Gareth Southgate has made a decisive move. After initially naming an extended 33-man squad for Euro 2024, the England manager announced his final selection on Thursday. The British coach trimmed his list to 26 names, leaving out James Maddison (Tottenham), Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Jarell Quansah, Curtis Jones (Liverpool), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), James Trafford (Burnley), and Jack Grealish (Manchester City).

While most of Gareth Southgate's decisions were well received in England, the choice to exclude the Skyblues' attacking midfielder has not gone down well. The British press is incredulous about the situation, and the Three Lions players are reportedly in shock. According to the Daily Telegraph, this decision has caused a significant internal stir, with the English squad demanding explanations from the coach.

A unifying element of the team

Minutes after releasing the final list, Gareth Southgate elaborated on the subject in a press conference. "In the attacking sector, we have many options and they are all slightly different. Madders (James Maddison's nickname) and Jack (Grealish) would have brought us something different, and these are not easy choices. These are decisions we have repeatedly made as a coaching staff to try to be fair and use the right reasoning," he explained, aware that the debate would be intense in the following hours.

Far from being convinced by these explanations, some key members of the England squad have reportedly demanded more details internally. Considered a key element, Jack Grealish is highly regarded by the group and plays a unifying role among the different players. Despite an inconsistent season in the north of England, the former Aston Villa player stood out this week by providing an assist in the victory against Bosnia-Herzegovina in a preparatory match for Euro 2024 (3-0). A tournament he will now watch from his couch.