Conor Gallagher: My favourite England XI
Midfield selects a side packed with England and Chelsea legends as he becomes the latest to take part in our regular series
The beauty of football is that we all have an opinion. If you asked everyone attending an England game who should start, you’d no doubt end up with lots of different line-ups and formations.
Throw in any England player from any era, and the task is even harder. But it’s an ongoing debate that will never cease to entertain or fuel a bit of discussion: who would be in your favourite England team?
But for us, it is not about the perceived best, but your favourite Three Lions players. That’s the question we asked Conor Gallagher as part of our regular series.
Formation: 4-4-2
Goalkeeper: Jordan Pickford
I’m going to put Jordan in goal. He’s been very consistent when he’s been with the national team. He’s been the No.1 whenever I’ve played with England and he’s just a top keeper.
Right-back: Reece James
He’s going to have a great England career, I’m sure of it. Reece is a top player. He’s another one I grew up with at Chelsea, and we’re good mates.
Centre-back: Marc Guéhi
Marc is one of my close friends and I hope he goes on to play many more times for England. We grew up playing together in the Chelsea Academy and we were at Swansea and Palace together too. We’re pretty close and I think he’d be a good partner for JT.
Centre-back: John Terry
He’s a leader on and off the pitch and he was a great player who always put his body on the line. He could play with both feet too and is an absolute legend.
Left-back: Ashley Cole
He was absolutely the best left-back when he was playing. He was just so consistent, whether he was up or down the pitch. He’s a Chelsea legend as well, which helps and is an easy pick.
Right midfield: David Beckham
Becks is an England legend. Not only that, but he played in Italy, Spain, and France as well as England, which is impressive. He was a great leader, so he has to be in there. He’d be my captain too.
Centre midfield: Frank Lampard
I’ve got to have Frank Lampard in there. As a Chelsea supporter, he was someone I looked up to growing up. He did so much for club and country and was a world-class player. The amount of goals he scored playing from midfield is so impressive.
Centre midfield: Steven Gerrard
He’s another player I looked up to. He could affect the game from midfield – sometimes on his own – whether that was with goals or assists.
Left midfield: Raheem Sterling
You’ve got to have a modern-day footballer in there, someone with pace and who can score goals. Raz has had a great England career so far, and I’m sure he’ll carry on for the next few years. He’s a good friend, and I think he’d do well in this team.
Centre forward: Wayne Rooney
He was a top player. He scored so many goals for club and country, but he was more than just a goalscorer. He was aggressive off the ball, contributed loads of assists, and was a decent playmaker towards the end of his playing career.
Centre forward: Harry Kane
It’s only right that our current captain, and England’s all-time top goalscorer, goes in there. His mentality to keep scoring goals, and his levels of professionalism, are amazing. He’s a top striker and a great leader. He and Rooney, that’s a decent partnership.
Gallagher: My grassroots story