Jack Grealish and Harry Maguire have been left out of Gareth Southgate’s squad for the European Championship, which will be held in Germany later this month. Meanwhile, Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton have been included in the final 26-man squad.
The Manchester City and Manchester United players, both pivotal in previous tournaments for Southgate, are notable absentees after it was revealed that James Maddison and Curtis Jones had also been dropped from the team.
James Trafford of Burnley, Jarell Quansah of Liverpool, and Jarrad Branthwaite of Everton were also not selected.
Grealish’s dip in form at Manchester City during the 2023/24 season likely contributed to his exclusion. The 28-year-old managed only three goals in 36 matches across all competitions. Despite being a regular under Southgate, his recent struggles with form and fitness appear to have taken their toll.
Maguire, on the other hand, has been a key player for England under Southgate in the last three major tournaments, despite frequent scrutiny from the press and public. However, a calf injury has sidelined him since April, raising doubts about his fitness.
“All the players received the news with great respect,” Southgate said at a press conference at Tottenham’s training complex on Thursday evening.
“Of course, all the players think they should be there, and that’s why they are top players. They have that self-belief and mentality, but the fact is we have some players who have been playing very well in the league all season. We feel that other players have had stronger seasons, especially in the last six months,” he explained.
The England manager also revealed that Maguire would not have been fit to play in the group stage matches in Germany.
“Trent can play in defense, and I think we have nine defenders,” Southgate explained.
“Part of the reason we didn’t take Maguire is because it would have meant taking a tenth defender, which wouldn’t be the right balance. Harry has made some progress, but it has been complicated, and we definitely wouldn’t have had him for the group stage,” he added.
Shortly after the announcement, Maguire expressed his “sadness” on social media about not being part of the squad.
“I am devastated not to be selected to play for England at the Euros this summer. Despite my efforts, I have not been able to overcome a leg injury. Maybe I pushed myself too hard trying to get there. I am absolutely gutted,” he said.
“For me, representing England is the greatest honor. It means everything to me. If I can’t help the team as a player, I will support them as a fan – just like the rest of the country. Go and win it, boys. Next, I will return to the medical team at Manchester United to prepare for the next season.”
Maguire made his England debut in 2017 against Lithuania and has been crucial to the Three Lions, who reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. However, his form at Manchester United has declined since then.
Despite inconsistent form at the club, Southgate included him in the squad for the World Cup in Qatar, where England reached the quarter-finals.
Maguire has earned 63 caps for England, while Grealish has made 36 international appearances.
On the other hand, Ezri Konsa of Aston Villa, Kobbie Mainoo of Manchester United, and Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton have secured spots in the final squad.
Southgate has now officially finalized his squad for the Euros, with the first match against Serbia on June 16.
The Three Lions will face Iceland in their final warm-up match at Wembley on Friday night.
England’s Euro 2024 squad:
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal)
Defenders: Lewis Dunk (Brighton), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle), Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
Forwards: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Brentford), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)