Gareth Southgate has Euro 2024 prayer answered with 'UEFA green-lighting 26-man squads'

With the 2024 European Championships now on the horizon, a major decision looks to have been made - and it's one Gareth Southgate and England will appreciate

Posted Tuesday, April 23, 2024 by Dailystar.co.uk

Countries competing in Euro 2024 will be able to select 26 players after UEFA "green-lighted" a squad extension, according to reports.

Normally, teams are only allowed to submit a squad of 23 players for international tournaments. However, with concerns of player exhaustion and welfare at the top of the agenda over the last few seasons, it's understood UEFA have agreed to permit the addition of three more players.

This will come as good news to England manager Gareth Southgate and Scotland boss Steve Clarke, who were both hit with injuries in the last international break. European football's governing body are understood to have come to the decision after a key vote today (April 22).

According to Sky Sports News, UEFA voted to extend the number of permitted players each country can take in their squad. Southgate in particular had backed the proposed move.

The Three Lions are currently experiencing an crisis at left-back with Luke Shaw and Levi Colwill currently out injured, while Ben Chilwell has also struggled to keep fit throughout the season.

As well as the above, Southgate was also without Kyle Walker, Harry Maguire, Sam Johnstone, Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane. While all, aside from Johnstone, have played for their teams since, Southgate will still be sweating on their fitness.

Southgate is expected to name a provisional squad on May 21, two days after the Premier League season comes to an end. Southgate appeared to support the expansion to 26 games during the last international break, when injuries had really piled up.

He said: “Well, given where we are now! We’ve got to make the best decisions [regarding selection] with what we know and some of those currently are going to be medical decisions.

"We’ve been able to get those right in the previous [two] tournaments. We’ve been able to give people time [to recover, having named them in the squad]. But with 23 that’s definitely more difficult.”

Meanwhile, Scotland are keeping their fingers crossed on the fitness of Aaron Hickey, Nathan Patterson and Stuart Armstrong. They have already been dealt one huge blow in Bologna captain Lewis Ferguson being ruled out of the tournament through injury.