Abraham dreaming of glory in Euro 2020
TAMMY Abraham is dreaming of winning Euro 2020 after claiming his first goal for England.
The Chelsea striker scored last in the Three Lions’ 7-0 romp over Montenegro which booked their place at next summer’s tournament.
His maiden goal for his country completes a memorable 2019 for the 22-year-old after winning promotion to the Premier League with Aston Villa and scoring 11 goals in 18 games for Chelsea this season.
With three group games and a possible semi-final and final at Wembley it is effectively a home tournament for England and Abraham has set his sights on an even better 2020.
Asked what next year might hold in store for him, he replied: “Bigger dreams hopefully.
“Being at the Euros, winning it, top four or top two in the Premier League. Just believing! The sky’s the limit.
“Hopefully, hopefully, want to jinx myself.”
When pushed on whether England can end 54 years of hurt next summer, he said: “I believe so.”
Abraham’s game has gone to the next level this season, but he thinks he can get even better working alongside Harry Kane when on international duty.
Kane took his tally to 31 goals for England with a clinical hat-trick against Montenegro, taking him above Alan Shearer, Nat Lofthouse and Tom Finney on the all-time list.
Abraham is right at the bottom of those standings, but is keen to learn from the Tottenham striker in order to make a quick rise.
“It’s always been a dream for me to be on the same pitch as him,” he added. “Every day, I watch him, learn off him.
“To be on the same pitch with him, training with him every day, watching learning off him, it’s always nice to have that type of player to learn from.
I don’t
GARETH Bale admits he finds the Spanish media’s reports of an apparent club v country row involving him “hilarious” ahead of Wales’ crunch Euro 2020 qualifier with Azerbaijan.
The 30-year-old has not played a single minute of action since the 1-1 draw with Croatia in Cardiff last month.
Despite his lack of game time for Real Madrid, Bale was called up for international duty this week and is set to feature against Azerbaijan in Baku.
The Welshman’s availability for Wales following his absence for his club riled many of those in the Spanish capital.
Ex-Madridista Predrag Mijatovic recently stuck the boot into Bale, criticising the Cardiff-born star’s love of golf.
In a column for Spanish media outlet AS, he wrote: “The first thing he thinks about is Wales, then golf and after that, Real Madrid.”
It prompted one member of the Red Wall to add the slogan “Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order” to a Welsh flag.
One newspaper also carried the headline “Triple Bogey” on the front page along with a picture of Bale playing golf.
But Bale simply laughed off the criticism of the Spanish press ahead of Wales’ clash with Azerbaijan at the Bakcell Arena.
“They have their own opinion of
me. It’s just one of those things. Whether it’s good or bad, it’s about me, so I must sell papers,” he said.
“I’ve heard some stories but I don’t really take notice.
“My friends tend to send me some really funny pictures or whatever they write. I’ve tried to get back as quick as I can.
“I find it hilarious to be honest, especially some of the pictures and stuff my friends send me.
“On one it said triple bogey and I’ve never had a triple bogey!
“At least give me an albatross! It’s funny.
“Some of the things I have seen, people don’t understand and don’t know what they’re on about, so I just find it quite funny.
“If there had been a Real Madrid
game this week, I would’ve been fit and training to play.
“Maybe to them it doesn’t look great but it’s just a kind of coincidence that the national team comes around this week and I’ve returned to full training.
“If I’m fit, no matter where I am, I’m going to try and play, whether it be for Wales or Madrid.
“For me, it was a no-brainer.
“If I’m fit to play, then I’ll give it my all.”
Bale was left limping on the pitch in the latter stages of the draw with Croatia in October.
And he has featured just seven times in all competitions for Real Madrid to far this term, scoring twice.
But Bale admits he’s done everything in his power to be fit and firing