Kyle Walker captained England for the first time last night as England drew with North Macedonia. Walker was the 12th player to captain England under Southgate, but who have been the England captains under Southgate?
Manchester City defender and experienced England man, Walker, led his country out away at North Macedonia as the refereeing display took the shine away from his big night.
Walker became yet another name on the list of players to captain England. He’s also the 12th player to captain England during Southgate’s leadership.
Southgate took charge of England in 2016, in a move what was deemed as a temporary measure by the FA. Despite his lack of experience at club level, Southgate did manage the England under 21’s for three years prior.
Under his tenure, England have gone from strength to strength. They’ve reached a World Cup semi-final and Euro’s final. It’s hoped he can guide England to Euro success in 2024, especially with rumours it might be his last one as England manager.
We’ve looked at the England captains under Southgate. To be included in the list, the player had to start the game as England captain and not take the armband during the game.
Harry Kane – 62 Games
Southgate’s long term captain has been former Spurs, now Bayern striker, Harry Kane. Kane has captained England 62 times and counting.
His first game as England captain under Southgate came in a 2-2 draw with Scotland in June 2017. Since then, he has been captain at both the 2018 World Cup and 2020 Euros.
England’s all-time scorer will be leading England into another major tournament next summer. He’ll be hoping to get his hands on a trophy for his nation.
Jordan Henderson – 9 Games
The man tasked with captaining England in Kane’s absence is usually Jordan Henderson. Henderson has worn the armband under Southgate nine times. The first being a 2-2 draw with Spain in November 2016 and the most recent being a 1-0 win against Australia.
Since his move to Saudi Arabia, there have been questions raised about his inclusion. Henderson has continued to display excellent leadership qualities in games. That leadership means he’s likely to be in the squad for the upcoming Euros.
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Eric Dier & Raheem Sterling – 4 games
Eric Dier and Raheem Sterling have both been England captains under Southgate on four occasions. The pair aren’t part of the squad at the moment, but were important members when Southgate first took over.
Spurs defender Dier was captain for two big games back to back in November 2017. Dier captained England at Wembley against Germany and Brazil, both 0-0 draws. His last game as captain came in September 2018, a 1-0 win against Switzerland. His England days appear to be past him, Dier has been out of the squad for some time.
🏴 England’s only EURO goal direct from a free-kick…
➡️ Eric Dier vs Russia, EURO 2016 ⚽️@England | @ericdier pic.twitter.com/T1hE42TnST
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) February 15, 2021
Sterling, who captained England in June 2019 for the first time, was captain as recent as June 2022. Now at Chelsea, he’ll be keen to get his England career back on track.
Wayne Rooney & Kieran Trippier – 2 Games
Two players have captained England twice under Southgate, Wayne Rooney and Kieran Trippier.
Rooney, one of the greatest England players of all time, was coming to the end of his career when Southgate took charge. His last game as England captain was a 3-0 win over Scotland in November 2016. Rooney retired two years later in a 3-0 win against the USA.
Trippier is still an important part of Southgate’s squad. The Newcastle United captain can play both left and right back, making him a useful member of the team.
Gary Cahill, Joe Hart, Fabian Delph, Harry Maguire & Marcus Rashford – 1 Game
There are five people who’ve been England captain under Southgate once. Gary Cahill, Joe Hart, Fabian Delph, Harry Maguire and Marcus Rashford all worn the armband once under Southgate.
Cahill and Delph, who are now both retired, were part of Southgate’s squads during his early years. Former Chelsea defender Cahill captained England against Germany, a 1-0 defeat in March 2017. Delph captained England under Southgate in the 3-0 win against the USA, Rooney’s final game.
Hart, who now plays for Celtic, was England captain under Southgate against Lithuania in March 2017. Hart hasn’t been part of the England squad since 2017.
Manchester United pair, Maguire and Rashford, have both been England captains under Southgate once. Defender Maguire wore the armband against the Republic of Ireland in November 2020. While Rashford did in June 2021 against Romania. The pair are still a part of the Southgate’s team and will be expecting to go to Germany.
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