Gareth Southgate is currently finalising his plans ahead of this summer’s European Championship, the England manager hopeful his side can make an impression after reaching the World Cup semi-finals in 2018.
Southgate has overseen the integration of several young talents into the squad with the Three Lions possessing some exciting attacking options, but which players have scored the most goals for the current manager since his appointment in 2016?
Here are the five players to score the most competitive England goals under Gareth Southgate:
Mason Mount – 4 goals
Mason Mount has grown in importance and influence for club and country since first breaking into the Chelsea side in 2019/20, the midfielder impressing after being handed his opportunity at Stamford Bridge.
Mount has been a player on Southgate’s radar for some time and received his maiden call-up to the senior side whilst still on loan at Derby County in 2018, with the 22-year-old having since won 15 caps since his England debut the following year.
Mount’s ability to thrive in several styles and systems has made him a key figure under the current regime, scoring four times at international level with each goal coming in competitive action.
The youngster netted his first goal in a Euro 2020 qualifier against Kosovo in November 2019, before netting in Nations League wins against both Belgium and Iceland.
Mount’s four goals rank him equal-fourth amongst the leading scorers of Southgate’s tenure, his most recent coming in the 2-0 win over Albania in World Cup qualification on Sunday.
Ross Barkley – 4 goals
Ross Barkley has become somewhat of a forgotten man at international level, despite only three players having scored more competitive goals for England under Gareth Southgate.
Barkley made his international debut as a teenager back in 2013 and was included in the squad for the World Cup the following year, though his England career has included spells in and out of favour with the midfielder winning 33 caps for the senior side.
Each of Barkley’s six goals for England have come in competitive fixtures including four under Southgate, netting braces against Montenegro and Bulgaria in qualification for this summer’s European Championship.
His prospects of a making the squad for the tournament itself appear slim, however, the 27-year-old having faded since a bright start to his loan move to Aston Villa, with the likes of Mount, Phil Foden and James Maddison having moved ahead of Barkley in the pecking order.
Marcus Rashford – 8 goals
Gareth Southgate has often looked to Marcus Rashford when selecting his England forwards, the Manchester United star having been an almost ever-present in the side in recent years.
Rashford featured sporadically during England’s 2018 World Cup campaign but looks set to play a prominent role ahead of this summer’s major tournament, having netted eight competitive goals for the Three Lions under Southgate.
Amongst those goals include netting home and away to Spain in the UEFA Nations League, as well as scoring against both Belgium and the Netherlands to showcase his ability to trouble the world’s best.
Rashford has now scored 11 goals in 40 appearances for England at senior level and is the favourite to start alongside Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling if Southgate opts for a front three this summer.
Raheem Sterling – 12 goals
Raheem Sterling’s goalscoring form for England has burst into life over the past three years, having scored just twice in 27 caps prior to Southgate’s appointment.
Sterling has since netted 12 times in 33 appearances under the new manager, including 10 in his past 13, with the Manchester City star a central figure to England’s hopes of success this summer.
Sterling’s form for Manchester City has been questioned this season but he remains almost irreplaceable at international level, his flexibility and forward threat adding a different dynamic to the Three Lions’ attacking options.
Few defences will relish the prospect of facing Sterling’s speed and skill this summer as the 26-year-old looks to take his recent England form into the European Championship.
Harry Kane – 25 goals
England’s leading attacking threat and a player who could reasonably set a new goalscoring landmark for the national side, Harry Kane is now just 20 goals short of equalling Wayne Rooney’s all-time record.
Kane has been the spearhead of Southgate’s England side and has scored 25 competitive goals under the current manager, including finishing as the leading scorer at the 2018 World Cup to win the tournament’s Golden Boot.
The 27-year-old currently sits sixth amongst the Three Lions’ all-time leading scorers, having averaged 0.63 goals per game since making his debut in 2015.
Kane is also currently the joint-leading scorer in the Premier League and will hope to continue his fine form throughout the summer as he bids to become the first England captain to lift silverware since Bobby Moore in 1966.
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