The thing that has most struck Lewis Dunk, back in the England squad after a five‑year hiatus, is the collective confidence, the way that Gareth Southgate and his players frame victory at the European Championship next summer as the only available option.
“We had a meeting the other day and he’s talking about winning the Euros and the whole squad is thinking about winning the Euros,” Dunk says. “I would say that’s the big change – in mentality. It’s not: ‘How far can we get in a tournament?’ It’s: ‘We will win this tournament. We want to win this tournament.’ Being around these top players, I can see why he is saying that.”
