So on the eve of the 2018 FIFA World Cup I thought it might be interesting to see what everyone's 'favourite' England 11 is + 5 subs of 4 outfield plays (any position) and a GK.
Can use any players from any era so long as they have represented England at senior level. Only other rule is it must be a recognised formation ie 442 or 532 etc. Might be nice to choose your favourite manager as well.
Here is my team - 442:
GK: Gordon Banks
RB: Phil Neal
LB: Stuart Pearce (sorry)
CB: Terry Butcher
CB: Jackie Charlton
MR: John Barnes
ML: Paul Gascoine
MC: Bryan Robson
MC: Trevor Brooking
CF: Gary Lineker
CF: Kevin Keegan
Manager: Bobby Robson
Subs:
Ray Clemence (GK)
Tommy Lawton (would have been in first 11 but never saw him play)
David Beckham
Marcus Rashford
Steve Coppell
Banks
Neville G. Ray Wilson
Moore. J Charlton
R Charlton, Gascoine. Robson. Ball
Shearer. Lineker
Subs. Shilton. Neal. Mc Farland. Keegan. Hoddle. Greaves. Stiles
I've put the two Bobbys (Bobbies?) in and eradicated the Red menace.
4-1-3-2, which was the formation used in the 1966 final (see link), but back then they called it 4-4-2. It isn't really though, because it's not two banks of 4. Could call it 4-4-2 with a diamond, but this team is designed to attack. Bryan Robson steps into the Nobby Stiles role and Bobby Charlton plays as himself.
GK Gordon Banks
RB: Gary Neville
LB: Ashley Cole
CB: Terry Butcher
CB: Bobby Moore
DM: Bryan Robson
LM: Paul Gascoigne
AM: Bobby Charlton
RM: Paul Scholes
CF: Gary Lineker
CF: Michael Owen
Manager: Glenn Hoddle
Subs:
David Seaman
Alan Ball
Frank Lampard
Alan Shearer
Jimmy Greaves
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1966_FIFA_World_Cup_Final
Not an easy task
Banks
Cohen Moore Campbell Pearce
Charlton Hoddle Robson
Gascoigne
Rooney Lineker
Cannot believe you lot, bloke scores a hat-trick in a Wembley World Cup Final and he doesn't even get a place in any of your teams so far, and not even on a subs bench.... and he's a Sir...
Well he's one of my favourites, along with Sir Bobby Charlton
I'll go with the 1966 team as my favourite.
There are many reasons why people have different ‘favourite’ players, the thread is not necessarily about achievement but about choosing players who have had an impact on you for one reason or another. I would imagine most will be because they were the players you watched as a youngster when you were more susceptible to their influence.