England XI cocktails

We are in Gareth Southgate's hands for who takes the pitch for England's starting eleven, and whether to play a 4-3-3 or 3-4-3 line-up, but we're pondering a very different selection for our England XI, each with its own perfectly balanced winning formula.

London Calling
With: Gin, fino sherry, lemon juice, sugar syrup,
We say: Originally created for a competition by London bartender, Chris Jepson, this cocktail has become something of a contemporary classic much copied and adapted in numerous London bars and beyond.

Three Lions (on the shirt)
With: Gin, blue curaçao, orange curaçao, Grand Marnier, lemon juice, sugar syrup and orange bitters.
We say: A riff on Tarling's 1933 competition winning Red Lion cocktail, this contains three orange liqueurs, one for each lion on England shirts, one imparting its blue hue to resemble that of the emblem's lions.

Bramble
With: Gin, lemon juice, sugar syrup, and crème de mûre liqueur.
We say: Created by Dick Bradsell in 1984 in London and named after the bush abundant in the hedgerows of the English countryside.

Vesper
With: Gin, vodka, kina aromatised wine, and Lillet Blanc.
We say: Although named after a ficticious Russian spy, this is the most English of Martinis. Created by author Ian Fleming and made famous by its inclusion in his first James Bond novel, Casino Royale.

Queen Mother
With: Gin, Dubonnet Red, Aperol, and pot still rum.
We say: Created by Jake Burger on London's Portobello Road, this cocktail was inspired by the Queen Mother's purported favourite drinks. In honour of the matriarch of the Royal Family, famed for her spirit during WWII, this is a fitting cocktail on which to imbibe while the England team show their mettle.

English Breakfast
With: Gin, elderflower liqueur, cold English breakfast tea, and lemon juice.
We say: Created by yours truly with gin, cold tea and elderflower liqueur – English through and through.

English Garden
With: Gin, apple juice, elderflower liqueur, and lime juice.
We say: Quintessentially English in flavour.

Fruit Cup No.1
With: Gin, orange curaçao, rosso vermouth, aromatic bitters, ginger ale, and cola.
We say: Our answer to a Pimm's Cup, only with a bit more oomph.

Gimlet
With: Gin, lime cordial, genever, lime juice, lemon juice, and sugar syrup.
We say: A 'gimlet' was a small tool used to tap the barrels of spirits carried on British Navy ships but this cocktail could be named after naval doctor, Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Desmond Gimlette, who is said to have mixed gin with lime to help medicine go down.

Hanky Panky Cocktail
With: Gin, rosso vermouth, and fernet liqueur.
We say: Created by Ada Coleman – or "Coley", as she was fondly known – in 1903, while a bartender at London's The Savoy Hotel. Ada first made this cocktail for Sir Charles Hawtrey, the English actor and director who, after draining the glass, proclaimed "By Jove! That is the real hanky-panky!"

Tom Collins
With: Old Tom gin, lemon juice, sugar syrup, and soda water.
We say: It is believed that this refreshing drink was created by the head waiter at a London restaurant, and the drink was eponymously named after him.