Jadon Sancho is ready to take his chance to show everyone what he can do, with the England winger confident of getting the better of some familiar faces if unleashed against Germany.
All eyes are on Tuesday’s mammoth European Championship last-16 tie at Wembley, where more than 40,000 people will be under the arch cheering on the Three Lions.
England topped Group D unbeaten as 1-0 wins over Croatia and the Czech Republic bookended the 0-0 draw with Scotland, but the side’s impressive defence has yet to be complemented by attacking joy.
The struggles in front of goal have led questions to grow as to why Sancho has yet to be properly utilised, with six minutes off the bench against the Czechs his only Euro 2020 game time to date.
But the talented 21-year-old is not letting frustration get the better of him and the Borussia Dortmund winger is ready for a larger role if called upon when Germany visit.
“It was definitely special to get my first minutes in the game,” Sancho said of his major tournament debut at Wembley.
“It’s something that I will never forget and definitely, hopefully I can get more minutes in games to come and just take my time when I get my chance to play. I’ll show everyone what I can do.
“I know quite a lot of the players in Germany. I play against them week in, week out.
“It’s definitely interesting seeing them with their national team so hopefully, again, if I play then I would know the ins and outs of what players can do.”
Asked if it would be advantage knowing the German players from his time in the Bundesliga, Sancho said: “For me, yeah, definitely.
“Maybe not for the others because they obviously the play in the Premier League, so for me and Jude [Bellingham] definitely because we know what players can do and can’t do and their specialties. Yeah, it’s definitely a boost.”
Sancho is unlikely to be in Germany much longer as talks between Dortmund and Manchester United progress over a big-money switch to Old Trafford.
It would mean a return to the northwest for the 21-year-old, whose bold decision to leave Manchester City for Signal Iduna Park in 2017 has paid off in spades.
Sancho’s superb performances in Dortmund also helped provide the pathway for 17-year-old Jude Bellingham, whose outstanding first season in Germany after joining from Birmingham led him to be called into England’s Euros squad.
“The kid is mature,” Sancho told the ‘Official England Podcast’.
“I think everyone can notice that, but he deserves it at the end of the day.
“He’s been working extremely hard at Dortmund, especially his first training you could just tell already that he was ready to ball out in Germany so I’m very happy for him and his family.
“The sky’s the limit for Jude.
“Being at a major tournament for England, especially, is a very big thing and, as you can see, he’s coming on and doing his role for the team.
“He deserves it. As I said before, the sky’s the limit for him and if he keeps on doing well then he can reach the top of his ability. I hope that happens.”
