Rio Ferdinand calls out Gareth Southgate over England loss - 'Could've been more positive'
Rio Ferdinand believes England manager Gareth Southgate “could have been more positive” after the Three Lions fell to a penalty shootout defeat to Italy in the European Championship final at Wembley on Sunday night.
England were beaten 3-2 on spot-kicks after Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka all missed from 12 yards out, with Gianluigi Donnarumma saving from the latter two penalty takers.
Southgate’s side had led inside two minutes of normal time in the nation’s capital when left wing-back Luke Shaw hammered in right wing-back Kieran Trippier’s cross at the back post.
Leonardo Bonucci cancelled out that goal from close range in the second half to force extra time, in which no team could find a winner, forcing the game into a dreaded shootout which England ultimately lost.
But Ferdinand called into question Southgate’s tactics, asking whether he was reactive enough to the Italian changes which swung the game in their favour as they took control of the tie in the second half and in extra time.
Former England and Manchester United defender Ferdinand declared on the BBC’s coverage: “Italy adapted, England didn’t.
