England Euro 2024 squad: Rashford, Henderson, Sterling all OUT

Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), James Trafford (Burnley)

GOALKEEPERS

Defenders: Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Lewis Dunk (Brighton & Hove Albion), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), Kyle Walker (Manchester City)

England’s defence has also been pretty consistent under Southgate, and the same back three of Kyle Walker, John Stones and Harry Maguire that lined up at the 2018 World Cup could also all start the Three Lions’ first game of the Euros against Serbia.

However, there have been a number of big injury setbacks across the defence over the past 12 months, meaning Southgate has stocked up, especially at centre-back. It remains to be seen whether Luke Shaw can prove his fitness, too, with the Manchester United left-back having made just four league appearances since the turn of the year.

Uncapped duo Jarrad Branthwaite and Jarell Quansah, meanwhile, are among those fighting for places in the final 26-man squad for Germany.

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Midfielders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Curtis Jones (Liverpool), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)

The midfield is a curious area for England, as they have two of the best operators in the world in Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham, and then plenty of question marks over who should play alongside them.

Conor Gallagher has been most in-form midfielder aside from Rice and Bellingham, but Trent Alexander-Arnold is also an option after Southgate brought him into midfield towards the end of 2023. Manchester United teenagerKobbie Mainoo, meanwhile, impressed against Brazil and Belgium in March, and is certainly in the conversation when it comes to potential starters.

Southgate has also selected uncapped duo Curtis Jones and Adam Wharton, the latter of whom has enjoyed a meteoric rise after joining Crystal Palace from Blackburn Rovers in January.

Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), James Maddison (Tottenham Hotspur), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Brentford), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)

Southgate could hardly ask for a better set of forwards to choose from, and there is a case to made that England have the highest number of quality attackers in the world.

As well as Kane, who 44 goals in his debut campaign at Bayern, Watkins is in the form of his life, and he picked up the Premier League Playmaker of the Year award for the most assists in the division this season to go with his 19 goals.

There is also no shortage of outstanding wide forwards, with Anthony Gordon and Cole Palmer recently joining the fray to complement the highly-experienced yet still remarkably young Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden.

1. Who is included in the group?

Who has been overlooked?

Chelsea forward Sterling misses a major international tournament for the first time since 2012, while ex-Liverpool captain Henderson – who is now on the books of Eredivisie giants Ajax – sits out his first event since the 2010 World Cup.

Manchester United forward Rashford pays the price for his inconsistent form at club level, with just eight goals recorded this season. Kalvin Phillips, who failed to rekindle a lost spark during a loan spell at West Ham from Manchester City, is snubbed due to injury and a lack of form.

There is no place in the squad for Chelsea left-back Ben Chilwell, or his Stamford Bridge team-mate Levi Colwill. Versatile Manchester City youngster Rico Lewis will get the chance to add to his solitary senior cap at some stage in the future, while AC Milan centre-half Fikayo Tomori must keep believing that his time will come.

Notable absentees

Ben White has asked not to be called up to the squad, taking a rare and controversial decision to shirk national duty after leaving the team in the middle of the 2022 World Cup for ‘personal reasons’. His decision deprives Southgate of one of the most in-form right-backs in the Premier League, although at least England have no shortage of options in that position, as illustrated by Reece James’ omission.

The Chelsea full-back will be joined by team-mates Ben Chilwell and Raheem Sterling in watching the tournament from home, as the veterans were left out alongside midfield mainstays Jordan Henderson and Kalvin Phillips, and Manchester United’s out-of-form forward Marcus Rashford.

Name	Club	Reason
Ben Chilwell	Chelsea	Not selected
Jordan Henderson	Ajax	Not selected
Reece James	Chelsea	Not selected
Sam Johnstone	Crystal Palace	Injury
Marcus Rashford	Manchester United	Not selected
Jadon Sancho	Borussia Dortmund	Not selected
Raheem Sterling	Chelsea	Not selected
Ben White	Arsenal	Withdrawn

 

What lies ahead for England?

England will open their quest for European Championship glory against Serbia on June 16. From there, they will go on to face Denmark and Slovenia in Group C. Southgate is hoping to see his side go one better than the runners-up finish they managed at Euro 2020 – when they lost to Italy in a penalty shootout at Wembley.