James Maddison has been left out of England’s 26-player squad for Euro 2024 and has departed the Three Lions camp.
The Tottenham midfielder is the first name from Gareth Southgate’s 33-player provisional squad to not make the final cut for the tournament in Germany.
Southgate has to cut his extended squad down to 26 names by 11pm on Friday – an hour after England’s final Euro 2024 warm-up friendly against Iceland at Wembley.
England then begin their Euro 2024 campaign on June 16 against Serbia.
Maddison’s wait for a major tournament appearance with England goes on, having made the final 26 2022 World Cup squad in Qatar – but he failed to make an appearance before the Three Lions’ quarter-final exit.
Analysis: Maddison’s England exit no surprise
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Following England’s 3-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina Gareth Southgate says he’s looking for ‘balance’ in his final Euros squad.
Sky Sports’ Sam Blitz:
Three goals and five assists in his first nine Premier League games for Tottenham, James Maddison was on course for Player of the Season, let alone a spot in the England Euros squad.
He was a shoo-in nine months ago. But now he is the first to be culled from this extended England group. Even the uncapped Curtis Jones and Jarell Quansah have made it further in Southgate’s mind.
Should Maddison be surprised? Frankly, no. His form has dropped off since that scintillating start for Spurs this season. The only Premier League goal contributions he made since March 10 came against Burnley and Sheffield United, while he couldn’t even get a start in a makeshift England line-up against Bosnia & Herzegovina.
Maddison will point to a three-month injury in the middle of the season as the moment that halted his progression, his form has not recovered since. But there is a growing pattern in Maddison’s season. In the last five campaigns, he has started them strongly then tailed off. That is not ideal for a player hoping to make summer tournaments for his country.
Perhaps the performances of Eberechi Eze and Cole Palmer against Bosnia swayed Southgate’s thinking. Both players – who are attacking and wide-midfielder hybrids – impressed in the friendly and may have moved above Maddison in the pecking order.
And with Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden world-class options on top of that, it means the player who so many clamoured for to make the 2022 World Cup squad – and snuck in at the last minute – is the first to be cut from this Euros squad.
What is England’s current 32-player training squad?
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), James Trafford (Burnley).
Defenders: Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Lewis Dunk (Brighton), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), Luke Shaw (Man Utd), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle), Kyle Walker (Manchester City).
Midfielders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Curtis Jones (Liverpool), 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), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Brentford), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).
