- Tottenham star James Maddison has broken his silence on abandoning the Euro
- Maddison, 27, insisted he was not ‘at the level’ expected of him last season
- click here to follow the Mail Sport Euro 2024 WhatsApp channel for all the latest news and updates from Germany
James Maddison has broken his silence after being left out of Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the 2024 European Championship.
News broke on Wednesday evening that the Tottenham playmaker would not be part of Southgate’s final 26-man squad for the competition, which starts next Friday.
Maddison was widely seen as one of the players at risk of missing out after a largely disappointing second half of the season, before learning that he would in fact miss out.
The 27-year-old then left the Three Lions’ training camp before taking to social media to make his thoughts known – where he suggested he was surprised to be suspended.
In a message at X, Maddison wrote: ‘Devastated doesn’t quite cut it. I trained well and worked hard all week, but if I’m honest with myself, my form for Spurs when I returned from injury in the second half of the season was probably not at the level I set, leaving Gareth with a decision to make to take.
Tottenham’s James Maddison has been left out of England’s 26-man squad for Euro 2024
The Tottenham playmaker took to social media to reflect on his omission from the tournament
‘I still thought there would be a place for me in a 26-man squad as I feel I bring something different and have been a mainstay throughout this whole Euro 2024 qualifying season in Germany, but the manager has decision has been made and I must respect this. That.
‘I’ll be back, I have no doubt about that. I wish the guys all the luck in the world in Germany, an incredible group and guys who I literally call some of my best friends. I really hope football comes home.”
It is understood Maddison was lined up to play in Friday’s final warm-up match against Iceland, but that will no longer be the case with Jarrod Bowen pushing to take his place in the team.
England boss Southgate is due to bring back his original 33-man squad at midnight on Friday and Maddison is a high-profile omission.
Meanwhile, Liverpool’s Curtis Jones will join Maddison as one of the players who has also been told he will not make the final for Germany.
The Anfield star received his first call-up when Southgate announced his provisional 33-man squad for the tournament last month, but he will not make the final 26-man squad.
More to follow…