When coaches, team-mates and those that know Marc Guehi effectively are requested concerning the strengths of the centre-back, it’s his composure which is routinely referenced.
So maybe it should not be a shock the 23-year-old has carried out so effectively at Euro 2024. One of many Premier League’s most promising younger defenders has taken to the match stage seamlessly and has been arguably England’s finest performer in Germany up to now. Actually one in every of their most constant. Amid all of the drama he has been a gentle, assured presence on the coronary heart of the defence.
Earlier than the Euros, there have been severe considerations concerning the high quality of England’s backline and added fear about Harry Maguire – who, for all his critics, is the chief of that defence – being dominated out with damage. However Guehi and his extra skilled centre-back accomplice John Stones, have helped Gareth Southgate’s aspect put up the perfect defensive figures of any workforce within the competitors up to now. It’s on the different finish of the pitch the place Southgate has larger issues.
It’s maybe typical of Guehi’s character that when he was requested about these defensive stats and his performances he was fast to dismiss the suggestion he has been England’s finest participant and pay credit score to Maguire for his assist in serving to him settle at worldwide degree since his debut in 2022.
However that modesty solely masks a willpower and drive to Guehi’s persona which has taken him to the highest of the sport and led totally different coaches in membership and worldwide soccer to call him captain of their sides.
A skipper of the England age teams and a stand-in captain at Crystal Place at 21, Guehi is a participant who leads his team-mates by instance.
“Right away I used to be impressed by how mature he’s,” stated England U21s boss Lee Carsley when he named him captain. “The way in which he talks concerning the recreation, the best way he influences gamers off the pitch. The instance he units off the pitch in addition to on it made it a simple selection.” England seniors boss Gareth Southgate has praised him for by no means trying rushed.
They’re traits which have been there for the reason that begin. “When Marc was right here he was calm, he was sort, he was clever, he labored exhausting and he was an actual workforce participant,” Guehi’s former main faculty head instructor Edward Dove instructed Sky Sports activities Information.
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Sky Sports activities Information’ James Cole visits Marc Guehi’s main faculty to see the place all of it started for the England centre-back
That was the younger boy Michael Beale acquired to know effectively. The previous Rangers boss was a number one coach in Chelsea’s academy and took Guehi – a child from the identical south east London property and first faculty as Beale – underneath his wing.
Beale acquired to know Guehi’s father, John, a minister, and would even drive Guehi across the M25 to Cobham, the place the younger defender enthusiastically listened, learnt and developed amongst an elite group of rising stars.
“He was a very shy boy however got here to life on the pitch,” Beale tells Sky Sports activities. “He was a massively well-mannered younger man. I am unable to consider too many tales of mischief!
“His self-discipline has been pushed by the household however even when he was very younger in comparison with the opposite boys he was all the time very centered, working exhausting in each session. He by no means missed a session that I can keep in mind.”
That perspective was coupled with a starvation to defend.
Marc Guehi has proven a starvation to defend from a younger age
“He was all the time a defender,” remembers Beale. “He was like a rash on the forwards, aggressive within the deal with. He preferred to maintain his recreation quite simple after which go it to the midfielders or into the forwards fairly rapidly and he hasn’t modified from that.
“You see how aggressive he’s ‘locking down’ and stealing possession. However he is very calm when he is defending.”
At Chelsea, after which on mortgage at Swansea and Crystal Palace, Guehi performed with Conor Gallagher. “It looks like we won’t depart one another alone,” the midfielder has joked. “We’re finest mates.”
They’re now England colleagues at this Euros and the depth of high quality in that Chelsea academy is partly answerable for serving to to form them into internationals and main Premier League gamers. Declan Rice, who additionally began for the Three Lions towards Slovenia, was one other participant in that academy.
“Chelsea on the time and nonetheless is a improbable academy,” says Beale. “We did numerous work going round London to get the perfect gamers throughout the entire boroughs.
“Take a look at the gamers within the age teams in and round Marc’s: Mason Mount, Declan Rice, Fikayo Tomori, Ola Aina, Tammy Abraham, Dominic Solanke, Reece James, Rhian Brewster, Callum Hudson-Odoi…
“While you had that blend of gamers, the academy fixtures right here within the UK but additionally going additional afield and taking part in in Europe, the expertise that they acquired taking part in collectively and the way robust a bond these boys acquired is improbable.
“They pushed one another on. The coaching video games had been all the time the perfect video games of the week.
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A take a look at centre-back Marc Guehi’s finest bits from the 2023-24 marketing campaign
Like a lot of these gamers listed above, Guehi needed to depart Chelsea to search out common first-team soccer however he’s now being linked with a summer season switch which might take him to the highest finish of the Premier League. Manchester United and Liverpool are rumoured to be fascinated about a switch.
The centre-back is not the largest defender within the league at 6ft and he’s a right-footer taking part in on the left aspect of a backline, however Beale is assured Guehi would address that transition to one of many nation’s greatest golf equipment, pointing to his technical abilities within the place
“His studying of the sport and his athleticism will get him a yard on his centre-forward,” says Beale.
Marc Guehi has been one in every of England’s high performers on the Euros
“He exhibits an enormous quantity of confidence to play on the left aspect and his technical upbringing from Chelsea means he can use his left foot, albeit he’s dominant on his proper foot.
“While you see the groups line up, he is not the largest centre-back however he has an enormous leap.
“Quietly persons are realising we have now an absolute gem in him.”
He could be too humble to self-praise, however Guehi has loads of individuals speaking about him now.