Gareth Southgate has named his 33-man provisional England squad for Euro 2024, with some surprise inclusions and several huge names omitted.
It will be trimmed down to 26 before the Three Lions fly out to Germany with the sole aim of bringing football home.
That task begins with their opening group stage game against Serbia on 16 June in Gelsenkirchen, but with so much talent and so many injury doubts how will Southgate pick his team?
Metro takes a look at England’s most likely starting XI for their European Championships curtain raiser:
Defence
There are only four England players who are 100% nailed on to start against Serbia and Jordan Pickford is one of them.
The Everton goalkeeper established himself as Southgate’s No.1 ahead of the 2018 World Cup and has never looked back, and will go into this tournament off the back of a superb season with the Toffees.
Right-back was once England’s most bountiful position, but options are now somewhat limited with Reece James out having missed nearly the entire season with injury, while Ben White is also omitted after declaring himself unavailable.
England's provisional squad for Euro 2024
Goalkeepers:Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton),Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), James Trafford (Burnley)
Defenders:Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Lewis Dunk (Brighton), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Harry Maguire (Man Utd), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), Luke Shaw (Man Utd), John Stones (Man City), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle), Kyle Walker (Man City)
Midfielders:Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Curtis Jones (Liverpool), Kobbie Mainoo (Man Utd), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
Forwards:Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Phil Foden (Man City), Jack Grealish (Man City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), James Maddison (Tottenham), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Brentford), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
With Kieran Trippier and Trent Alexander-Arnold needed elsewhere, the ever reliable Kyle Walker will take his place in the starting XI after captaining Manchester City to a fourth straight Premier League title.
City teammate John Stones has really struggled with fitness issues but will start if available and will very likely be joined by his regular centre-back partner Harry Maguire.
But the Manchester United star is still recovering from a calf injury, with Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi next in the pecking order.
Ben Chilwell is out due to fitness issues leaving Luke Shaw as the only natural left-back in the squad. But the United star has hardly played and is in a race against time to be fit, with Southgate admitting his inclusion is a ‘long-shot’.
Trippier will likely fill the gap but even the Newcastle defender has injury problems of his own, which could open the door for the versatile Joe Gomez.
Midfield
Thankfully, the midfield selection is far, far easier.
Arsenal’s £100million-man Declan Rice will be at the heart of the team, while Jude Bellingham, the front-runner for the Ballon d’Or, is also starting no questions asked.
While fans would love to see the Real Madrid sensation in a deeper role, Southgate plans to keep the 20-year-old at No.10, but with his trusted general Jordan Henderson not even in the 33-man squad, the identity of the third midfielder is up in the air.
Euro 2024 winner odds
England: 3/1
France: 15/4
Germany: 5/1
Spain, Portugal: 8/1
Italy, Netherlands, Belgium: 16/1
Croatia: 35/1
United’s exciting teenager Kobbie Mainoo looked to have played himself into the team but his form has dropped off of late, and while Adam Wharton would appear to be the perfect fit, he’s never even played for the senior team.
That leaves either Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher or Alexander-Arnold, and though not quite his natural position, the Liverpool star’s range of passing surely gives him the edge, especially against opponents who will sit deep against the Three Lions.
Attack
Despite England’s huge roster of attacking options, this is actually the most predictable part of the XI.
Harry Kane, captain and his country’s all-time top goal scorer, will lead the line provided there’s no complications from the back issue that caused him to miss Bayern Munich’s last few games.
Arsenal superstar Bukayo Saka is undroppable on the right wing, while Southgate has confirmed that Phil Foden will start no matter what, and with Bellingham at No.10 the City hero will be on the left.
Fans and pundits are desperate to see 23-year-old in a natural, central role, but surely the Premier League Player of the Year will thrive no matter where he plays.
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