Chris Smalling hopes for England recall for Euro 2020

By Alistair MagowanBBC Sport

Last updated on .From the section European Footballcomments154

Chris Smalling and Cristiano Ronaldo
Chris Smalling (left) has made 24 appearances for Roma this season, scoring two goals

Roma defender Chris Smalling still hopes he can make England's Euro 2020 squad despite not playing for Gareth Southgate's team since 2017.

The 30-year-old, on loan from Manchester United, says he has become a better player since moving to Serie A.

The centre-back also said his family feels settled in Rome and suggested he wants to stay in Italy next season.

"Obviously it's been a couple of years now, but that ambition is always there with England," he told BBC Sport.

"I know that Gareth and the coaching staff have been to a few of my games over here and I guess you know you are in their thoughts if you are playing at a top club.

"I hold those aspirations, and I just try to focus on here and what comes, comes. But I would very much like to be part of [the Euros], for sure."

Smalling, who has 31 England caps, would face competition to make Euro 2020 from Manchester United's Harry Maguire, Liverpool's Joe Gomez, Aston Villa's Tyrone Mings, Manchester City's John Stones, Everton's Michael Keane and Chelsea's Fikayo Tomori.

But Stones and Tomori have not been playing regularly for their clubs and Smalling says he has learnt more about the art of defending since joining Roma in August.

"I feel like I'm picking up a lot on Italian style, and tactics and how to manage games. I'm definitely adding to my game," he added. "I feel like I'm learning and improving."

England's next game is a friendly against Italy at Wembley on 27 March, with their Euro 2020 opener against Croatia on 14 June.

Smalling is on a season-long loan at the Italian team, who are fifth in Serie A, and has been linked with a move back to the Premier League at the end of the season.

But asked if he wanted to extend his stay at Roma, Smalling said: "Yeah, I think the plan at the start of the season was to contribute as much as I can and then hopefully if we've all had a good season and hit our ambitions then those discussions can take place.

"I've been more than happy with my first half of the season, it's now just making sure that we kick on and finish the season strongly because we have a lot to play for.

"Coming over here and trying to hit ground running with football was the priority. But my family settling in and me learning the language and enjoying the culture, it's something you need to make the most of.

"My family and I definitely are."

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154 comments

  • Comment posted by MH, at 06:41 21 Feb 2020

    Probably going to end up in the Serie A team of the year. But people on here will pretend they've watched him. He should be in the Euros squad for sure. Much better than the likes of Stones, Keane and Tomori. Not great with the ball at his feet but a defender's defender that gets unfairly criticised. He is far better than Jones, but for some reason is put in the same bracket as him.

  • Comment posted by Stevat, at 07:14 21 Feb 2020

    People are shaped by their experiences, fair play to Smalling for getting out of his comfort zone. Always thought he was decent, good to see he's embraced a new culture and language. No better place to learn how to defend than Germany or Italy

  • Comment posted by Evz, at 07:06 21 Feb 2020

    One of the few Roma fans passing through, Smalling has been great for us, he has had more time on the ball which deffo suits him, although our defensive record is absoulte woeful this season, with out smalling it could of been alot alot worse,

  • Comment posted by Tom, at 07:58 21 Feb 2020

    You have to take players to the Euros based on form, not on the name. Stones and Keane shouldn’t deserve to go. Smalling should from what I’ve heard about him in Italy, like Sancho in Germany. Like I’ve always said, our young English players need to go abroad for experience. It’s why France won the WC with their players playing across a variety of leagues.

  • Comment posted by The Gorg, at 06:49 21 Feb 2020

    As a Man Utd fan I feel he is better than Jones and Lindelof. He is better than Stones and Keane as well. Not quite as good as Maguire but no far behind. Gomez is the best centre back but doesn't possess as much as a goal threat as Maguire.

  • Comment posted by John L, at 06:53 21 Feb 2020

    Chris Smalling should have gone to 2018 World Cup instead of Phil Jones, he'd upped his game under Mourinho. He attributed his better fitness levels, better performances and improved recovery time down to his switch to veganism. I always thought Utd should have stuck with both Smalling and Evans, squad dismantled to quickly post-Fergie.

  • Comment posted by Eurows, at 06:55 21 Feb 2020

    I wish Smalling was as good at football as the BBC are of hiding Championship news. A big game for Fulham tonight against Derby (Frank Lampards Derby) not a sausage about it on the sports page.

    The shameful bias towards the Premier League and Womens Football carries on.

  • Comment posted by Fat Rat, at 10:30 21 Feb 2020

    Got to agree with most of the comments here. He's unfairly packaged with Jones (Not even Van Dijk could play alongside that clown). The way Roma fans perceive Smalling tells a story and he's definitely one of England best CBs, defensively.

  • Comment posted by joe batty, at 06:56 21 Feb 2020

    U may hate Rooney probably cos he was successful 5 Premier League titles, 3 League Cups, 1 FA Cup, one Champions League title, 1 Europa League win and 1 FIFA Club World Cup but really does this make you a football fan or some kind of tribal hate merchant? Grow up. Good luck to Smalling he was immensely promising but came at the wrong time. Also painfully, Liverpool are special this year. No doubt.

  • Comment posted by Ceciliars, at 06:40 21 Feb 2020

    Mate, when anyone leaves united its kinda given they'll become a better player.....

    Certainly they'll become less arrogant overnight.

  • Comment posted by Ted_Derby, at 08:12 21 Feb 2020

    @ 12. Posted byEurows

    The media have changed our name to Wayne Rooney's Derby County now, thank you very much.

  • Comment posted by Kerry, at 08:08 21 Feb 2020

    @19 Holgate for England?

    You Scottish per chance?

    Regards Smalling, I believe him when he’s says he’s a better defender. Nobody defends better than Italians, so he’s learning from the best. Gomez and Maguire are the two best English central defenders. They need to have a look at Henderson in goal too.

  • Comment posted by Vox Populi, at 10:25 21 Feb 2020

    Smalling could have been happy to take the wages he was on and rot on the bench/in the reserves at Old Trafford. But he went to another league, he has earned regular first team football and he has looked to improve himself as a defender. You can only respect that, some of the nonsensical comments and jibes below are not deserved. I don't think England are that blessed with centre back talent tbh.

  • Comment posted by rossm1987, at 19:52 21 Feb 2020

    He goes to another country to play football and dreams of playing for England again isn't that the passion we need from players?

  • Comment posted by Generic Liverpool Fan 99, at 12:51 21 Feb 2020

    I’m going to state one thing that I have in common with most of the contributors to this HYS and state one thing that I possess as a difference to said group.

    1) I haven’t watched Serie A regularly in years and by extension haven’t seen any of Smalling’s games this season.

    2) I’m not giving my opinion on Smalling’s Euro 2020 chances because I HAVEN’T SEEN ANY OF HIS GAMES.

    Take note.

  • Comment posted by Honest discussion, at 08:13 21 Feb 2020

    If he’s playing well then sure. Beggars can’t be choosers and the only CB we have playing well is Gomez. When you’re looking at Mings, Keane etc. then Smalling could well be better.

  • Comment posted by U18054398, at 19:52 21 Feb 2020

    125. . Posted by Y0U on
    11 minutes ago

    "The only reason Chris Smalling was in the England squad in the first place was because he played for Man Utd. "

    The first time he was called up to the England squad he was a Fulham player.

  • Comment posted by Anthony Francis, at 10:39 21 Feb 2020

    Hats off to Smalling - seems a level-headed and intelligent lad: probably why some many on here can't understand him At least he is trying to learn the language. Unlike Ian Rush for example who was surprised when he got to Italy that they spoke Italian!

  • Comment posted by les, at 09:56 21 Feb 2020

    shepasme@36. It's incredible that you have managed to tell everyone that have the traits of a misogynist and bigot. Then your dislike for 'cream rising to the top' is revealed. Competition is what's footy is all about. Clearly you are a perennial loser. Your rant about the BBC overly promoting the idea of Black managers and Asian and Whites being underrepresented is a poor analogy and is absurd.

  • Comment posted by Beckett_4, at 11:06 21 Feb 2020

    @12 Couldnt agree more. Never a HYS on the Championship games despite big clubs like Leeds, Fulham, West Brom, Nottingham Forest, Blackburn Rovers etc and even the likes of Coventry, Sunderland, Portsmouth further down. All have bigger fan bases than the likes of Bouremouth, Watford etc who get 30 comments a game on a BBC HYS

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