Former England defender Rio Ferdinand criticized England’s lack of direction in their draw with Denmark during Euro 2024.

England’s performance in their 1-1 draw against Denmark at Euro 2024 has come under scrutiny from former players and pundits. Rio Ferdinand, in particular, criticized Gareth Southgate’s tactics, stating that England were “tactically inferior” to Denmark. Ferdinand expressed concern about the lack of direction and the defensive setup of the team.

Alan Shearer, another former England striker, agreed with Ferdinand’s assessment and believed that Denmark deserved to win the game. Shearer highlighted the lack of energy and guile in England’s performance and stated that there is much more to come from the players.

Ferdinand emphasized the need for Southgate to find a way for his players to replicate their club-level performances on the international stage. He pointed out that players like Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham are not playing in their best positions and are not performing at their best. Ferdinand suggested that Bellingham might be better off playing as a No. 8.

Shearer also criticized the performance of Harry Kane, despite him opening the scoring. Shearer believes that Kane needs players running in behind defences to support him and suggested that Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon could provide the necessary energy and ability to do so.

Overall, both Ferdinand and Shearer agreed that Southgate is not getting the best out of England’s best players and that there is much room for improvement in the team’s performance.