The stars who have been LEFT OUT of their international squads ahead of Euro 2024 | OneFootball

The countries competing at this summer’s European Championships in Germany have been naming their initial training squads ahead of the tournament.

These squads will be further cut with only 26 players able to be listed for each team at the competition, but some big name stars have already been left out of the larger group for their respective nations’ warm-up games.

Here are some of the most high profile omissions from those countries competing at the Euros…

England: Marcus Rashford, Ben White, Reece James, Ben Chilwell, Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson

Rashford has been an ever present in the England squad under Gareth Southgate but following an underwhelming campaign in which he scored just seven Premier League goals, the forward has been left out of the squad this time round.

Despite England’s shortage of full-backs, White also misses out after enjoying a fine season at Arsenal, with Southgate claiming he is still unavailable for selection after White told England he did not want to be called up during the last international break.

James is too left out after returning for Chelsea at the end of the season following a long spell out with injury. His Chelsea team-mate Ben Chilwell was injured at the end of the campaign which perhaps explains his absence but with a shortage at left-back, it is perhaps surprising he was not given the chance to prove his fitness like Luke Shaw has been.

Both Sterling and Henderson have been big players for Southgate in the past and this summer’s squad feels like a move more towards the future and away from the past.

Spain: Pedro Porro, Gavi

Despite enjoying an impressive season at Spurs, Porro surprisingly did not make the cut for the Spain squad. The full-back set up seven Premier League goals during the last campaign and caught the eye with his attacking quality but Spain manager Luis Da La Fuente has opted against taking him to Germany.

Barcelona wonderkid Gavi also misses out having missed most of the season through injury.

Italy: Ciro Immobile, Manuel Locatelli, Marco Verratti, Destiny Udogie

It will be strange seeing an Italy team without Lazio legend Immobile involved. The striker has not had his best season, scoring just seven league goals, but has been a big part of his national team in recent years and has won 57 caps for his country, scoring 17 times.

The same goes for Locatelli, who was hugely impressive at the last Euros which Italy won and has played 40 times in all competitions for Juventus this season.

Another player who had a big part to play in Italy winning the last Euros was Verratti, but his move to play in Qatar looks to have lost him his international future.

Udogie, meanwhile, misses out through injury, a big loss for Italy.

Germany: Leon Goretzka, Julian Brandt, Mats Hummels, Marco Reus, Karim Adeyemi, Timo Werner, Serge Gnabry

Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann has opted to leave out his former midfielder at Bayern Munich, Goretzka, much to the surprise of many. Dortmund’s Brandt is also not in the squad despite reaching the Champions League final with his club this season while scoring ten goals and setting up 16 in all competitions.

His team-mates Hummels, Reus and Adeyemi also do not make the cut. Reus is set to leave Dormund in he summer after 12 years at the club and did not do enough to impress, nor did Hummels despite some imperious defensive performances in the Champions League this season. The excitement youngster Adeyemi can bring to a game, meanwhile, means him missing out is a shame for football fans.

On-loan Spurs man Timo Werner has also been snubbed while Bayern star Gnabry misses out because of injury problems.

France: Michael Olise, Malo Gusto, Jean-Clair Todibo, Christopher Nkunku, Moussa Diaby

Crystal Palace winger Olise has been in electric form since returning from injury, scoring ten goals in just 19 Premier League games, but has not been selected by Didier Deschamps. Nor has fellow Premier League star Gusto despite some impressive performances for Chelsea at right-back.

Gusto’s Chelsea team-mate Nkunku has struggled with injuries this season so it is perhaps more understandable why he is not set to travel to Germany, but returned to fitness towards the end of the season so will no doubt be disappointed.

Todibo, meanwhile, has caught the eye of some of Europe’s biggest clubs following his performances for Nice but Deschamps has not been convinced and it is perhaps surprising that his place instead went to Dayot Upamecano.

Aston Villa forward Diaby also does not make the squad.

Belgium: Thibaut Courtois

The Real Madrid shot-stopper has been absent for the majority of the season because of an ACL injury but despite his recent return to availability, Belgium boss Domenico Tedesco has decided against bringing the experienced goalkeeper with the squad.

Portugal: Matheus Nunes, Renato Sanches, Raphael Guerreiro, Pedro Goncalves

Nunes made a big money move to Manchester City from Wolves last summer and a lack of playing time under Pep Guardiola appears to have negatively impacted him when it comes to playing for his international side too after being left out of the squad.

Sanches also misses out following a disappointing loan spell at Roma this season, largely because of injury. Guerreiro has found himself in and out of the Bayern team of late and picked up an injury towards the end of the season so his absence perhaps makes more sense, but Goncalves will feel desperately unlucky having scored 18 goals and recorded 17 assists in all competitions over the past campaign.

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