James Maddison has broken his silence after being cut from Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024.
News broke on Wednesday night that the Tottenham playmaker would not be part of Southgate’s final 26-man squad for the competition, which starts next Friday.
Maddison was widely viewed as one of the players at risk of missing out following a largely disappointing second half of the season before learning that he would in-fact be missing out.
The 27-year-old then left the Three Lions training camp before taking to social media to relay his thoughts – where he suggested he was surprised to be axed.
In a post on X, Maddison wrote: ‘Devastated doesn’t quite cut it. Trained well and worked hard all week but if I’m honest with myself, my form for Spurs when coming back from injury in the second half of the season probably wasn’t at the levels I had set which gave Gareth a decision to make.
‘I still thought there would be a space for me in a 26 man squad as I feel I bring something different & had been a mainstay in this whole qualifying campaign for Euro 2024 in Germany but the manager has made the decision and I have to respect that.
‘I’ll be back, I have no doubt. Wishing the boys all the luck in the world out in Germany, unbelievable group and lads that I literally call some of my best friends. I genuinely hope football comes home’.
A number of his England team-mates – including Jude Bellingham and Harry Maguire – were quick to respond to his post.
Real Madrid star Bellingham commented a ‘frustrated emoji’ while Maguire responded with a series of ‘heart emojis’.
Former England international Danny Drinkwater also replied to the post and said: ‘Been there mate.. head up n enjoy the summer. Smash it again next season’.
It is understood Maddison was in line to play in Friday’s final warm-up fixture versus Iceland , but that will no longer be the case with Jarrod Bowen pushing to take his place in the team.
England boss Southgate has to reduce his original 33-man squad by midnight on Friday and Maddison is one of the high-profile omissions.
Meanwhile, Liverpool’s Curtis Jones will join Maddison in being one of the players who has also been told he won’t make the final cut for Germany.
The Anfield star was handed his first call up when Southgate named his provisional 33-man party for the tournament last month but will not make the final 26-man squad.
Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah is also expected to drop out of the squad following his first call up.
News of Maddison and Jones’ elimination comes after Southgate was handed good news on injury doubt Luke Shaw, who has stepped up his recovery from a hamstring injury to provide England with a key fitness boost.
The Manchester United full back has not played for three months but was still selected in the extended squad.
However, there remains doubts over his availability for the tournament, given his injury problem and his long-term inactivity.
But Shaw has now taken a significant step forward in proving his fitness ahead of Southgate naming his final 26 man party for the tournament on Saturday.
Meanwhile, there are doubts emerging over Harry Maguire’s fitness ahead of Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad announcement.
The England centre back hasn’t played since April and was expected to miss tomorrow’s final warm-up game versus Iceland as he nurses a calf problem.
And the fitness concerns surrounding Maguire are placing significant uncertainty over his inclusion in Southgate’s final 26 man squad in news that will emerge as a major blow.
There is no confirmation from the FA over Maguire’s availability for the tournament but if he isn’t selected it would be the first time Southgate has entered a major tournament without the Manchester United man.
