Gareth Southgate insists England can “absolutely” win Euro 2024 after ringing the changes in his expanded 33-man provisional squad for this summer’s tournament.
Midfielder Adam Wharton, one of four selections from in-form Crystal Palace, Liverpool pair Jarell Quansah and Curtis Jones are among five uncapped players in Southgate’s long list, which he must trim to 26 names by 7 June.
Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite and Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford are also in, but there is no place for seasoned internationals Marcus Rashford, Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson and Eric Dier, nor the revitalised Jadon Sancho.
Having reached the final of the last edition and boasting stars such as Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, England are the bookmakers’ favourites for Euro 2024. It could be a swansong for Southgate, who was asked if he believed his team could win.
“Everybody’s waiting for that headline, and I’d be an idiot if I said no – but equally if I said yes, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a hell of a lot of work ahead of us,” he said.
“There’s no doubt what’s possible. The team have been very close already so they know what’s possible. They know what they’ve won at club level and what that’s taken.
“Equally you can see in cup football, firstly you have to navigate game by game, and then in knockout football – we’ve seen in the Champions League, you’d argue that Arsenal and Man City were in the three best teams and neither got to where they’d have hoped to – it’s one moment, fine margins. That is our world; you’re being judged on and have to deliver in those moments.
“But are we one of those teams that can win, of which there are a few? Yes, absolutely we are.”
Southgate has included a number of players with injury concerns, including captain and record scorer Kane, and said he had “never had so many unknowns”.
Adam Wharton is one of five uncapped players in Southgate’s England training squad for Euro 2024
Left-back Luke Shaw is in the squad, although rated “a long shot” after a recent setback. “He is up against it, he has missed a lot of football,” Southgate added.
Rashford, Sterling and Henderson, with more than 220 England caps between them, paid the price for loss of form and fitness.
“These are difficult calls, you are talking about players who are very good players who have been an important part of what we have done,” said Southgate.
England’s squad will convene on 29 May ahead of two pre-Euro 2024 friendlies, against Bosnia and Herzegovina on 3 June and Iceland on 7 June, just hours before the final squad deadline.
The tournament begins on 14 June, with England’s first game on 16 June.