The Sun Newspaper

IT is eight months since England’s heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat to Italy in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley.Here we assess how last summer’s heroes have fared since and who is still in the frame for the World Cup finals in Qatar this winter.
England wideman Phil Foden had a dip in form for Man City but is shining againCredit: PA
Skipper Harry Kane is back to his best to the delight of boss Gareth SouthgateCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
Summer star Jordan Pickford is being pressed by Aaron Ramsdale for the No1 spotCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
GOALKEEPERS
NUMBER one Jordan Pickford, who made two saves in the shootout defeat to Italy, is having a tough season with relegation-threatened Everton.
But Pickford has often saved his team from even more trouble, so has actually done OK.
Aaron Ramsdale has been a major success at Arsenal and some fans would prefer to see him in goal.
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STORIES.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}.css-gmec1d{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;height:auto;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-align-content:center;-ms-flex-line-pack:center;align-content:center;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:flex-start;justify-content:flex-start;margin-left:calc(-20px/2);margin-right:calc(-20px/2);}.css-fh9577{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;margin-left:calc(20px/2);margin-right:calc(20px/2);}.css-65fvqt{max-width:302px;max-height:294px;}.css-1exhbll{box-sizing:border-box;overflow:hidden;background-color:rgba(237,245,242,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;position:relative;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;max-width:302px;max-height:294px;}.css-bk55po{box-sizing:border-box;display:block;position:relative;margin-bottom:0;}.css-1shocxe{box-sizing:border-box;}.css-1a2irou{box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;}.css-1a2irou 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Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}RICE SKATER .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Man Utd transfer target Rice has run with ball further than any Prem player
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DEFENCE
IT has been a mixed bag for Gareth Southgate’s defenders.
Harry Maguire featured in the Euro 2020 team of the tournament. But the Manchester United captain is having the toughest season of his career with his form all over the place.
Luke Shaw, outstanding at the Euros, has been inconsistent for United this season but is showing signs of being back to his best.
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John Stones, who played in the centre of the three-man defence in the final, is suffering a terrible season with Manchester City.
He has only started nine club games due to the form of Aymeric Laporte and Ruben Dias.  A major concern.
Kieran Trippier was dropped from the last England squad in November and  is now injured.
Reece James is also picking up injuries while Chelsea team-mate Ben Chilwell is out for the season with a cruciate ligament problem.
Kyle Walker has generally done well at City while Arsenal’s Ben White, unused at the Euros, will surely  feature more.
MIDFIELD
DECLAN RICE has been outstanding for West Ham and will have a massive part to play for England at the World Cup.
He continues to mature and looks to have one hell of a career ahead of him.
Midfield partner Kalvin Philips enjoyed a good Euros and this season was carrying Leeds at times. Has been out since December with a hamstring injury.
Declan Rice looks to be a shoe-in and Ben White hopes to grab a Qatar spot tooCredit: PA
Euro 2020 regular Mason Mount has had a mixed season for ChelseaCredit: Rex
Mason Mount has been hit and miss for Chelsea while Jude Bellingham continues to prove   he could eventually be one of Europe’s best midfielders with some terrific performances for Dortmund.
Phil Foden missed the final with an injury but, apart from a mid-season dip which coincided with an unauthorised night out alongside Jack Grealish, is playing like a superstar.
City new-boy Grealish has really struggled since leaving Aston Villa for £100million.
ATTACK
CAPTAIN Harry Kane will want to forget the first half of the campaign, although he is now back to his best.
Raheem Sterling was a major hit at Euro 2020 and was in the team of the tournament.
He has suffered an up-and-down season and is getting extremely frustrated at being on the bench at Manchester City.
Key striker Harry Kane is firing again after a slow start to the campaignCredit: PA
Jadon Sancho, Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford missed  penalties in the shootout and it should not be underestimated how difficult it was for them to overcome the disgraceful abuse they received.
United pair Sancho and Rashford have been dropped by Southgate but  Saka has become the key man for Arsenal.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has suffered a wretched season due to injury.
ALSO IN THE MIX
TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD missed out on the Euros with injury and faces a fight to be in the World Cup squad, while Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse and Emile Smith Rowe of Arsenal are having good seasons at club level.
Tammy Abraham is back in the international frame after scoring 23 times for Roma, though he pulled out of the  current squad with injury.
VERDICT
THE first half of the season has not been smooth for many of Southgate’s players.
Midfielder Rice has been the standout England performer in the Prem. Saka and Foden are also showing great promise while Kane is now looking back to his old self.
For Stones, Rashford, Sancho, Calvert-Lewin and Grealish the last few weeks of the season cannot be any worse than most of this term. More

GARETH BALE slammed Spanish media TWICE in 24 hours, blasting: “We all know who the real parasite is!”The Real Madrid star delivered a powerful warning that “malicious” attacks can damage athletes’ mental health and “send them over the edge”.
Gareth Bale was in sensational form for Rob Page’s sideCredit: Alamy
Marca labelled Bale a ‘parasite’Credit: Marca
Bale has a bitter relationship with some of the LaLiga media.
Sports daily Marca mocked him up as an insect sucking blood from the club badge, branding him a parasite.
Bale was also a target for fierce criticism after missing Sunday’s 4-0 thrashing by Barcelona with a niggle.
He responded with two wonder goals as Wales beat Austria 2-1 in the World Cup play-off — and celebrated by mouthing ‘suck that’ in response to the trolls.
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Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}BALE FORCE .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Bale accused of ‘trampling on’ Real as Spanish pundits lay into Wales star
Bale, 32, labelled his critics “disgraceful” in a post-match interview, adding they “should be ashamed of themselves”.
Then he took to social media to blast Marca’s “slanderous and derogatory” attack.
He wrote: “I have developed a thick skin, but that doesn’t mean articles like these don’t cause upset to those at the receiving end of these malicious stories.
“I have witnessed the toll they can take on people’s mental and physical health.”
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F1 star Lewis Hamilton has previously praised tennis ace Naomi Osaka for pulling out of last year’s French Open for the sake of her wellbeing.
And Bale added: “Everyday pressure on athletes is immense. Negative attention could easily send an already stressed athlete over the edge.
“So I want to use my platform to encourage change in the way we publicly talk about people.”
Bale is on a mission to drag Wales to the World CupCredit: Getty More