England named an initial 33-man squad ahead of this summer’s Euros and James Maddison is the first casualty with Gareth Southgate having to cut seven players from the group
James Maddison hasn’t made England’s final squad for the Euros.
The Tottenham playmaker, who enjoyed 30 minutes during the recent win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Monday, is among those who Gareth Southgate has opted to leave at home as he’s forced to make cut throat decisions.
The Three Lions boss named an extended squad which featured 33 players, but he needs to cut seven individuals when he names his final squad and the Tottenham star has been overlooked with the deadline looming.
Maddison, who made his first start for England in March 2023 in a Euro 2024 qualifier against Ukraine, was part of the World Cup squad that headed to Qatar, albeit he didn’t play a minute. The former Leicester man won’t be featuring in the forthcoming major tournament.
Maddison made 28 Premier League appearances for Ange Postecoglou’s side over the past 12 months, scoring four goals and assisting nine times in what was his debut season. He was forced out for three months between November and January due to an ankle injury sustained against Chelsea.
England are spoilt for choice in the final third with Southgate having a host of creative players in his initial squad. Phil Foden, who was named the Player of the Year, is expected to play a leading role with Jude Bellingham also central to the team’s plans.
Jack Grealish is expected to make the final squad. Jarrod Bowen, Eberechi Eze and Anthony Gordon are among the other players looking to make the trip to Germany, where England will begin their tournament against Serbia on June 16.
Southgate said when he named the squad: “With this group, some of them might not be for this summer, but for the future as well. We’ve evolved as a team in every tournament. There are now a lot of changes from the last Euros, and from Qatar as well.”
The England boss also claimed that his current group of players had more attacking talent than those from the past, which is why Maddison may have missed out. “I’d probably be able to asses that better when we’re able to finalise the squad really,” he said. “There’s definitely more options in attacking options, if I think back to Russia and the balance of the team.”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.