EURO 2024 SQUAD WATCH
2018 World Cup winning-midfielder N’Golo Kante is the surprise name in Didier Deschamps’ Les Bleus squad for Euro 2024
• FRANCE
One of the biggest surprises of all the Euro 2024 squad announcements was N’Golo Kante being recalled after last playing for France back in June 2022. PSG youngsters Warren Zaire-Emery and Bradley Barcola were also picked, but injury ruled out Lucas Hernandez, while Axel Disasi, Matteo Guendouzi and Moussa Diaby were all omitted.
• ENGLAND
The headline from Gareth Southgate’s squad announcement was the surprise omission of experienced stars Jordan Henderson and Marcus Rashford. Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton were rewarded for their sparkling endof-season form for Crystal Palace by making the provisional 33-man squad.
• NETHERLANDS
The absentees from Ronald Koeman’s Dutch squad included midfield pair Marten de Roon (injured) and Mats Wieffer, while Brest goalkeeper Marco Bizot and Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee also failed to make the cut.
• CROATIA
Zlatko Dalic’s 26-man squad was largely predictable, though he took a chance including forward Ivan Perisic, who missed the majority of the season with an ACL injury. Luka Modric will make his fifth Euros finals appearance.
• SPAIN
Luis de la Fuente’s provisional 29-man squad featured a couple of big surprises in the form of uncapped duo Fermin Lopez and Ayoze Perez, but Isco and Jose Gaya missed out through injury. Meanwhile, Pau Torres, Pedro Porro and Marco Asensio were all omitted.
• PORTUGAL
Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe, aged 39 and 41 respectively, were included in what could be their final international tournament, while Roberto Martinez also selected wingers Pedro Neto and Francisco Conceicao at the expense of Ricardo Horta, Pedro Goncalves, Francisco Trincao and Bruma. Al Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves was preferred to Manchester City’s Matheus Nunes.
• HUNGARY
After missing Euro 2020 through injury, Hungary’s talismanic captain Dominik Szoboszlai was named in Marco Rossi’s squad. Little-capped Krisztofer Horvath, Botond Balogh, Marton Dardai and Mihaly Kata made the cut with Zalan Vancsa and Krisztian Lisztes on standby.
• BELGIUM
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was left out of Domenico Tedesco’s 25-man Euros squad, while there was also no
