Ahead of the all-important Euro 2024, England manager Gareth Southgate has made massive calls to leave out Marcus Rashford and Jordan Henderson as England prepares to win the Euro 2024.
Gareth Southgate insists he is only focused on leading England to glory at Euro 2024 and has had to make these tough calls to pick the best combinations for Germany.
The tournament in Germany next month will be Southgate’s fourth in charge.
It comes after he led England to a World Cup semi-final in 2018, a quarter-final in 2022, and to the final of the Euros at Wembley in 2021—which the side lost on penalties.
Big names left out
It came as Southgate named his provisional 33-strong squad for the tournament, with 26 days to go until England’s opener against Serbia.
However, several big names – including Marcus Rashford and Jordan Henderson – have been left out, shocking English fans with Euro 2024 tickets.
The squad will be cut to a maximum of 26 players by 7 June.
Rashford has been to the last four major tournaments but has struggled for form at Manchester United this season.
Henderson, a veteran of six tournaments, joined Ajax in January after making a controversial move to Saudi side Al-Ettifaq last summer.
Raheem Sterling was also left out, and Chelsea teammates Ben Chilwell, Reece James, and Levi Colwill were omitted.
There was also no room for Eric Dier, despite some impressive form for Bayern Munich since his January move from Tottenham.
‘These are difficult calls,’ he added when he announced the squad.
Southgate said: “With Marcus, I feel that other players in that area of the pitch have had better, strong seasons.
“With Jordan, he’s had an injury for five or six weeks out in Holland, and in the period he’s had, hasn’t been able to get the physical intensity back that we feel we need going into a tournament.
“Physically, they’re really demanding, and to go seven games, which we’ve done twice, we know what that’s taken. So, that must also be a big criteria when we’re selecting.
“These are difficult calls. You are talking about very good players who have played an important part in what we have done.
“I know that’s a tough call for them, and they’ve been, you know, one of those guys and a huge part of some big nights with us and a huge part of the team’s success to this point.”
Harry Kane, Harry Maguire, Anthony Gordon, and Bukayo Saka were all selected despite recent injury concerns, and Luke Shaw was also included.
It seems quite unlikely that an England side would not have the likes of their captain, Harry Kane, and fans with Euro 2024 tickets hope that he will be fit when he arrives for England training.
Asked about Kane’s fitness, he responded: “I think there was a sensible decision taken for him not to play the final game with Bayern Munich, but our understanding is he should be good to go as soon as he arrives at training.”
Liverpool youngsters Curtis Jones and Jarell Quansah have been included for the first time, while there is a first call-up for Adam Wharton.
The Crystal Palace midfielder is joined on the squad by teammates Eberechi Eze, Marc Guehi, and Dean Henderson.
Southgate says the number of injuries will affect the make-up of the final squad.
“It’s been complicated,” he said. “We would have liked to have had a slightly smaller group and be able to define things a little earlier.
“But we have a complex injury situation, and we’ll be able to make better decisions in a couple of weeks. The other side of that is that it’s allowed us to put more young players in who will have brilliant experience but can also force their way into the reckoning.
England supporters will be out in force
This year’s Euro 2024 will be the first overseas tournament since Euro 2016, in which England will be supported by many traveling fans with Euro 2024 tickets.
The manager applauded the fans who would be turning up and added that they would enjoy the football England would play.
The manager said, “They are ambassadors for the country, as we are, and we hope they enjoy their football and the whole experience of following England.
“It is a moment that unites people; that’s one of the great privileges of being involved with international football. And it’s brilliant that people are excited about the team.
Ronaldo Set for Record-Breaking Euro 2024
Cristiano Ronaldo will likely set a Euro record after being named in Portugal’s 26-man 2024 squad, which coach Roberto Martinez unveiled.
The squad announcement on Tuesday confirmed that the 39-year-old, five-time Ballon d’Or winner will be appearing in his 11th major international tournament when Euro 2024 kicks off June 14 in Germany.
He played his first at Euro 2004 and will make a record sixth appearance at the men’s continental championship. He collected a winner’s medal in France in 2016, even though he went off injured after 25 minutes in the final.
Ronaldo, who plays his club football for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, already holds the men’s world record for caps (206) and international goals (128).
He again proved indispensable as Portugal won all 10 qualifying games, scoring 36 goals and conceding two.
Ronaldo hit ten goals in nine qualifying appearances, impressing the Portugal fans with Euro 2024 tickets.
Praising “a player who has scored 42 goals in 41 matches for his club”, Martinez said he felt that the striker continued to offer “a quality in front of goal that we appreciate and need”.
Despite his advancing years, Ronaldo will not be the senior player in the squad.
His former Real Madrid teammate Pepe, 41, and now playing for Porto, has also been called up because of his “important role in the dressing room,” said Martinez.
Before facing the Czech Republic, Turkey, and then Georgia in Group F of the Euro, from 14 June to 14 July in Germany, the Selecao will play warm-up matches against Finland, Croatia, and Ireland.
Alongside Ronaldo in attack, Martinez has selected strikers Rafael Leao, Joao Felix, Goncalo Ramos, Pedro Neto, and Francisco Conceicao.
The creative midfielders include Bernardo Silva, who has just won an English title with Manchester City, and Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa (Porto), Rui Patricio Roma/ITA), Jose Sa (Wolves/ENG)
Defenders: Joao Cancelo (Barcelona/ESP), Nelson Semedo (Wolves/ENG), Diogo Dalot (Manchester United/ENG), Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Ruben Dias (Manchester City/ENG), Antonio Silva (Benfica), Goncalo Inacio (Sporting), Pepe (Porto), Danilo Pereira (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA)
Midfielders: Joao Palhinha (Fulham/ENG), Ruben Neves (Al-Hilal/KSA), Joao Neves (Benfica), Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Otavio Monteiro (Al Nassr/KSA), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United/ENG), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City/ENG)
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr/KSA), Rafael Leao (AC Milan/ITA), Joao Felix (FC Barcelona/ESP), Goncalo Ramos (Paris SG/FRA), Diogo Jota (Liverpool/ENG), Pedro Neto (Wolves/ENG), Francisco Conceicao (Porto)
