Tottenham midfielder James Maddison has been left out of England’s final 26-player squad for the upcoming Euro 2024 tournament in Germany.
The decision, made by manager Gareth Southgate, has come as a major disappointment for the talented playmaker.
Maddison was widely tipped to be a part of the Three Lions’ squad for the European Championship, having been included in Southgate’s initial 33-player provisional selection.
However, a largely underwhelming second half of the season seems to have cost the 26-year-old his spot to Germany, and he left the England squad last night.
The news comes as a blow to Maddison, who had been hoping to make his mark on the international stage and secure a place in Southgate’s plans for the tournament.
The midfielder was given a chance to impress in England’s final warm-up match against Iceland on Monday night, coming on as a substitute, but ultimately it was not enough to convince the manager to be included.
Southgate has a tough decision to make in trimming his 33-man squad down to the required 26 players, and Maddison becomes the first player to be out.
The final squad will be announced on Saturday, just hours before the team departs for Germany.
England will be looking to build on their impressive performances in recent major tournaments, having reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and the final of Euro 2020.
The Three Lions will begin their Euro 2024 campaign on June 16th against Serbia, and they will be hoping to go one step further this time and bring home the trophy.
