Former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton has assured the Prince of Wales that England can win Euro 2024 with a “little bit of luck” after being given a CBE at Windsor Castle.
The 74-year-old holds the England men’s team appearance record with 125 caps between 1970 and 1990, and was honoured on Wednesday for his services to football and the prevention of gambling harm.
He told the PA news agency that he discussed England’s Euro prospects with William because the prince is a “massive football fan”.
He said: “I think we can win it. I really do. I think we’ve got the players.
“You just need that little bit of luck at the right times, a bad refereeing decision or something like that.
“I mentioned this to Prince William, who is obviously a massive football fan, and said to him ‘yeah I think we can win it’.”
The footballer from Colchester, Essex, said Jude Bellingham “is a real plus” for England and Phil Foden has “suddenly really matured”.
“Phil Foden is becoming a complete player, whereas maybe the last tournament he was not quite there,” he said.
“Very talented always but on the mental side and maturity I think he’s there now.
“Harry Kane is at his peak, he is a fantastic player.
“We’ve got some good understanding in the team, you compare it with a lot of the other teams and we’ve got a good formula.”
He has spoken publicly about being addicted to gambling and credits his wife Steph, an addiction counsellor, with helping him quit.
Shilton said: “Prince William was quite interested in this (gambling addiction) because it’s like a silent illness and it’s on the increase.
“There are so many gambling companies now and so much advertising that people will get drawn to it.
“It doesn’t just affect the person who’s addicted, it also affects the people around that person.”
Former rugby player and chairman of the Rugby Football Union, Sir Bill Beaumont, was made a Knight Grand Cross for services to rugby and charity.
Sir Bill said the England rugby team are “improving” despite their recent losses to Scotland and France.
He said: “I would think they (England) will look upon the losses as a work in progress.
“I think they’ll probably look back and think well, the coach probably knows what he has got to do now.”
He added that he is in his final six months of chairing World Rugby and said: “Rugby is very much a part of the Beaumont DNA.”
