MUMBAI – David Beckham believes that England’s young stars have a “real opportunity” to end the nation’s decades-long wait for a major trophy at the Euro 2024 tournament in Germany.

The former England captain won multiple titles in a glittering club career but failed to lift silverware at international level despite playing in talent-packed sides.

Gareth Southgate’s team, fourth in the Fifa rankings, have a good recent record at major tournaments but England have not tasted glory since winning the 1966 World Cup on home soil.

The Three Lions reached the semi-finals of the World Cup in Russia in 2018 and agonisingly lost to Italy on penalties in the European Championship final at Wembley in 2021.

Southgate’s men, who lost to France in the last eight at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, have already qualified for Euro 2024 with two matches to go, face Malta on Friday and North Macedonia on Monday.

The side boast an impressive array of attacking talent including Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham, 20, and Harry Kane, who is enjoying a prolific season at Bayern Munich.

“I really believe in this England team,” Beckham, 48, said on Wednesday. “I believe in Gareth Southgate and what he’s doing and what he’s done for a number of years now.

“We were unfortunate to lose in the Euros final against Italy, but we were so close. And I’ve seen that when our national team has some kind of success, the way our country comes together is incredible.”

The former Manchester United and Real midfielder, visiting India in his role as a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador, added: “I don’t want to speak too soon, but the 2024 Euros, I think that we have a real opportunity with young players like Cole Palmer, like Jude Bellingham, and the other players...

“And of course, we have a captain like Harry Kane who still continues to inspire his team and still continues to score goals. So I think we have a real opportunity.”

Despite facing minnows Malta and North Macedonia, England would not want to take their foot off the gas as they aim to secure a top seeding for December’s group-stage draw in Hamburg.

Beckham, meanwhile, also said that England’s triumph in the Women’s European Championship in 2022 has inspired a new generation of girls to take up sports and his own daughter is one of them.

On an unforgettable day for the nation, the hosts lifted the trophy in front of a sell-out crowd at Wembley Stadium, the 87,192 attendance a record for a Uefa tournament, men’s or women’s.

“The progression that the women’s football game has had in England specifically has been incredible,” Beckham said.

“We have seen what that has done. I’ve seen what it’s done for my daughter.

“My daughter was saying during the Euros: ‘Daddy, will you take me to one of these games because I’m looking up to these players and I’m looking up for us to win the Euros’. And thankfully we did.

“We won the Euros in our own stadium, in our own country and then it’s a ripple effect. It inspires the next generation of wannabe footballers and that’s important.”

The 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, expanded for the first time from 24 to 32 teams, had record crowds and generated more than US$570 million (S$770 million) in revenue. England lost to Spain in the final.

Beckham added that there was no reason why the women’s game could not be as big as the men’s going forward.

“I’ve seen that growth and that can happen all over the world. It just needs people to support that,” he said.

“I’ve seen from watching England women’s team play 10 years ago in front of probably 2,000 fans to now a sold-out stadium at Wembley.

“And every game that is being played in the women’s league now, every stadium is sold out.”

AFP, REUTERS