Gareth Southgate believes it is “very unlikely” the transfer window will kick into life until after the European Championship has finished, at least as far as England players are concerned.
With the Premier League season having concluded on 23 May, attention has already turned to the summer’s potential incomings and outgoings.
The rescheduling of Euro 2020 means it will not exactly be business as usual, with countless players away on international duty in June and July.
Those left behind will be able to move clubs more freely once the transfer window begins, though Southgate conceded he “can’t control conversations that are going on in private” regarding his England troops.
The window formally opens on 9 June and clubs will be able to operate in the market for 12 weeks from then on.
Of course, deals can be agreed in principle before that, but such transfers will not be official until the window is open. Deadline day falls on 31 August this year and all moves must be completed before 11pm.
The Premier League confirmed it will “align with other European leagues” to avoid English clubs having to complete their business before their counterparts on the continent. Yet that means the window will still be in operation when the new season kicks off on 13 August.
The Football League campaign begins a week earlier on 7 August. Last season, top-flight clubs were given an extension to do deals with EFL teams, but no announcement to that effect has been made yet this time around.
Harry Kane
Kane has been making noises about leaving Tottenham, but Southgate’s comments were a call for the England captain to focus on Euro 2020. The striker will command a fee in excess of £120m, which puts Manchester City in pole position.
Erling Haaland
One man who will not rest this close-season is so-called ‘super-agent’ Mino Raiola, who has already been on a whistle-stop tour of Europe with Haaland’s father. Borussia Dortmund could be forced to cash in on the 2020 Golden Boy with the club badly affected by the lost revenue of the last year. Barcelona, City and Real Madrid have all been linked.
Lionel Messi
Messi is now cutting a far happier figure than he was under the presidency of Josep Maria Bartomeu. With 38 goals in all competitions in 2020-21, the 33-year-old is able to leave Barcelona for free at the end of his contract – though the imminent signing of his close friend Sergio Aguero could well be a ploy which convinces him to stay.
Paul Pogba
Raiola made it public earlier this season that Pogba would look to move on from Manchester United this summer. That talk has died down since, but the Frenchman’s future is never far from the minds of the Red Devils’ hierarchy.
Georginio Wijnaldum
Wijnaldum’s Liverpool contract will expire in June and he is expected to move away from the Premier League, despite Jurgen Klopp’s attempts to keep him at Anfield.
Jack Grealish
It’s far from a certainty that Grealish will leave Aston Villa, but he has attracted enough suitors in his two seasons back in the Premier League. While the playmaker missed much of the second half of the most recent campaign through injury, he is still an attractive prospect for the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham, both of whom have monitored him in the past.
As the end of the Premier League campaign draws to a close, talk is turning to which player (or players) should receive the individual awards on offer.
Manchester City’s Ruben Dias became the first defender in 32 years to be crowned the FWA Footballer of the Year after his influence on their title-winning campaign but there are short odds for two players elsewhere to be recognised by their peers in the PFA Player’s Player of the Year.
Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes and Tottenham striker Harry Kane are deemed leading contenders for the award, with Dias and two of his City teammates also out to add the award to their potential haul of three winners’ medals this season.
Here, we run through the five leading candidates…
Some bookmakers have Bruno Fernandes at shorter than evens to collect the PFA Player’s Player of the Year award, making the Manchester United midfielder favourite to win.
The Portuguese won four player of the month awards in 2020, having joined United at the start of that year, and this season he has reached double digits in the Premier League for both goals and assists.
Standout moment: United opened the season with three defeats in their first six matches, and were then trailing Everton 1-0 at Goodison Park before Fernandes’ quick first-half double turned the match around. United were as low as 13th in the table before that match, but they climbed the rankings thereafter, with Fernandes scoring the winner against West Brom a game later before then kick-starting the 3-2 comeback win over Southampton.
When are the awards announced?
The Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year was named on 20 May. Voting opened for FWA members on 1 April and closed on 10 May. Ruben Dias was named the winner.
Meanwhile, the date for the PFA Player’s Player of the Year announcement is on 4 June. Kevin De Bruyne won this award last season, with Trent Alexander-Arnold the PFA Young Player of the Year.
Manchester City failed to replace Vincent Kompany for the 2019-20 season, and many believe that led to their distant second-placed finish behind Liverpool.
Ruben Dias arrived to solve that problem in the summer, and the 23-year-old has since emerged as one of the world’s best centre-backs, filling the gap left behind by Kompany and producing performances which have resulted in his impact being likened to that of Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk, who won the PFA award in 2018-19.
Standout moment: Dias’ man-of-the-match display against PSG in the Champions League semi-final second leg helped City reach the final, but arguably his best Premier League performance of the season came away at Chelsea in January. A match-high four blocked shots and six clearances helped City leave Stamford Bridge with a 3-1 win, and having been third in the table at the time, it was the fourth victory of a 13-game winning streak which ultimately saw City take a stranglehold on the league.
Jose Mourinho’s 17-month spell may be quickly forgotten by Tottenham fans, but his lasting legacy could be helping Harry Kane emerge as a creator as well as a goalscorer.
Kane’s passing ability has long been showcased, but this has been the first Premier League season where he has reached double digits for assists. Having also reached 20+ goals for the first time since 2017-18, talk of beating Alan Shearer’s all-time record has also been ramped up.
Standout moment: Kane played a major role in Spurs’ 6-1 win at Manchester United in October, scoring twice, but a month prior his four assists for Son Heung-min in the 5-2 win over Southampton was the start of a lethal combination which has saved Spurs on numerous occasions.
Having contracted coronavirus at the start of the season, Ilkay Gundogan went on to start just four of Manchester City’s opening 11 Premier League games, but the German’s influence grew over the winter.
His goalscoring contributions helped City drop just four points in a 19-game unbeaten run from November to March, a period where the club went from ninth in the table to first.
Standout moment: The two-month spell where Gundogan was City’s biggest goal threat. From 15 December to 13 February, the 30-year-old scored 11 goals in 12 league games, including a double at Liverpool and then at home to Spurs.
The reigning PFA Player’s Player of the Year winner is likely to fall short of winning the award this time around, but while other City players have shone the Belgian’s influence has not been diminished.
His passing is second to none, often splitting defences with perfectly-weighted passes, and he could yet inspire City to Champions League glory at the end of May.
Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus combine for City's second after Kevin De Bruyne's perfectly weighted through pass.
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Standout moment: Dias shone and Gundogan scored in the 3-1 win at Chelsea in January, but it was arguably De Bruyne who was the best player on the pitch. He assisted City’s second and scored their third in a first-half flurry which blew Chelsea away.
PFA Player’s Player of the Year odds
Best available at time of writing on 20 May:
100-1 bar
Gareth Southgate has included four uncapped players in his provisional England squad for Euro 2020.
Defenders Ben White and Ben Godfrey are joined by goalkeepers Aaron Ramsdale and Sam Johnstone.
The England manager made a late decision to delay naming his final 26-man squad and will instead take the opportunity to monitor this wider party of 33 before the Uefa deadline on 1 June.
There are fitness concerns over a number of leading players including Jordan Henderson, Harry Maguire and Jack Grealish but all three will join up with the squad and are expected to be ready for the tournament.
Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold is one of those expected to be excluded from the final list although he will get one final chance to impress Southgate after being included in the provisional list.
Jude Bellingham is also included and is expected to make the final cut after an impressive debut season at Borussia Dortmund.
Manchester United youngster Mason Greenwood and Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins have been selected ahead of Patrick Bamford despite the Leeds United striker’s 17 Premier League goals this season.
Leicester midfielder James Maddison, Southampton forward Danny Ings and Spurs utility man Eric Dier are three others who miss out.
England’s provisional squad for Euro 2020
Goalkeepers:
- Dean Henderson (Manchester United)
- Sam Johnstone (West Brom)
- Jordan Pickford (Everton)
- Aaron Ramsdale (Sheffield United)
Defenders:
- Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
- Ben Chilwell (Chelsea)
- Conor Coady (Wolves)
- Ben Godfrey (Everton)
- Reece James (Chelsea)
- Harry Maguire (Manchester United)
- Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa)
- Luke Shaw (Manchester United)
- John Stones (Manchester City)
- Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid)
- Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
- Ben White (Brighton)
Midfielders:
- Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund)
- Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)
- Jesse Lingard (West Ham, on loan)
- Mason Mount (Chelsea)
- Kalvin Phillips (Leeds)
- Declan Rice (West Ham)
- James Ward-Prowse (Southampton)
Forwards:
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton)
- Phil Foden (Manchester City)
- Jack Grealish (Aston Villa)
- Mason Greenwood (Manchester United)
- Harry Kane (Tottenham)
- Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
- Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
- Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund)
- Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
- Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
England’s squad will meet up in Middlesbrough this weekend ahead of warm-up fixtures against Austria (Wednesday 2 June, kick-off 8pm) and Romania (Sunday 6 June, kick-off 5pm) at the Riverside Stadium.
The Three Lions kick-off their Euro 2020 campaign against Croatia at Wembley on 13 June before facing Scotland and the Czech Republic at the same venue.
England’s Euro 2020 fixtures and dates
Warm-up fixtures:
- England vs Austria – Weds 2 June, 8pm (Riverside)
- England vs Romania – Sun 6 Jun, 5pm (Riverside)
Group stage:
- England vs Croatia – 13 June, 2pm (Wembley)
- England vs Scotland – 18 June, 8pm (Wembley)
- Czech Republic vs England – 22 June, 8pm (Wembley)
If England top Group D, they will play enter the knockout rounds in line with the following schedule:
- Round of 16: TBC – 29 June, 6pm
- Quarter-final: TBC – 3 July, 9pm
- Semi-final: TBC – 7 July, 9pm
- Final: TBC – 11 July, 9pm
Chelsea’s academy graduates were to the fore in Porto on Saturday, with Mason Mount and Reece James getting an A+ for their efforts against Manchester City as Thomas Tuchel’s side upset the odds and recorded a stunning second Champions League title.
On the bench, the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi, Billy Gilmour and Tammy Abraham watched on and joined the celebrations at the final whistle.
There has rarely been a better time to be a young player at a club that has hardly been renowned for giving youth a chance since Roman Abramovich took over in 2003.
After the game, the exhausted Mount and James would have been given everything they needed to refuel after a gruelling encounter – but it’s unlikely that junk food would have featured.
There was a time, though, when Chelsea’s youngsters had no choice but to be kebab shop regulars – and a period when the club were so hard-up that they struggled to pay their bills to the local eateries surrounding a then decrepit Stamford Bridge.
“I went in there once and the kebab man was banging his fist on the counter and shouting ‘Chelsea haven’t paid, they haven’t paid’,” says Craig Burley, who joined Chelsea’s academy in 1989. “The club were so short of cash that they literally couldn’t pay the kebab guy!”
As was the norm back then, the Chelsea youth team players in the 1980s and 90s would lodge with local families, be put through their paces at a training ground owned by Imperial College and then return to west London with a £2.50 allowance to spend around the corner in the local kebab shop.
“Sometimes you would get lucky,” says Frank Sinclair, who came through the Chelsea ranks at the same time as Burley. “If a player didn’t turn up, you would get their allowance too, so you had a fiver to spend. I was never much of a kebab man, to be honest. I would go for the burger and chips.”
It’s an approach to nutrition that would be anathema to a crop of stars who have played a full role in turning Chelsea from junk food kings to European royalty.
Since the 2009-10 season, the club have won the FA Youth Cup seven times. While a great many players in those teams have had to go elsewhere to find first team opportunities, the pathway to the Chelsea first team is now one that’s well and truly open to those good enough to break through.
The club’s relationship with local schools such as Whitgift in Croydon also offer an education in every sense. In recent years the likes Hudson-Odoi and Bayern Munich’s former Chelsea star Jamal Musiala have spent time there.
Burley and Sinclair came through a completely different school. That of hard knocks.
It may have been a little less refined, but it worked, with both forming part of a Chelsea side based around youth products that included the likes of Eddie Newton, Michael Duberry and David Lee.
“Different, is how I would describe it,” says Burley. “I’m not sure the youngsters today would hack it for too long. You grew up fast, though.”
When Sinclair made his debut for the club in the spring of 1991, Bobby Campbell’s back four had all come through the Chelsea youth system.
When they weren’t gorging themselves on kebabs and burgers, Burley and his young colleagues would be scrubbing the six baths in the home and away dressing rooms at Stamford Bridge.
Burley recalls the time when Lee ensured they could get away early after a midweek clash against Nottingham Forest, with the latter stuffing the bath plugs in his pockets so neither the home or away side could fill their tubs. Classic footballer antics.
The football was more rudimental back then too. Analysts? On yer bike.
If a time machine was available to transport Mount and James back to those days, they could be forgiven for thinking they had landed in a football equivalent of Jurassic Park. Although given the size of their wages, the club wouldn’t have to worry about providing them with an allowance.
The chances of Chelsea one day competing for honours in domestic competition when Burley and Sinclair first broke into the side were remote. The odds of them winning the Champions League? Stratospheric.
Now, though, with a team based on youth and homegrown talent, Chelsea fans are contemplating another crack at a third European crown next season. Mount and James, meanwhile, will be hoping to add a European Championship winners’ medal to complement the one they picked up in Portugal on Saturday night.
Whether the kebab shop that once helped feed the club’s youthful talent is still in operation is unclear. Tuchel’s side, though, have provided the rest of Europe with plenty of food for thought.
A pulsating all-English Champions League final has brought the 2020-21 club season to a close – so now it’s all eyes on the Euros.
This summer’s European Championships (confusingly still dubbed Euro 2020, despite the Covid-19 delay), are taking place around the continent for the first time in the competition’s history.
So, despite some coronavirus travel disruption, there will be 11 host cities sharing a total of 51 fixtures in packed full month of international action.
Here’s when the tournament gets underway, and the full list of groups and fixtures for Euro 2020.
The first match of the 2020 European Championships takes place on Friday 11 June, with Turkey facing Italy at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico.
You’ll be able to watch it live on BBC One and online on BBC iPlayer – all games in the tournament are being broadcast by the BBC or ITV, with S4C also showing Wales fixtures.
The first time a British team is in action comes on Saturday 12 June, when Wales open their tournament against Switzerland in Baku at 2.00pm.
England begin their Euros the following day, facing Croatia at Wembley Stadium at 2.00pm, while Scotland meet the Czech Republic at the same time on Monday 14 June at Hampden Park.
As was the case at the last European Championship, this will be a 24-team tournament.
It is organised into six groups of four, with two sides progressing from each and the two best third-placed teams joining them in the last-16.
There is a satisfying nod to Euro 96 with England and Scotland facing each other, while Group F can lay claim to be the tournament’s “Group of Death” with France, Germany and Portugal drawn together.
Wales have a decent chance of emulating their success at Euro 2016 – when they reached the semi-final – having been drawn in a group with Italy, Switzerland and Turkey.
Here are the groups in full:
Euro 2020 fixtures in full
Group A:
- Friday 11 June: Turkey vs Italy
- Saturday 12 June: Wales vs Switzerland
- Wednesday 16 June: Turkey vs Wales
- Wednesday 16 June: Italy vs Switzerland
- Sunday 20 June: Italy vs Wales
- Sunday 20 June: Switzerland vs Turkey
Group B:
- Saturday 12 June: Denmark vs Finland
- Saturday 12 June: Belgium vs Russia
- Wednesday 16 June: Finland vs Russia
- Thursday 17 June: Denmark vs Belgium
- Monday 21 June: Finland vs Belgium
- Monday 21 June: Russia vs Denmark
Group C:
- Sunday 13 June: Austria vs North Macedonia
- Sunday 13 June: Netherlands vs Ukraine
- Thursday 17 June: Ukraine vs North Macedonia
- Thursday 17 June: Netherlands vs Austria
- Monday 21 June: Ukraine vs Austria
- Monday 21 June: North Macedonia vs Netherlands
Group D:
- Sunday 13 June: England vs Croatia
- Monday 14 June: Scotland vs Czech Republic
- Friday 18 June: Croatia vs Czech Republic
- Friday 18 June: England vs Scotland
- Tuesday 22 June: Czech Republic vs England
- Tuesday 22 June: Croatia vs Scotland
Group E:
- Monday 14 June: Poland vs Slovakia
- Monday 14 June: Spain vs Sweden
- Friday 18 June: Sweden vs Slovakia
- Saturday 19 June: Spain vs Poland
- Wednesday 23 June: Sweden vs Poland
- Wednesday 23 June: Slovakia vs Spain
Group F:
- Tuesday 15 June: Hungary vs Portugal
- Tuesday 15 June: France vs Germany
- Saturday 19 June: Hungary vs France
- Saturday 19 June: Portugal vs Germany
- Wednesday 23 June: Germany vs Hungary
- Wednesday 23 June: Portugal vs France
Round of 16:
- Saturday 26 June: 2A vs 2B (Game 1)
- Saturday 26 June: 1A vs 2C (Game 2)
- Sunday 27 June: 1C vs 3D/E/F (Game 3)
- Sunday 27 June: 1B vs 3A/D/E/F (Game 4)
- Monday 28 June: 2D vs 2E (Game 5)
- Monday 28 June: 1F vs 3A/B/C (Game 6)
- Tuesday 29 June: 1D vs 2F (Game 7)
- Tuesday 29 June: 1E vs 3A/B/C/D (Game 8)
Quarter final:
- Friday 2 July: Game 6 winner vs Game 5 winner
- Friday 2 July: Game 4 winner vs Game 2 winner
- Saturday 3 July: Game 3 winner vs Game 1 winner
- Saturday 3 July: Game 8 winner vs Game 7 winner
Semi final:
- Tuesday 6 July: QF2 winner vs QF1 winner
- Wednesday 7 July: QF4 winner vs QF3 winner
Final:
- Sunday 11 July
England fans got their first glimpse of what to expect from the national team this summer as Gareth Southgate’s troops reported to training over the weekend, without those from Manchester City and Chelsea who competed in the Champions League final.
Southgate has less than two weeks to prepare his troops for Euro 2020, where they head into their Group D fixtures as favourites with the bookies to lift the trophy at Wembley next month.
The head coach’s preparations haven’t been aided by three Premier League sides reaching European finals this summer. In fact, three of Southgate’s four first-choice defenders were in action less than a week ago – with Harry Maguire sitting out on the sidelines as Manchester United lost to Villarreal in the Europa League final.
Austria should prove an effective opposition for England’s fringe members who make the 26-man cut on Tuesday. Franco Foda is preparing his side to face the Netherlands, Ukraine and North Macedonia this month – and is likely to emphasise defensive solidity here in the wake of their 4-0 defeat to Denmark last time out.
How to watch England vs Austria
England vs Austria will kick off at 8pm on Wednesday 2 June at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium.
The match will be shown live on ITV 1, with TV coverage starting from 7.30pm. Fans will also be able to live stream England vs Austria via the ITV Hub app on a range of mobile and tablet devices, as well as online via ITV’s website.
The debate over who should start for England at the Euros this summer has raged all season. In fact, captain Harry Kane is arguably the only player guaranteed to get into everyone’s ideal XI.
Southgate is expected to make plenty of changes on Wednesday night to keep his players fresh – and Sunday’s final pre-Euros warm-up tie with Romania is likely to better reflect his selection choices before their first group clash with Croatia a week later.
Here, i looks at the selection dilemmas facing the manager this midweek…
With Ben Chilwell still recovering from the Champions League final, it would appear that Luke Shaw has the left-back position nailed down. With Maguire unlikely to be risked for a friendly as he continues to recover from injury, and John Stones playing in Saturday’s Champions League final, Southgate is expected to draft in Conor Coady and Tyrone Mings into the centre of defence.
England are flush with right-back options and newly-crowned European champion Reece James has certainly impressed in that position this season. However, the youngster is unlikely to start this tie considering he played 90 minutes in Portugal on Saturday, as did Manchester City’s Kyle Walker.
Southgate could therefore bring in Trent Alexander-Arnold, or opt for Kieran Tripper – assuming either man makes Tuesday’s 26-man squad cut. Last year Alexander-Arnold was almost assured a place in England’s XI but a tricky 2020-21 campaign has cast his participation in the Euros into doubt.
There is debate as to how Southgate could set up his team but the manager likes to have four at the back, with a holding midfielder acting as cover. In that regard, Jordan Henderson and Kalvin Phillips are two options Southgate has for that role – but neither man is fully fit coming into the tournament.
Phillips is nursing a shoulder injury picked up in Leeds’ last Premier League game if the season, while Henderson has been steadily recovering from a groin issue. Should they not be risked here, Declan Rice is most likely to be tasked with the central duties.
Phil Foden and Mason Mount would have expected to be handed the chance to dazzle either side of the West Ham man, but both played in the Champions League final. So Jack Grealish and Jude Bellingham – assuming they make the squad – could get the nod against Austria.
England’s 4-3-3 system relies on the central midfielder covering the back line and handing freedom to the two wide midfielders to bomb on, which can create a five-man offensive arsenal in a flash.
Kane should lead the line once again for England here, with Jadon Sancho playing on one side of the captain. Southgate will have to decide whether either Marcus Rashford or Raheem Sterling has done enough to get into his first XI – and this friendly could be the stage for both men to prove their worth.
Sterling was largely overlooked by Pep Guardiola’s in Manchester City’s charge to the Champions League final until he played 77 minutes in Porto, while Rashford has managed just three goals since mid-February. Kane, meanwhile, will almost certainly be replaced by Dominic Calvert-Lewin midway through the game. The Everton man is due to act as understudy for England’s kingpin during the Euros and will probably have to make do with substitute appearances, unless Kane suffers an injury.
England predicted XI vs Austria:
After naming a provisional England squad for Euro 2020 last week, Gareth Southgate will finalise his 26-man line-up on Tuesday.
The England boss invited 33 players to train at Middlesbrough’s Rockcliffe Park training centre ahead of two warm-up fixtures at the Riverside but with Uefa’s squad deadline falling on 1 June that list must be cut by seven names.
The Three Lions get their Euro 2020 preparations under way in a friendly with Austria on Wednesday before taking on Romania on Sunday.
Before then however Southgate has to decide which players he wants to take part in this summer’s tournament and who will be left watching from home.
Southgate is due to face the media at 3pm on Tuesday in a pre-match press conference for the Austria game.
It is expected the England squad will be announced before then via the team’s social media channels (Twitter, Facebook and YouTube) although timings for the squad announcement and press conference are subject to change.
Uefa’s deadline for all Euro 2020 squads is at 11pm on Tuesday 1 June so Southgate will have to make up his mind by then.
Goalkeepers:
Defenders:
Midfielders:
Forwards:
Despite Southgate’s comments about England’s right backs, it is likely that one will make way. Trent Alexander-Arnold could be a high-profile casualty as he was left out of the March internationals, with Reece James, Kieran Trippier and Kyle Walker all preferred.
Of the four, Walker is probably the most secure of his place given he has enjoyed an excellent domestic campaign with Manchester City and is able to play as part of a back three or back four. James has also been utilised as a right-sided centre back in a three-man defence for Chelsea recently which could boost his chances.
Southgate’s comments that training with the squad will be a “fantastic experience” for Ben Godfrey and Ben White suggests that they will have to work hard to secure a place in the final 26, or else rely on one of the other defenders to drop out.
It is likely to be a similar situation for Aaron Ramsdale, who was called up to the squad after Nick Pope was ruled out. Ramsdale endured a difficult campaign with Sheffield United and it would be a major surprise if he was picked with Jordan Pickford, Dean Henderson and Sam Johnstone ahead of him in the pecking order.
Southgate is a big fan of James Ward-Prowse, having worked with him previously in his role as England U21 manager, but the Southampton midfielder lacks the defensive qualities of his positional rivals, Declan Rice, Kalvin Phillips and Jordan Henderson.
Bukayo Saka‘s ability to play in a variety of positions in defence, midfield and attack, could count in his favour. Interestingly, though, he was listed as a forward on England’s official squad announcement and if that is where Southgate sees his best position, it may lead to him missing out as Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho are more experienced and Mason Greenwood in better form.
Ollie Watkins retained his place from Southgate’s previous squad and was picked ahead of Danny Ings and Patrick Bamford in the final 33. However, Dominic Calvert-Lewin appears to be Southgate’s favoured backup for Harry Kane and with Rashford, Greenwood and even Phil Foden able to play as a No 9, the Aston Villa forward could drop out.
England’s Euro 2020 fixtures and dates
Warm-up fixtures:
- England vs Austria – Weds 2 June, 8pm (Riverside)
- England vs Romania – Sun 6 Jun, 5pm (Riverside)
Group stage:
- England vs Croatia – 13 June, 2pm (Wembley)
- England vs Scotland – 18 June, 8pm (Wembley)
- Czech Republic vs England – 22 June, 8pm (Wembley)
If England top Group D, they will play enter the knockout rounds in line with the following schedule:
- Round of 16: TBC – 29 June, 6pm
- Quarter-final: TBC – 3 July, 9pm
- Semi-final: TBC – 7 July, 9pm
- Final: TBC – 11 July, 9pm
Gareth Southgate has plenty to ponder over the coming days after deciding to name an expanded 33-man provisional England squad for Euro 2020.
The England boss will have to cut seven players from his squad by Uefa’s deadline on Tuesday 1 June, 10 days before the tournament gets underway in Rome.
Southgate has injury concerns over a few key players, most notably Jordan Henderson, who missed the final three months of the season after undergoing groin surgery and Harry Maguire, who suffered an ankle injury a few weeks ago.
He will also be keeping a close eye on the performances in training of a few newcomers to the England setup in defenders Ben Godfrey and Ben White and goalkeepers Sam Johnstone and Aaron Ramsdale. Godfrey and White will be looking to enhance their chances of inclusion with question marks over Maguire’s fitness.
Southgate acknowledged in his press conference that supporters feel he has an “obsession with right backs” but he defended his decision to name four in his squad, with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Reece James, Kieran Trippier and Kyle Walker all picked. He suggested that all four are capable of playing in multiple positions and stated that Alexander-Arnold has the qualities to be deployed in midfield.
With England set to name their final squad for Euro 2020 on Tuesday 1 June, i runs through the selection dilemmas facing Gareth Southgate and pick the players we expect to be named in the final 26-man list next week.
Goalkeepers:
Defenders:
Midfielders:
Forwards:
Despite Southgate’s comments about England’s right backs, it is likely that one will make way. Trent Alexander-Arnold could be a high-profile casualty as he was left out of the March internationals, with Reece James, Kieran Trippier and Kyle Walker all preferred.
Of the four, Walker is probably the most secure of his place given he has enjoyed an excellent domestic campaign with Manchester City and is able to play as part of a back three or back four. James has also been utilised as a right-sided centre back in a three-man defence for Chelsea recently which could boost his chances.
Southgate’s comments that training with the squad will be a “fantastic experience” for Ben Godfrey and Ben White suggests that they will have to work hard to secure a place in the final 26, or else rely on one of the other defenders to drop out.
It is likely to be a similar situation for Aaron Ramsdale, who was called up to the squad after Nick Pope was ruled out. Ramsdale endured a difficult campaign with Sheffield United and it would be a major surprise if he was picked with Jordan Pickford, Dean Henderson and Sam Johnstone ahead of him in the pecking order.
Southgate is a big fan of James Ward-Prowse, having worked with him previously in his role as England U21 manager, but the Southampton midfielder lacks the defensive qualities of his positional rivals, Declan Rice, Kalvin Phillips and Jordan Henderson.
Bukayo Saka‘s ability to play in a variety of positions in defence, midfield and attack, could count in his favour. Interestingly, though, he was listed as a forward on England’s official squad announcement and if that is where Southgate sees his best position, it may lead to him missing out as Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho are more experienced and Mason Greenwood in better form.
Ollie Watkins retained his place from Southgate’s previous squad and was picked ahead of Danny Ings and Patrick Bamford in the final 33. However, Dominic Calvert-Lewin appears to be Southgate’s favoured backup for Harry Kane and with Rashford, Greenwood and even Phil Foden able to play as a No 9, the Aston Villa forward could drop out.
Who would you like to see selected in the England squad? Let us know over on our Facebook page
England’s Euro 2020 fixtures and dates
Warm-up fixtures:
- England vs Austria – Weds 2 June, 8pm (Riverside)
- England vs Romania – Sun 6 Jun, 5pm (Riverside)
Group stage:
- England vs Croatia – 13 June, 2pm (Wembley)
- England vs Scotland – 18 June, 8pm (Wembley)
- Czech Republic vs England – 22 June, 8pm (Wembley)
If England top Group D, they will play enter the knockout rounds in line with the following schedule:
- Round of 16: TBC – 29 June, 6pm
- Quarter-final: TBC – 3 July, 9pm
- Semi-final: TBC – 7 July, 9pm
- Final: TBC – 11 July, 9pm
Organisers of this summer’s Copa America will meet on Monday to determine a new tournament host after confirming Argentina will not stage the competition due to a surge in coronavirus cases in the country.
South America’s biggest football tournament kicks off in just 13 days and footballing body Conmebol have already had to deny Colombia co-hosting duties.
The Copa America has been delayed 12 months because of the pandemic and organisers will meet to decide whether the tournament can be moved at such short notice.
“Conmebol informs that in view of the present circumstances it has been decided to suspend the staging of the Copa América in Argentina,” a statement read. “Conmebol will analyse the offers of other countries that showed interest in hosting the continental tournament. News in this regard will be announced shortly.”
Argentina and Colombia initially earned co-hosting rights for the Copa America back in 2019, beating the US, who had put forward a bid to stage the competition for the second time in its history, having played hosts in 2016.
Earlier in May Colombia was stripped of its hosting duties following widespread protests in the country. Argentina, meanwhile, is currently under a national lockdown to stem a surge in Covid-19 cases that have averaged over 35,000 daily infections over the past seven days.
Chile, Ecuador and Venezuela have all offered to help out and stage games this summer, while Paraguay is also a proposed option. Brazil, which hosted the 2019 tournament, is averaging 61,000 coronavirus cases a day.
Meanwhile, the US could be granted staging rights – although moving the tournament to North America risks delaying the start. The Copa America is due to begin on 12 June and a further complication is the US is staging the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup later this summer, with tournament organisers keen for the two competitions not to clash.
The Gold Cup is taking place across nine US host cities and kicks off on 10 July, the proposed date of the Copa America final.
Conmebol officials will meet on Monday morning to discuss their options.
Morecambe will have history in their sights when they walk out at Wembley to face Newport in the League Two play-off final today.
A club that spent nearly 50 years playing in the Lancashire Combination league, the seasiders are aiming to reach the English third tier for the very first time.
If they do it, they’ll owe a debt to a player with a remarkable story, their 22-year-old top scorer this season and former Atletico Madrid youth player, Carlos Mendes Gomes.
The wonderful run – five wins in six – with which Morecambe finished the regular season came too late to snatch automatic promotion, though for a team that was 14th at the beginning of December, being here at all is a testament to an astonishing momentum.
Manager Derek Adams’ team kept up that intensity in battling past Tranmere in the play-off semi-final and now stand on the precipice of a historic promotion.
Winger Gomes, who has scored 15 goals this campaign ahead of Monday’s showpiece, has a pedigree unlike anything you will find at this level.
At two years old, he left Dakar in his native Senegal and moved with his family to the Spanish island of Lanzarote. Then, aged 13 he moved again, this time without his parents, to Madrid. He joined the youth set up of La Liga side Getafe, before attracting the attention of Atletico a year later.
“I was 14 and playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world,” said Gomes. “It was more like a dream than reality. But it was tough, being away from my parents at 13. I remember spending my first Christmas in Madrid without them. That was very hard. But I had a dream and I knew I was doing the right thing.
“Most of my teammates from Atletico are either playing in the lower leagues in Spain or have dropped out of football altogether. I’m lucky to be doing what I’m doing.”
The move to England in 2015 wasn’t without family trauma. Gomes spoke no English, and didn’t want to leave his life in Madrid.
There was “a little disagreement” with his father about whether he should join the rest of the family but, as is inevitable when a teenager goes nose-to-nose with a determined parent, Gomes senior won the upper hand.
After settling in Manchester, he stopped playing football for a full year, before signing for Northwest Counties side West Didsbury and Chorlton, juggling his playing commitments with his studies at Manchester College.
“I was in my final year when Morecambe came in,” he said. “I remember thinking that the following year I would have to go to university, and that with those responsibilities it would make finding a football club tough.
“As soon as Morecambe came, I knew it was written for everything to happen at that time. I didn’t think twice about it. This is what I’ve worked for since I was a kid. It was a no-brainer.
“My family love England, especially Manchester where we’re based. I’ve got a soft spot for the city. I don’t know if it’s the people or what it is. It certainly isn’t the weather. Back in the day I wasn’t really into good food so it’s not that either.”
Morecambe boast a remarkable feat that is almost unmatched in the Football League; along with phoenix club AFC Wimbledon, they are the only team in the league never to have suffered a relegation.
The Shrimps, so called for the cuisine of the seaside town they call home, have spent most of their history in England’s regional leagues, making it into the national picture as late as 1995 when they won promotion to the former Vauxhall Conference.
They arrived in League Two under the leadership of their legendary boss, the former Manchester United midfielder Sammy McIlroy, in 2007, and before the current season life as a Football League club has been dicey.
They finished in the top half of the league only once and placed in the bottom seven in each of the last five seasons, including 22nd in two of the last three. The most ardent Shrimpers would admit they were not primed for a promotion push.
“To be fair, and it might sound crazy, but I expected this,” said Gomes. “I remember telling people in pre-season. I saw the players that were coming in and the players that were staying. And I told people, we’ve got a great chance this season. There’s work to do, but we’re going to be up there.
“It might sound strange but I’ve always been a bit of a dreamer. I’m always thinking ‘one day’. I can picture these things, you know? I believe that it doesn’t matter what division you are in or what team you’re at. As long as you play well, do the right things, you will be seen.”
Gomes is a talent that surely deserves a crack playing at the next level. His fortitude in getting to this point is another tick in his box. Yet on Sunday, it may all come down to a question of nerve.
“I’m not one of those people that gets nervous,” he said. “Sometimes I think I don’t have blood in my veins. It’s unreal to think about Wembley. Until I’m there, I won’t believe it. To think of some of the players that have stepped out there; Messi, Ronaldo, Drogba. It’s a dream come true.
“We’ve got a job to do. That doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the occasion.”
England‘s most-capped player Peter Shilton believes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would have “disrespected” David De Gea if he had chosen to substitute the goalkeeper ahead of Manchester United’s penalty shootout defeat to Villarreal in the Europa League final.
De Gea was unable to keep out any of Villarreal’s 11 attempts in Gdansk – meaning he has failed to save any of the last 40 penalties he has faced, since denying Romelu Lukaku in April 2016 – before missing the decisive kick himself. In contrast, Dean Henderson has stopped five penalties from 19 in his senior career.
Former United boss Louis van Gaal famously swapped Jasper Cillessen for Tim Krul during Holland’s World Cup quarter-final against Costa Rica in 2014 and was vindicated when the current Norwich City ‘keeper saved two penalties in the shoot-out to send his country into the next round.
“With penalty shootouts you need a bit of luck,” Shilton said. “Some goalkeepers are better than others or luckier. I think it’s a bit disrespectful to say to a goalkeeper ‘look you’ve played the whole 90 minutes or whatever but you’re not good enough to save a penalty’.
“Jordan Pickford faced four at the last World Cup and didn’t save any and then the fifth one the fella [Carlos Bacca] gave him a chance and he saved one. At Euro ’96, David Seaman saved one against Spain and then didn’t save any out of six against Germany. That’s how penalty shootouts are.”
Henderson has been named in Gareth Southgate’s provisional 33-man England squad for Euro 2020 and is being tipped to challenge Jordan Pickford for his starting place after Burnley’s Nick Pope was ruled out of the tournament after undergoing knee surgery.
However, Southgate hinted that Pickford would be his starting ‘keeper this summer by making a point of praising his “focus and calmness” for Everton during his squad announcement on Tuesday.
“I don’t think he’s let England down and he’s had experience of big tournaments,” Shilton said. “He’s obviously had a bit of an indifferent season at Everton but for England and under Southgate he’s performed very well.
“You’ve got to be calm but you’ve also got to be aggressive as well. If you start getting over-excited, it’s going to affect your decision-making. Phil Mickelson won the PGA Championship the other day and he was so calm and focused and that’s how you have to be when you’re a goalkeeper.
“If Gareth has noticed that, maybe that’s why the odd mistakes he was making have dried up a bit.”
If England top Group D containing Croatia, Czech Republic and Scotland and end up reaching the final, all but one of their seven matches will be held at Wembley.
“In 1966 we won the World Cup and it’s the only time we’ve had it in this country,” Shilton added. “In 1996 we got to the semis and were probably a bit unlucky not to get in the final, so I think playing at home is a big advantage. Hopefully that will spur us on and give us that extra impetus.”
Shilton was taking part in the #SignYourSupport campaign which sees a giant England flag touring the country by FA Respect Campaign and England sponsors Nationwide Building Society ahead of the Euros.
Three Lions’ fans can sign online to benefit the Nationwide Mutual Respect Grassroots Football Fund. For every signature up to the first 50,000 fans, Nationwide Building Society, will put in an additional £1. Fans can sign their support at: nationwide-signyoursupport.co.uk
All participating nations at Euro 2020 will be able to select 26-man squads for the tournament, as opposed to the usual 23.
The decision to expand the squads was made to reduce the workload on players following a gruelling domestic season and to give managers more flexibility should any members of their squad be affected by Covid-19.
Confirmation of each squad will be made in the days leading up to the tournament’s first match – Turkey vs Italy at the Stadio Olympico in Rome – on Friday 11 June.
Gareth Southgate has named a 33-man provisional squad which will be cut down to 26 players next week. Uncapped defenders Ben Godfrey and Ben White have both made the cut, with Eric Dier and Danny Ings the most high-profile omissions.
Although the club campaign isn’t over just yet, most managers have already named their squads for the tournament and the standout headlines so far revolve around a couple of Real Madrid players.
The 2018 World Cup winners, France have been further bolstered by the shock return after a six-year absence of Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema who has finally patched up his differences with Didier Deschamps. The 33-year-old scored 30 goals in 46 games for his club this season.
While Benzema is back in the international fold, Sergio Ramos will be watching Spain’s tournament from the comfort of his own sofa after being surprisingly left out by Luis Enrique. The 35-year-old is La Roja’s most-capped player of all time and had been expected to captain the side this summer.
Here are all of the squads selected so far:
Goalkeepers: Daniel Bachmann (Watford), Pavao Pervan (Wolfsburg), Alexander Schlager (LASK)
Defenders: David Alaba (Bayern), Aleksandar Dragovic (Leverkusen), Marco Friedl (Werder Bremen) Martin Hinteregger (Frankfurt), Stefan Lainer (Mönchengladbach), Philipp Lienhart (Freiburg), Stefan Posch (Hoffenheim), Christopher Trimmel (Union Berlin), Andreas Ulmer (Salzburg)
Midfielders: Julian Baumgartlinger (Leverkusen), Christoph Baumgartner (Hoffenheim), Florian Grillitsch (Hoffenheim), Stefan Ilsanker (Frankfurt), Konrad Laimer (Leipzig), Valentino Lazaro (Internazionale), Marcel Sabitzer (Leipzig), Louis Schaub (Luzern), Xaver Schlager (Wolfsburg), Alessandro Schöpf (Schalke)
Forwards: Marko Arnautović (Shanghai Port), Michael Gregoritsch (Augsburg), Sasa Kalajdzic (Stuttgart), Karim Onisiwo (Mainz)
Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), Simon Mignolet (Club Brugge), Mats Selz (RC Strasbourg Alsace)
Defenders: Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham), Dedryck Boyata (Hertha Berlin), Timothy Castagne (Leicester City), Jason Denayer (Lyon), Thomas Meunier (Borussia Dortmund), Thomas Vermaelen (Vissel Kobe), Jan Vertonghen (Benfica)
Midfielders: Nacer Chadli (Istanbul Basaksehir), Yannick Carrasco (Atlético Madrid), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Leander Dendoncker (Wolves) Thorgan Hazard (Dortmund), Dennis Praet (Leicester), Youri Tielemans (Leicester), Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge), Axel Witsel (Borussia Dortmund)
Forwards: Michy Batshuayi (Crystal Palace ), Christian Benteke (Crystal Palace), Jérémy Doku (Rennes), Eden Hazard (Real Madrid), Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan), Dries Mertens (Napoli), Leandro Trossard (Brighton)
Goalkeepers: Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Lovre Kalinic (Hajduk Split), Simon Sluga (Luton Town)
Defenders: Borna Barisic (Rangers), Domagoj Bradaric (Lille), Duje Caleta-Car (Marseille), Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig), Josip Juranovic (Legia Warsaw), Dejan Lovren (Zenit St Petersburg), Mile Skoric (Osijek), Domagoj Vida (Besiktas), Sime Vrsaljko (Atletico Madrid)
Midfielders: Milan Badelj (Genoa), Josip Brekalo (Wolfsburg), Marcelo Brozovic (Inter), Luka Ivanusec (Dinamo Zagreb), Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea), Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Mario Pasalic (Atalanta), Nikola Vlasic (CSKA Moscow)
Forwards: Ante Budimir (Osasuna), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim), Bruno Petkovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Ante Rebic (AC Milan)
Goalkeepers: Ales Mandous (Sigma Olomouc), Jiri Pavlenka (Werder Bremen), Tomas Vaclik (Sevilla)
Defenders: Jan Boril (Slavia Prague), Jakub Brabec (Viktoria Plzen), Vladimir Coufal (West Ham), Ondrej Celustka (Sparta Prague), Pavel Kaderabek (Hoffenheim), Tomas Kalas (Bristol City), Ales Mateju (Brescia), David Zima (Slavia Prague)
Midfielders: Antonin Barak (Verona), Vladimir Darida (Hertha Berlin), Adam Hlozek (Sparta Prague), Tomas Holes (Slavia Prague), Jakub Jankto (Sampdoria), Alex Kral (Spartak Moscow), Lukas Masopust (Slavia Prague), Jakub Pesek (Slovan Liberec), Tomas Soucek (West Ham), Petr Sevcik (Slavia Prague)
Forwards: Michael Kremencik (PAOK), Tomas Pekhart (Legia Warsaw), Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen), Matej Vydra (Burnley)
Goalkeepers: Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester), Jonas Lossl (Midtjylland), Frederik Ronnow (Schalke)
Defenders: Jens Stryger Larsen (Udinese), Simon Kjaer (AC Milan), Andreas Christensen (Chelsea), Joachim Andersen (Fulham), Daniel Wass (Valencia), Mathias Jorgensen (Copenhagen), Joakim Maehle (Atalanta), Jannik Vestergaard (Southampton), Nicolai Boilesen (Copenhagen)
Midfielders: Mathias Jensen (Brentford), Christian Norgaard (Brentford), Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (Tottenham), Thomas Delaney (Dortmund), Anders Christiansen (Malmö), Christian Eriksen (Inter Milan), Mikkel Damsgaard (Sampdoria), Robert Skov (Hoffenheim)
Forwards: Martin Braithwaite (Barcelona), Andreas Cornelius (Parma), Andreas Skov Olsen (Bologna), Yussuf Poulsen (Leipzig), Kasper Dolberg (Nice), Jonas Wind (Copenhagen)
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Manchester United), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Sam Johnstone (West Brom), Aaron Ramsdale (Sheffield United)
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Conor Coady (Wolves), Ben Godfrey (Everton), Reece James (Chelsea), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Ben White (Brighton)
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Jesse Lingard (West Ham), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds), Declan Rice (West Ham), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton)
Forwards: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Mason Greenwood (Manchester United), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
*Provisional squad size of 33 to be cut to 26
Goalkeepers: Lukas Hradecky (Leverkusen), Jesse Joronen (Brescia), Anssi Jaakkola (Bristol Rovers), Carljohan Eriksson (Mjällby), Niki Maenpaa (Venezia)
Defenders: Juhani Ojala (Vejle), Sauli Väisänent (Chievo), Paulus Arajuuri (Pafos), Daniel O’Shaugnessy (HJK Helsinki), Robert Ivanov (Warta Poznań), Albin Granlund (Stal Mielec), Jere Uronen (Genk), Nicholas Hämäläinen (QPR), Nikolai Alho (MTK Budapest), Aapo Halme (Barnsley), Jukka Raitala (Minnesota United), Joona Toivio (Hacken)
Midfielders: Pyry Soiri (Esbjerg), Joni Kauko (Esbjerg), Onni Valakari (Pafos), Rasmus Schüller (Djurgården), Thomas Lam (Zwolle), Tim Sparv (Larissa), Fredrik Jensen (Augsburg), Robert Taylor (Brann), Robin Lod (Minnesota United)
Forwards: Lassi Lappalainen (Montréal), Jasin Assehnoun (Lahti), Teemu Pukki (Norwich), Roope Riski (HJK Helsinki)
*Provisional squad size of 30 to be cut to 26 on 1 June
Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Mike Maignan (Lille), Steve Mandanda (Marseille)
Defenders: Lucas Digne (Everton), Leo Dubois (Lyon), Lucas Hernandez (Bayern Munich), Presnel Kimpembe (Paris Saint-Germain), Jules Kounde (Sevilla), Clement Lenglet (Barcelona), Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid), Kurt Zouma (Chelsea)
Midfielders: N’golo Kante (Chelsea), Thomas Lemar (Atletico Madrid), Paul Pogba (Manchester United), Adrien Rabiot (Juventus), Moussa Sissoko (Tottenham), Corentin Tolisso (Bayern Munich)
Forwards: Wissam Ben Yedder (Monaco), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich), Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona), Olivier Giroud (Chelsea), Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona), Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain), Marcus Thuram (Borussia Munchengladbach)
Goalkeepers: Bernd Leno (Arsenal), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Kevin Trapp (Frankfurt)
Defenders: Matthias Ginter (Borussia Monchengladbach), Robin Gosens (Atalanta), Christian Gunter (Freiburg), Marcel Halstenberg (RB Leipzig), Mats Hummels (Dortmund), Lukas Klostermann (RB Leipzig), Robin Koch (Leeds), Antonio Rudiger (Chelsea), Niklas Sule (Bayern Munich)
Midfielders: Emre Can (Dortmund), Jonas Hoffman (Borussia Monchengladbach), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Ilkay Gundogan (Manchester City), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Florian Neuhaus (Borussia Monchengladbach), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)
Forwards: Kai Havertz (Chelsea), Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich), Kevin Volland (Monaco), Timo Werner (Chelsea), Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich)
Goalkeepers: Adam Bogdan (Ferencvaros), Denes Dibusz (Ferencvaros), Peter Gulacsi (RB Leipzig), Balazs Toth (Puskas Akademia)
Defenders: Bendeguz Bolla (Fehervar), Endre Botka (Ferencvaros), Attila Fiola (Fehervar), Szilveszter Hangya (Fehervar), Akos Kecskes (Lugano), Adam Lang (Omonoia), Gergo Lovrencsics (Ferencvaros), Willi Orban (RB Leipzig), Csaba Spandler (Puskas Akademia), Attila Szalai (Fenerbahce)
Midfielders: Tamas Cseri (Mezokovesd), Daniel Gazdag (Budapest Honved), Filip Holender (Partizan), Laszlo Kleinheisler (Osijek), Adam Nagy (Bristol City), Loic Nego (Fehervar), Andras Schafer (Dunajska Streda), David Siger (Ferencvaros), Dominik Szoboszlai (Leipzig)
Forwards: Janos Hahn (Paks), Nemanja Nikolic (Fehervar), Roland Sallai (Freiburg), Szabolcs Schon (Dallas), Adam Szalai (Mainz), Kevin Varga (Kasımpaşa), Roland Varga (MTK Budapest)
Goalkeepers: Alessio Cragno (Cagliari), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Milan), Alex Meret (Napoli), Salvatore Sirigu (Torino)
Defenders: Francesco Acerbi (Lazio), Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Cristiano Biraghi (Fiorentina), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Alessandro Florenzi (Paris), Gianluca Mancini (Roma), Leonardo Spinazzola (Roma), Rafael Toloi (Atalanta)
Midfielders: Nicolo Barella (Inter), Gaetano Castrovilli (Fiorentina), Bryan Cristante (Roma), Manuel Locatelli (Sassuolo), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma), Matteo Pessina (Atalanta), Stefano Sensi (Inter), Marco Verratti (PSG)
Forwards: Andrea Belotti (Torino), Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo), Federico Bernardeschi (Juventus), Federico Chiesa (Juventus), Vincenzo Grifo (Freiburg), Ciro Immobile (Lazio), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Moise Kean (PSG), Matteo Politano (Napoli), Giacomo Raspadori (Sassuolo)
*Provisional squad size of 32 to be cut to 26
Goalkeepers: Jasper Cillessen (Valencia), Tim Krul (Norwich), Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax)
Defenders: Nathan Ake (Manchester City), Daley Blind (Ajax Amsterdam), Matthijs de Ligt (Juventus), Stefan de Vrij (Inter Milan), Denzel Dumfries (PSV Eindhoven), Jurriem Timber (Ajax Amsterdam), Patrick van Aanholt (Crystal Palace), Joel Veltman (Brighton), Owen Wijndal (AZ Alkmaar)
Midfielders: Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona), Marten de Roon (Atalanta), Ryan Gravenberch (Ajax), Davy Klaassen (Ajax), Teun Koopmeiners (AZ Alkmaar), Donny van de Beek (Manchester United), Georginio Wijnaldum (Liverpool)
Forwards: Steven Berghuis (Feyenoord), Luuk de Jong (Sevilla), Memphis Depay (Olympique Lyonnais), Cody Gakpo (PSV), Donyell Malen (PSV), Quincy Promes (Spartak Moscow), Wout Weghorst (Wolfsburg)
Goalkeepers: Stole Dimitrievski (Rayo Vallecano), Damjan Siskovski (Doxa), Riste Jankov (Rabotnicki).
Defenders: Stefan Ristovski (Dinamo Zagreb), Visar Musliu (MOL Fehervar), Egzon Bejtulai (Shkendija), Kire Ristevski (Ujpest), Gjoko Zajkov (Charleroi), Darko Velkovski (Rijeka), Ezgjan Alioski (Leeds United).
Midfielders: Arijan Ademi (Dinamo Zagreb), Enis Bardhi (Levante), Stefan Spirovski (AEK Larnaca), Boban Nikolov (Lecce), Tihomir Kostadinov (Ruzomberok), Ferhan Hasani (Partizani), Eljif Elmas (Napoli), Daniel Avramovski (Kayserispor), Darko Curlinov (Stutgart), Marjan Radeski (Akademija Pandev).
Forwards: Goran Pandev (Genoa), Aleksandar Trajkovski (Mallorka), Ivan Trickovski (AEK Larnaca), Vlatko Stojanovski (Chambly), Krste Velkovski (Sarajevo), Milan Ristovski (Spartak Trnava).
Goalkeepers: Lukasz Fabianski (West Ham), Lukasz Skorupski (Bologna), Wojciech Szczesny (Juventus)
Defenders: Jan Bednarek (Southampton), Bartosz Bereszyński (Sampdoria), Paweł Dawidowicz (Verona), Kamil Glik (Benevento), Michal Helik (Barnsley), Tomasz Kedziora (Dynamo Kiev), Kamil Piatkowski (Rakow Czestochowa), Tymoteusz Puchacz (Lech Poznan), Maciej Rybus (Lokomotiv Moscow)
Midfielders: Przemysław Frankowski (Chicago Fire), Kamil Jozwiak (Derby), Mateusz Klich (Leeds), Kacper Kozłowski (Pogon Szczecin), Grzegorz Krychowiak (Lokomotiv Moscow), Karol Linetty (Torino), Jakub Moder (Brighton), Przemysław Placheta (Norwich), Piotr Zielinski (Napoli)
Forwards: Dawid Kownacki (Fortuna Düsseldorf), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich), Arkadiusz Milik (Marseille), Karol Swiderski (PAOK), Jakub Swierczok (Piast Gliwice)
Goalkeepers: Anthony Lopes (Lyon), Rui Patrício (Wolves), Rui Silva (Granada)
Defenders: Joao Cancelo (Man City), Nelson Semedo (Wolves), Jose Fonte (Lille), Pepe (Porto), Ruben Dias (Man City), Nuno Mendes (Sporting), Raphael Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund)
Midfielders: Danilo Pereira (PSG), Joao Palhinha (Sporting), Ruben Neves (Wolves), Bruno Fernandes (Man Utd), Joao Moutinho (Wolves), Renato Sanches (Lille), Sergio Oliveira (Porto), William Carvalho (Real Betis)
Forwards: Pedro Goncalves (Sporting), Andre Silva (Eintracht Franfurt), Bernardo Silva (Man City), Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Diogo Jota (Liverpool), Goncalo Guedes (Valencia), Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid), Rafa Silva (Benfica)
Goalkeepers: Yuri Dyupin (Rubin), Andrei Lunev (Zenit), Matvei Safonov (Krasnodar), Anton Shunin (Dinamo Moscow)
Defenders: Igor Diveev (CSKA Moscow), Georgi Dzhikiya (Spartak Moscow), Vyacheslav Karavaev (Zenit), Fedor Kudryashov (Antalyaspor), Ilya Samoshnikov (Rubin), Andrei Semenov (Akhmat), Roman Yevgenyev (Dinamo Moscow), Yuri Zhirkov (Zenit)
Midfielders: Dmitri Barinov (Lokomotiv Moscow), Denis Cheryshev (Valencia), Daniil Fomin (Dinamo Moscow), Aleksandr Golovin (Monaco), Alexei Ionov (Krasnodar), Daler Kuzyayev (Zenit), Denis Makarov (Rubin), Aleksei Miranchuk (Atalanta), Andrei Mostovoy (Zenit), Maksim Mukhin (Lokomotiv Moscow), Magomed Ozdoev (Zenit), Arsen Zakharyan (Dinamo Moscow), Rifat Zhemaletdinov (Lokomotiv Moscow), Roman Zobnin (Spartak Moscow)
Forwards: Artem Dzyuba (Zenit), Aleksandr Sobolev (Spartak Moscow), Anton Zabolotny (Sochi)
*Provisional squad size of 29 to be cut to 26
Goalkeepers: Craig Gordon (Hearts), David Marshall (Derby County), Jon McLaughlin (Rangers)
Defenders: Liam Cooper (Leeds United), Declan Gallagher (Motherwell), Grant Hanley (Norwich City), Jack Hendry (KV Oostende, on loan from Celtic), Scott McKenna (Aberdeen), Stephen O’Donnell (Motherwell), Nathan Patterson (Rangers), Andy Robertson (Liverpool), Kieran Tierney (Arsenal), Greg Taylor (Celtic)
Midfielders: Stuart Armstrong (Southampton), Billy Gilmour (Chelsea), John Fleck (Sheffield United), Callum McGregor (Celtic), Scott McTominay (Manchester United), John McGinn (Aston Villa), David Turnbull (Celtic)
Forwards: Che Adams (Southampton), Ryan Christie (Celtic), Lyndon Dykes (Queens Park Rangers), James Forrest (Celtic), Ryan Fraser (Newcastle United), Kevin Nisbet (Hibernian)
Goalkeepers: Martin Dubravka (Newcastle), Marek Rodak (Fulham), Dusan Kuciak (Lechia Gdansk)
Defenders: Peter Pekarik (Hertha Berlin), Lubomir Satka (Lech Poznan), Denis Vavro (Huesca), Milan Skriniar (Inter Milan), Tomas Hubocan (Omonoia), Jakub Holubek (Gliwice)
Midfielders: Marek Hamsik (IFK Goteborg), Stanislav Lobotka (Napoli), Patrik Hrosovsky (Genk), Juraj Kucka (Parma), Ondrej Duda (Cologne), Robert Mak (Ferencvaros), Vladimir Weiss (Slovan Bratislava), Laszlo Benes (Augsburg), Lukas Haraslin (Sassuolo), Tomas Suslov (Groningen), Matus Bero (Arnhem), Erik Jirka (Mirandes)
Forwards: Michal Duris (Omonoia), Robert Bozenik (Feyenoord), David Strelec (Slovan Bratislava)
*Only 24 players named
Goalkeepers: David De Gea (Manchester United), Unai Simon (Athletic Bilbao), Robert Sanchez (Brighton)
Defenders: Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City), Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Jose Gaya (Valencia), Pau Torres (Villarreal), Eric Garcia (Manchester City), Diego Llorente (Leeds United), Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea), Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid)
Midfielders: Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Rodri (Manchester City), Pedri (Barcelona), Thiago (Liverpool), Koke (Atletico Madrid), Fabian (Napoli)
Forwards: Dani Olmo (RB Leipzig), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Alvaro Morata (Juventus), Gerard Moreno (Villarreal), Ferran Torres (Manchester City), Adama Traore (Wolves), Pablo Sarabia (PSG)
*Only 24 players named
Goalkeepers: Karl-Johan Johnsson (København), Kristoffer Nordfeldt (Genclerbirligi), Robin Olsen (Everton)
Defenders: Ludwig Augustinsson (Werder Bremen), Marcus Danielson (Dalian Yifang), Andreas Granqvist (Helsingborg), Filip Helander (Rangers), Pontus Jansson (Brentford), Emil Krafth (Newcastle United), Victor Lindelof (Manchester United), Mikael Lustig (AIK), Martin Olsson (Hacken)
Midfielders: Viktor Claesson (Krasnodar), Jens-Lys Cajuste (Midtjylland), Albin Ekdal (Sampdoria), Emil Forsberg (RB Leipzig), Dejan Kulusevski (Juventus), Sebastian Larsson (AIK), Kristoffer Olsson (Krasnodar), Ken Sema (Watford), Mattias Svanberg (Bologna), Gustav Svensson (Guangzhou)
Forwards: Marcus Berg (Krasnodar), Alexander Isak (Real Sociedad), Robin Quaison (Mainz), Jordan Larsson (Spartak Moscow).
Goalkeepers: Yann Sommer (Borussia Monchengladbach), Jonas Omlin (Montpelier), Yvon Mvogo (PSV), Gregor Kobel (Stuttgart)
Defenders: Fabian Schar (Newcastle United), Ricardo Rodriguez (Torino), Manuel Akanji (Borussia Dortmund), Nico Elvedi (Borussia Monchengladbach), Jordan Lotomba (Nice), Becir Omeragic (Zurich), Silvan Widmer (Basel), Loris Benito (Bordeaux), Kevin Mbabu (Wolfsburg)
Midfielders: Granit Xhaka (Arsenal), Xherdan Shaqiri (Liverpool), Steven Zuber (Eintracht Frankfurt), Denis Zakaria (Borussia Monchengladbach), Remo Freuler (Atalanta), Edimilson Fernandes (Mainz), Djibril Sow (Eitracht Frankfurt)
Forwards: Haris Seferovic (Benfica), Admir Mehmedi (Wolfsburg), Breel Embolo (Borussia Monchengladbach), Mario Gavranovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Ruben Vargas (Augsburg), Christian Fassnacht (Young Boys), Dan Ndoye (Nice), Andi Zeqiri (Brighton)
*Provisional squad of 28 to be cut to 26
Goalkeepers: Gokhan Akkan (Rizespor), Altay Bayindir (Fenerbahce), Ugurcan Cakir (Trabzonspor), Mert Gunok (Istanbul Basaksehir)
Defenders: Zeki Celik (LOSC Lille), Mert Muldur (Sassuolo), Merih Demiral (Juventus), Ozan Kabak (Liverpool), Caglar Soyuncu (Leicester), Kaan Ayhan (Sassuolo), Umut Meras (Le Havre), Ridvan Yilmaz (Besiktas)
Midfielders: Halil Akbunar (Goztepe), Taylan Antalyali (Galatasaray), Hakan Calhanoglu (AC Milan), Irfan Can Kahveci (Fenerbahce), Efecan Karaca (Alanyaspor), Orkun Kokcu (Feyenoord), Abdulkadir Omur (Trabzonspor), Mahmut Tekdemir (Istanbul Basaksehir), Dorukhan Tokoz (Besiktas), Ozan Tufan (Fenerbahce), Cengiz Under (Leicester), Yusuf Yazici (Lille), Okay Yokuslu (West Brom)
Forwards: Kerem Akturkoglu (Galatasaray), Halil Ibrahim Dervisoglu (Galatasaray), Kenan Karaman (Fortuna Dusseldorf), Enes Unal (Getafe), Burak Yilmaz (LOSC Lille)
*Provisional squad of 30 to be cut to 26
Goalkeepers: Georgiy Bushchan (Dynamo Kiev), Andriy Lunin (Real Madrid), Andriy Pyatov (Shakhtar Donetsk), Anatolii Trubin (Shakhtar Donetsk)
Defenders: Eduard Sobol (Club Brugge), Illia Zabarnyi (Dynamo Kiev), Viktor Korniienko (Shakhtar Donetsk), Serhiy Kryvtsov (Shakhtar Donetsk), Denys Popov (Dynamo Kiev), Oleksandr Syrota (Dynamo Kiev), Oleksandr Tymchyk (Dynamo Kiev), Bogdan Mykhaylichenko (Anderlecht), Vitaliy Mykolenko (Dynamo Kiev), Oleksandr Karavaev (Dynamo Kiev), Mykola Matviyenko (Shakhtar Donetsk)
Midfielders: Serhiy Sydorchuk (Dynamo Kiev), Volodymyr Shepeliev (Dynamo Kiev), Ruslan Malinovskyi (Atalanta), Mykola Shaparenko (Dynamo Kiev), Yevhen Konoplyanka (Shakhtar Donetsk), Marlos (Shakhtar Donetsk), Yevhen Makarenko (Kortrijk), Viktor Kovalenko (Atalanta), Oleksandr Zinchenko (Man City), Viktor Tsygankov (Dynamo Kiev), Vitaliy Buyalskiy (Dynamo Kiev), Taras Stepanenko (Shakhtar Donetsk), Andriy Yarmolenko (West Ham), Oleksandr Zubkov (Ferencváros), Heorhii Sudakov (Shakhtar Donetsk), Oleksandr Andriyevskiy (Dynamo Kiev), Bogdan Lednev (Dynamo Kiev), Artem Bondarenko (Mariupol)
Forwards: Roman Yaremchuk (Gent), Artem Besedin (Dynamo Kiev), Artem Dovbyk (Dnipro)
*Provisional squad of 36 to be cut to 26
Goalkeepers: Wayne Hennessey (Crystal Palace), Danny Ward (Leicester City), Adam Davies (Stoke City)
Defenders: James Lawrence (St. Pauli), Ben Davies (Tottenham), Joe Rodon (Tottenham), Chris Mepham (Bournemouth), Chris Gunter (Charlton Athletic), Rhys Norrington-Davies (Sheffield United), Neco Williams (Liverpool), Connor Roberts (Swansea City), Ben Cabango (Swansea City)
Midfielders: Joe Allen (Stoke City), Joe Morrell (Luton Town), Ethan Ampadu (Chelsea), Matthew Smith (Manchester City), Jonny Williams (Cardiff City), Aaron Ramsey (Juventus), Dylan Levitt (Manchester United), Rubin Colwill (Cardiff City), David Brooks (Bournemouth), Harry Wilson (Liverpool)
Forwards: Kieffer Moore (Cardiff City), Gareth Bale (Real Madrid), Tyler Roberts (Leeds United), Daniel James (Manchester United)
