride back to the nation.

Here, Planet Sport evaluates the England players' performances during Euro 2020.

Jordan Pickford - 8

The Everton goalkeeper barely put a foot wrong.

He only conceded two goals, both from set pieces. However, there were question marks about both, especially Mikkel Damsgaard's opener for Denmark in the semi-final.

His kicking became more erratic under pressure but his tally of five clean sheets was the most in the tournament.

Kyle Walker - 8

Kyle Walker again displayed his versatility, featuring in his usual right-back position but also showing that he is just as good, if not better, as the right centre-back of a three.

His defensive awareness and speed were a crucial component to England's success and the 31-year-old will head back to 4/6 Premier League outright favourites Manchester City in good spirits as he once again does battle with Joao Cancelo for a starting role.

Luke Shaw - 8

Luke Shaw will be remembered for scoring the fastest ever goal in a European Championship final, but aside from this, the Manchester United left-back was in inspired form.

He received criticism from former boss Jose Mourinho, but overcame the hate on the pitch and proved to Gareth Southgate that he deserved the left-back spot.

Shaw was always a menace with his lung-busting runs forward and got his reward in the final. He also grabbed three assists and four goal contributions overall, more than any of his England team-mates. Not bad for a defender!

Declan Rice - 7.5

Big things were expected from Declan Rice coming into the tournament on the back of a stellar season for surprise packages West Ham.

The rangy holding midfielder certainly did what was expected of him, unassumingly marshalling the centre of the park and often providing the thrust from midfield.

He saved his best performance for the final and it was noticeable that England's performance tailed off even further after Rice had been withdrawn in place of Jordan Henderson.

He now returns to West Ham, who will be looking to improve on a strong 2020/21 campaign. They are 12/1 to finish in the top four and 5/1 to finish in the top six next season.

John Stones - 8

An ever-present for Gareth Southgate in the run to the final, John Stones' performances were the model of consistency.

Forming part of a backline that only let in two goals in seven matches, the Manchester City centre-back conceded just two fouls during the entire tournament.

Harry Maguire - 8

After missing the first two games through injury, Harry Maguire slotted in seamlessly on his return. Can rightfully claim to be in the world-class defender category and even got on the scoresheet with a powerful headed effort against Ukraine.

Led by example in the final and even found time to produce a nerveless penalty in the shootout.

Jack Grealish - 6.5

He played five of the seven matches but that does not tell the whole story. Jack Grealish only racked up 172 minutes on the pitch and only started one match before being replaced. He was even replaced after coming on as a substitute.

The playmaker did flicker when given enough minutes, especially against Germany when he turned the game on its head and helped England to a 2-0 victory.

A target for Manchester City, among others this summer, Grealish's name is set to be on the back pages long after Euro 2020 is forgotten.

Jordan Henderson - 6

Battling his way back from a long-term injury, the Liverpool man had to watch from the sidelines as Rice and Kalvin Phillips took a stranglehold of the central midfield positions.

For all the talk of his influence off the pitch, he offered very little when he came on, save for a goal against Ukraine when the match was already long since won.

Harry Kane - 6

Huge things were expected of Harry Kane in this tournament and he blew hot and cold.

The wantaway Tottenham Hotspur striker failed to score in the three group stage games but then bagged four in three as England saw off Germany, Ukraine and Denmark.

He was criticised for coming too deep to receive the ball and often looked cumbersome when isolated.

That will not prevent clubs queuing up for his services in the summer, though. A reported £200million asking fee might, however.

Raheem Sterling - 8.5

Goals win you games and Raheem Sterling stepped up when his country needed him most.

Not thought of as an automatic pick going into the tournament, Sterling played 641 minutes across seven matches, opening the scoring in three of them.

The Manchester City winger was always bright and looking to run at and commit defenders. He was also considered favourite for the Player of the Tournament award before the final and Gianluigi Donnarumma's heroics.

Marcus Rashford - 5.5

Like Grealish, Marcus Rashford also got less game time than he maybe deserved as Southgate struggled to juggle his abundance of attacking talent.

Five substitute appearances were all that Rashford could conjure and he failed to produce a shot all tournament.

He was also one of three England players to miss a crucial penalty in the shootout.

Kieran Trippier - 7

La Liga winner Trippier was consistent when called upon by Gareth Southgate, and like Kyle Walker, is a right full-back able to play in multiple positions.

He featured at left wing-back in England's first match, a shock pick by the boss but Trippier put in a strong performance.

The defender then featured in every knockout game, culminating in the final against Italy when he set up Luke Shaw for his early opener.

He has been linked with a return to the Premier League but is reportedly highly thought of by Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid, who are 7/2 to win La Liga again next season.

Kalvin Phillips - 8

Emerged with a greatly enhanced reputation after making the most of his opportunity against Croatia in the opener.

The Leeds midfielder was energetic, not afraid to tackle and elevated the whole team with his running in the centre of the pitch.

Provided the assist for Raheem Sterling's goal in the 1-0 win over Croatia with a burst from midfield to show that he is not just a defensive option.

He'll now go back to Leeds United, who will be looking to improve on their top 10 finish last season by breaking into the Europa League places. They are 9/2 to finish in the top six.

Tyrone Mings - 7

The Aston Villa centre-back deputised while Harry Maguire made his way back from injury and, in fairness, did little wrong.

He made four tackles and completed seven ball recoveries in just 191 minutes on the pitch, but he's just not Harry Maguire.

Jadon Sancho - 6

Jadon Sancho only had one match to show what he could do, impressing in the comprehensive 4-0 win over Ukraine.

His link up play and movement from the right wing kept the Ukranians constantly guessing and his fancy footwork helped him to unlock their defence on multiple occasions.

The winger, who looks Manchester United-bound, only had another seven minutes to showcase his talents and missed a crucial penalty in the shootout loss to Italy.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin - N/A

Being back-up to one of the best strikers in the world is a tough gig and this was reflected in the paltry 18 minutes he got on the pitch.

Mason Mount - 6.5

Both Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell missed out on the game against the Czech Republic due to quarantine and he was an unused substitute against Germany.

When he did play, he was often utilised in a central position, dropping into midfield to try and make space for others. However, it didn't always have the desired effect.

His workrate could not be questioned but he will know he can perform to a better standard.

Phil Foden - 6

Tipped to be the Young Player of the Tournament, Phil Foden started two games in the group but only managed one substitute appearance in the latter stages.

Showed early glimpses of promise, striking the post against Croatia when cutting in on his favoured left foot, but like many of the other attacking options, he was unable to recapture his domestic form on the international stage.

Reece James - 6.5

Reece James played 90 minutes against Scotland in the 0-0 stalemate, keeping a clean sheet and completing a hugely impressive 84 out of 85 passes for a 99% pass completion rate.

Bukayo Saka - 7.5

Bukayo Saka was the true breakout star in Gareth Southgate's squad.

His bravery led to him taking the fifth penalty for England in the shootout defeat to Italy but it should be remembered that this was the very same bravery which saw him take the game to Germany and Denmark in the knockout stages. How he bounces back will be a true mark of the player he is set to become.

Jude Bellingham - 6

Yet another with the world at his feet, Jude Bellingham only turned 18 during the tournament itself. The central midfielder made a couple of appearances from the bench and did not look out of place.

His maturity on the pitch defies belief and there is so much to get excited about with the Birmingham-born Borussia Dortmund player, who will be looking to guide his side to the Bundesliga title next season, a feat they are 7/1 to achieve.