World Cup 2018 Review: England - 3 Best Performers

Before we start, let's allow Gary Lineker to clarify something rather important:

Dear non English football fans. Football’s coming home is a fun song highlighting the lack of success of our football team for decades. No one really thought we’d win it. I totally get why you might think it was arrogance, but it’s more our self deprecatory sense of humour. 👍🏻

— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) July 14, 2018

England were not great, but they were not too shabby either -- and while their play may have lacked the expressiveness that desperate fans sought to force upon them, there was a distinct esprit de corps that's been lacking for quite a while now in the English team.

They've had some decent performers, and here's our list of their top 3

Note - This is part of a series that evaluates the three best performers of all the sides to have progressed to the knockout stages of the World Cup; an achievement that is not often given the credit it deserves. While the intent is to have an objective selection and ranking process, it's quite natural that at times subjectivity creeps in. If you disagree - vehemently, or otherwise - with the names on this list, please feel free to jot down a top 3 of your own in the comments section below

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#3 Harry Maguire

Maguire doing what he does best

For all of England's willingness to play out of the back, and use willing runners to create space in midfield and around the box, the Three Lions looked most threatening when big, square, men with big, square, heads ambled up for set-pieces that were delivered with precision.

No one in this squad is bigger, or squarer, than Harry Maguire and the Leicester City centre-half was arguably England's biggest threat in the opposition box as he peeled off that fantastically imaginative train (four or five men standing in a straight line before peeling off in different directions - adding a level of unprecedented unpredictability to the regular set-piece routine)

Harry Kane will (in all likelihood) walk away with the Golden Boot for four penalties, a header from two yards, and a backheel he knew nothing about - but it was the other Harry that really had opposition defences quaking in their boots.

Besides, he was also a rock at the back, as dominant in the air in his own box as he was in the opposition box.

#2 Kieran Trippier

Trippier has been immense

Bend it like Beckham?

Nah, that's so 1999. Fast forward 20 years, and it's now Bend it like Trippier.

Many expressed their surprise at the Spurs fullback taking set-pieces... but as the tournament drew on, it slowly became apparent that Trippier's wicked delivery was England's primary weapon, whether from freekicks or from corners.

And as he showed against Croatia, he can take a mean one directly too.

With that superb right foot, Trippier was a constant menace - and his tireless running was an essential component of Gareth Southgate's new-fangled 3-5-2

#1 Jordan Pickford

Jordan Pickford creates history for England

No one, not even Jordan Pickford's father could have foreseen this - the Everton custodian emerged from the tournament as arguably the player of the squad.

He was commanding in the air, communicated well and marshalled his defence with the calm of a grizzled ol' veteran, and made some absolutely stunning saves - the one he made of Mateus Uribe's superb snapshot the save of the tournament.

He also returns home as the only English goalkeeper to walk away from a penalty shootout victorious. That's history, right there.

Besides if this doesn't warm your cockles, nothing will, Elsa.

Jordan Pickford’s Dad reacting to the winning penalty. #safc #efc @RokerReport pic.twitter.com/pZ5KKJuE8B

— Connor 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿⚽️ (@ConnorSAFC1994) July 4, 2018