Alan Shearer has admitted that if he could pick any player in the world to be English, it would be one from Manchester City.
England have one of the most talented squads in the world but even so, perhaps there are some positions where they could do with players from City.
For instance, at centre-back, Ruben Dias would have been the ideal partner for John Stones, as the Three Lions only really have one elite centre-back.
Similarly, in terms of needing a controller in the middle of the park, Bernardo Silva would slot straight into their side if he was English.
Alan Shearer has named the Manchester City player he would love to be English
The same can perhaps be said about England lacking a world-class goalkeeper like Ederson.
Jordan Pickford has performed admirably for his country in major tournaments.
But Pickford is yet to ever truly play at an elite standard in his career, as opposed to the Manchester City number one.
But when quizzed about which player in the game he would have loved to be English, Alan Shearer named Kevin De Bruyne.
“From a selfish point of view, as a centre-forward, I would have Kevin De Bruyne”, he told The Athletic.
“I know that he would create chances for me and then the rest would be on me to stick it away, whether it’s crosses in or balls in behind, we see that every week for Manchester City when he is fit. If you’re talking world football, then Vinicius Junior is amazing and would improve any side.”
Kevin De Bruyne would have slotted straight into the England team
If Kevin De Bruyne was English and as Alan Shearer discusses the prospect of the midfield maestro playing behind him, the duo would have wreaked havoc.
A strong case can be made that England are yet to produce a creative midfielder of the ilk of De Bruyne in their history.
Even currently, as brilliant as the likes of Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham are, the Belgian is a superior attacking midfielder to the pair in multiple respects; creativity, decision-making, passing and dribbling.
Whether it be Alan Shearer in the past or Harry Kane in the present, any striker playing in front of Kevin De Bruyne would have had the time of their lives with the volume of chances that were presented to them.
De Bruyne would also have been aided playing for the Three Lions, with the calibre of players that have had at their disposal for years, as compared to an inferior crop of Belgian talent for the most part.
