England legend Paul Gascoigne has said that watching England in the World Cup makes him emotional. Doesn’t sound like him?
The mercurial talent, who was one of England’s brightest sparks during their crushing Italia 90 campaign that ended in a semi-final defeat, has made it no secret how badly he misses his playing days and still genuinely believes he is a better player than most people competing in this year’s tournament.
However, he still gets a buzz from watching matches and believes England have as good a chance as anyone of lifting the trophy.
Gazza believes Phil Foden should have joined the England squad for the World Cup
Speaking to Betway‘s YouTube channel Clutch 9 Football he revealed how watching the game still brings him to tears.
“I was just sitting on the bed watching it, and I wasn’t really thinking about anything,” he said. “Then, once the first game went on, I got so emotional and had a few tears because all of a sudden it brought back all the memories from 1990, and everything I did every single day went through my head, and I couldn’t sleep that night.”
Despite his emotions sometimes getting the better of him, Gazza still watches the tournament and believes it’s anyone’s to win this year.
“I still miss it badly,” he continued. “I still think I can play, even now. I look at some of the players earning £400,000 a week and they can’t trap a bag of cement.
“I didn’t think I was going to watch much of it because I miss football so much but some of the games have been unbelievable. Anyone can win it.”
Included in that is England, who have a tricky game at the Azteca in Mexico City against the co-hosts Mexico, with heat and altitude expected to cause problems and fatigue for the Three Lions.
Gascoigne shared some advice given to his teammate and friend Gary Lineker during that 1990 tournament, which he thinks Harry Kane should listen to.
He said: “What Bobby Robson said to Gary Lineker, which was unbelievable, was, ‘In the last 10 minutes of each game, we’re going to get tired. I don’t want you tired. I want you staying at the halfway line or five yards into our half. No more. We need your energy for the last 10 minutes’.
“If you see Lineker, so many of his goals were in the last 10 minutes. You’ve got Harry Kane sometimes at centre-half.”
Gazza believes that with players like Jude Bellingham, Kane and Marcus Rashford in the team, England have enough good players to compete with anyone.
However, there’s one player he believes should have been in the squad who is watching from home this year.
“I think Phil Foden is quality,” he added. “I would have played Foden because he always wants the ball and he’s got that sweet left foot.
“I went in the England dressing room once and told Foden to give me his shirt and he gave me it.”