Alan Shearer names his England team for the Euro 2024 final, with a change – but Gary Lineker issues stark warning about how Spain could exploit the Three Lions’ line-up

Alan Shearer has named his England team for the Euro 2024 final with one bombshell change. 

England are gearing up for a second consecutive Euros final and will hope for better fortune against Spain than they had against Italy in 2021. 

However, Gary Lineker has pinpointed one area where Spain could really hurt England, depending on how Gareth Southgate approaches the game. 

The Three Lions have looked a better side since switching to three centre backs in the quarter-final against Switzerland, having two also used wing backs. 

Shearer told The Rest is Football podcast that he believes Southgate will ‘probably go in with the same formation’ – and then revealed the switch he thinks the England boss will make. 

Gary Lineker (pictured) worries that Spain’s wide players could exploit a system with high wing-backs

England have looked a better side since Southgate (pictured) opted to use three centre backs   

‘It wouldn’t surprise me if he put Luke Shaw in from the start and then kept everything else the same,’ Shearer said.

It would be a big call to replace Kieran Trippier with Shaw from the start, considering the Manchester United left-back has not started a game since February due to injury. However, he has played well coming on against Switzerland and the Netherlands. 

Lineker cautioned that Spain’s two wingers, Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, could cause havoc if Bukayo Saka and Shaw maraud too high.  

‘I suppose what might be more difficult against Spain, because Spain play the two wingers, is whether they trap England’s two wing-backs deeper than normal and whether we take the chance on playing high and the chance on leaving them. It’ll be a little bit bluff and double-bluff,’ he said.

Shearer disagreed and believes England’s formation could stifle their wingers, saying: ‘That is a huge strength in what they’ve got in Yamal and Williams on either side. Yamal loves to come inside on his left foot, that’s what we wants to do, there are not many times where he goes on the outside on the right. 

‘So if that’s going to happen, and you are going to play to play three at the back which I think he may do, he should run into traffic which hopefully might work to England’s benefit.’

Southgate’s men will have their work cut out against the standout team of Euro 2024.

Shaw has not started a match since February due to injury but has come on twice at Euro 2024

Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams have been two of Spain’s brightest stars at the Euros 

Spain have won all six of their games under Luis de la Fuente, becoming the first side to win so many matches at a European Championship. 

The task for England will be to overcome their demons from the Euro 2020 final, where they went ahead against Italy but eventually lost on penalties. 

They did that partially with the shoot-out victory over Switzerland in the quarter-finals and looked an improved side last time out against the Netherlands.

‘We’re giving people amazing nights. We’ve given our supporters some of the best nights in the last 50 years. I’m hugely proud of that,’ Southgate said. 

‘I’m delighted if everyone at home is feeling the way we are and the way those in the stadium were. But we’re not finished.

‘We’ve got the greatest possible test to prepare for. We came here to try to win the tournament and that’s still our aim.’