England’s 56-year wait for the World Cup to return to its shores came to an end on Saturday when the Three Lions were beaten 2-1 by defending champions France in the tournament’s quarter-finals in Qatar.
Many will see the departure as a disappointment considering the team England currently has, while others will be proud of how the team attacked France and fought to the end, but lost when it came to the sidelines.
Gareth Southgate’s future is now up in the air after Saturday’s defeat, as a more experienced manager could be the last piece of the puzzle to get this talented group of players to the other side of the line, although the current boss will. has done exceptionally compared to some of its predecessors.
That group showed their quality in Qatar, so here are the player ratings of the top stars of the Three Lions who led England to the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals.
Jordan Pickford – 7.5
Everton’s Jordan Pickford has rarely let down Gareth Southgate and that continued in Qatar. The goalkeeper’s best game was undoubtedly against Senegal in the round of 16, where he made some important saves when the game was still 0-0. He should have saved Aurelien Tchouameni’s goal against France, which was a great moment in the England campaign.
Kyle Walker – 7.5
Considering the preparation he had in the lead up to the tournament regarding his injury, Kyle Walker did exceptionally well on the biggest stages. His main job during the tournament was to keep Kylian Mbappe calm and the right-back passed the test with flying colors, despite England losing the match.
John Stones – 8.5
John Stones is now without a doubt one of the best centre-backs in world football and he proved his quality in Qatar. The Man City star was instrumental in the build-up to England’s game and also looked solid off the ball. The 28-year-old had a great tournament overall, but could have done better for Olivier Giroud’s winner against France.
Harry Maguire-8
Although no longer a Man United regular, Harry Maguire did very well in Qatar and continues to perform well in an England shirt. The centre-back was a big threat from set pieces and he came very close to scoring against France. This tournament should help him land a new club in the summer.
Lucas Shaw – 6.5
A tournament with ups and downs for Luke Shaw, who showed his quality and weaknesses in Qatar. He provided a threat for England’s left side but never got a goal contribution, which pretty much sums up the tournament for him.
Declan Rice – 8.5
Declan Rice will have no shortage of suitors if he changes clubs this summer and this tournament will only increase West Ham’s asking price. The midfielder’s performance against France was as good as anyone at the World Cup so far and the 23-year-old proved himself to be among the best defensive midfielders in the world.
Jude Bellingham-9
Jude Bellingham is a special talent and at just 19 years old he was England’s star at the 2022 World Cup. The Three Lions’ most consistent player in Qatar and is undoubtedly a future England captain. Borussia Dortmund can ask what they want for this talented midfielder.
Jordan Henderson – 8
He wasn’t expected to appear long before the tournament, but Jordan Henderson proved valuable in Qatar. He was exceptional against Senegal in the round of 16 and performed well in what could be his last World Cup.
Bukayo Saka – 9
Bukayo Saka was the biggest attacking threat for the Three Lions throughout the tournament and finished it off with three goals. The Arsenal star was excellent against France and is the future of this England team.
Harry Kane-7
Two goals and three assists were a decent return for Harry Kane, considering he didn’t look at his best during this World Cup. However, the England captain’s tournament will be remembered for the missed penalty against France.
Phil Foden-6.5
Foden’s best performances came against Wales and Senegal, but he failed to make his mark against France. The Man City star did well, but his tournament was nothing special.
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Gareth Southgate – 7.5
Same old story for Gareth Southgate, as his initial game plan generally succeeded, but he failed to make the necessary adjustments to the game. He did the right thing by attacking France instead of playing the safe option, if Harry Kane scores his penalty England could have been looking for a final.
