Gareth Southgate has to make a lot of tough decisions as an international manager. The latest issue he faced was figuring out how to select only 26 players to qualify for the Euro 2024 tournament in Germany this summer to represent their home country and bring home the trophy for the United Kingdom.
Starting with a 33-man provisional squad, Southgate had the incredibly difficult job of cutting seven elite stars from this list to get to only 26 for the tournament. This means making heartbreaking deacons, having life-changing conversations, and snubbing potential goal-scorers, shot-stoppers, or creative passers from being on the team.
Who did Southgate cut? Find out more here.
Southgate Cut Seven Players From Euros List
Time to select your line-up for our last pre-#EURO2024 match 👊#ThreeLions | @XboxUK
— England (@England) June 7, 2024
Everybody has seen the new list that came out today from the England camp that highlighted the players who Southgate chose not to take with him to Germany this summer.
Grealish is missing the creative City winger who didn’t have his best season in the Premier League. Maguire had a calf injury that he couldn’t quite get over to be fully fit in time to play. Sterling was omitted from the list, possibly past his prime after a few poor years in the Premier League with Chelsea.
Other surprising people left out of the squad included James Maddison, a Tottenham midfielder who has been a stalwart in the middle of the park for the team in the qualifying games. Curtis Jones had also been cut from the squad after having a nice season with Liverpool to help the team come in third place.
But, almost no omission irritated the fans, pundits, and commentators more so than Southgate leaving out the young and talented Branthwaite.
Southgate Leaves Branthwaite Out of Squad for Euro 2024
Southgate made the surprising decision to omit Branthwaite from the final list for the Euro 2024 squad selection, shocking many fans, pundits, commentators, and opposing coaches who assumed Southgate would choose this athletic defender after a fantastic season with Everton.
Carragher, a former England defender himself, was left in disbelief after the choice that Southgate made to leave the 21-year-old from going to the Euros this summer.
‘Lots of bigger names than Jarrad Branthwaite have missed out on the England squad, but he should’ve been picked to go to Euro 2024. He’s England’s present and future.’
Those are inspiring words from one of England’s best defenders to ever play the game – and he is right.
Branthwaite was voted the Player’s Player of the Season last year at Everton, showing just how much the fans and players respected his hard work, attitude, and playing abilities throughout the entirety of the year.
He made 35 appearances for the toffees during the 2023-2024 Premier League campaign, which is a staggering number of games played for such a young talent who has many more years to grow in the game.
Branthwaite is a Carlisle United academy graduate who just recently made his senior England debut in their win against Bosnia. Despite not having very many caps for the England squad during his time as a PL footballer, his tenacious attitude, maturity, and commanding disposition made many people think he would be on the list.
Southgate might have to answer for this key omission if England concedes too many goals in the Euro 2024 opening match.
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