Tottenham midfielder James Maddison has expressed his disappointment after being excluded from the England squad for Euro 2024.
Initially named in Gareth Southgate’s 33-man selection, Maddison featured in England’s friendly against Bosnia-Herzegovina, playing the final 30 minutes in their 3-0 victory. However, the 27-year-old faced a setback in his hopes of representing his country at the upcoming tournament.
Having joined Tottenham in a £40m move from Leicester City last summer, Maddison's season was marred by inconsistency following an injury-interrupted strong start.
With seven senior England caps to his name and a previous inclusion in Southgate’s squad for the 2022 World Cup, Maddison took to social media to express his devastation at being left out this time.
In his post on X, Maddison acknowledged his post-injury form may not have reached the required standards for selection. Despite hoping for a spot in the 26-man squad, he respected the manager’s decision and vowed to return stronger.
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… pic.twitter.com/LwhIhCPDxS
— James Maddison (@Madders10) June 6, 2024
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Tottenham's James Maddison expresses devastation over Euro 2024 exclusion
Maddison also extended his best wishes to his teammates and expressed his confidence in their abilities. He reflected on the camaraderie within the team and remained optimistic about England’s chances at the tournament.
While Maddison showcased promise with three goals and five assists in his initial nine Premier League games for Tottenham, an ankle injury in November disrupted his momentum. Although players like Cole Palmer and Eberechi Eze impressed, Maddison hoped for a chance to showcase his abilities.
Looking ahead, Maddison aims to use the off-season to regroup and return to his best form next season, hoping to silence any doubts about his abilities.
In the wake of Maddison's omission from the England squad, do you think he deserved a spot based on his performances for Tottenham this season?