Ivan Toney is convinced England will win the European Championship this summer, and quipped that he plans to celebrate with a trophy tattoo on his forehead.
Gareth Southgate’s team is among the favourites to be crowned continental champions three years after finishing second in an excruciating shoot-out defeat to Italy.
That confidence is echoed by the England squad, which hopes to build on promising recent events and repeat the women’s team’s success by winning the Euros.
Brentford striker Toney expressed his personal conviction in their potential ahead of Sunday’s Group C opening against Serbia, and he is prepared to add to his collection of 50 tattoos if they make it all the way to Germany.
When asked if he would get a tattoo to commemorate Euro 2024 glory, he told BBC Radio 5 Live: “If we win, of course.” I believe I will get the prize on my forehead or something!
Toney began to laugh and then said: ‘I think it goes without saying I’ll have to get a little memorable one, and hopefully it’s a good one.’
A tattoo of the Henri Delaunay Cup on Toney’s head appears doubtful, but he believes some fresh artwork will be required given his faith in this England team.
‘Yeah, I believe,’ he said. ‘I believe it with the players we have in the team.
‘We know it’s a long, long way to go and a big ask, but the players we have on a team, and I manifest things like this, so hopefully we can do it.’
Toney’s confidence in England is undeniably stronger than his inclusion in the 26-man team.
The goals dried up after a strong return from an eighth-month Football Association betting ban in January, putting pressure on him to cement his place in the squad.
Toney’s confidence in England is undeniably stronger than his inclusion in the 26-man team.
The goals dried up after a strong return from an eighth-month Football Association betting ban in January, putting pressure on him to cement his place in the squad.
‘It was touch and go,’ Toney admitted. ‘Obviously, there’s a lot of great strikers out there, but I believe the manager has seen something in myself that I can bring and add to the squad to make it better.
‘I’ve just got to repay him every time I get a chance to be on the field and help the team as much as I can.’
Toney admits he was anxiously waiting for Southgate to confirm his position in England’s squad, joking that it “nearly came to the point where I ended up calling him.”
But the 28-year-old overcame his inner frustration, just as he had during his lengthy suspension after admitting to breaking 232 betting regulations.
Southgate was among many who contacted the striker to give assistance, and while he was grateful for it, he did not want sympathy as he coped with a difficult time.
‘I spoke to him once when it all come around,’ Toney said. ‘But with me and the kind of person I am, I don’t want nobody to feel sorry for me.
‘I don’t want them kind of messages or them phone calls because, at the end of the day, I put myself in that situation, so I deal with it. That’s how I go about things.
‘I don’t want the sob stories or the calls and these kind of things. Life goes on.
‘I mean, there’s people in the world that are fighting for their life and in the worst situations, so you just get on with life and move forward and that’s what I tried to do.
‘I did and I came out the end and I’m here looking in front of a major tournament and hopefully do well.’
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