Spurs’ Maddison confident of making England’s Euro squad
England will travel to Germany in June are among the favourites to win the European Championship for the first time ater coming up agonisingly short against Italy in the final in 2021
Totenham Hotspur midfielder James Maddison said his quality on the pitch and self-belief can help earn him a place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024 in Germany.
The 27-year-old has six caps for the national team but has never played a full 90 minutes. Despite being named in the squad, Maddison was sidelined with a knee injury during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
He did not feature in England’s 1-0 defeat to Brazil in the international friendlies but came on as a substitute in the 74th minute against Belgium on Tuesday.
Maddison delivered a swit low cross to Jude Bellingham, who neted the goal in the 95th minute to rescue a 2-2 draw with Belgium at Wembley.
“There is big competition, a lot of quality in the squad. I know the quality that I possess that can help this team,” Maddison said of his prospects on Wednesday.
“I don’t lack the confidence and belief in myself to do that, you have to produce ... Against Belgium, I came on and made an impact. I’m showing him (Southgate) what I’m capable of and I just want to show more of that.”
England are grouped with Slovenia, Denmark and Serbia at Euro 2024, which begins on June 14.
SOUTHGATE PONDERS TOUGH CHOICES: Southgate has watched his final England international before he names his Euro 2024 squad. Now he faces tough decisions that could make or break the campaign.
Jude Bellingham scored a last-gasp equaliser in an entertaining 2-2 draw at Wembley, which lited the mood ater a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Brazil at the weekend.
Friendlies are not a reliable predictor of a team’s likely performance when the pressure is truly on but Southgate gleaned important information about his men over the two matches in London.
England will travel to Germany in June are among the favourites to win the European Championship for the first time ater coming up agonisingly short against Italy in the final in 2021.
In what could be Southgate’s last hurrah as England boss, the pressure will be intense on the side to finally deliver a first major trophy since the 1966 World Cup.
The manager, who has been at the helm since 2016, admits he will have to take stock of his resources, especially given the spate of injuries that has disrupted his preparations.
“I’d have to sit and go through it all because I’m a litle bit lost as to who we’ve got and we haven’t really,” he said ater the draw against Belgium, who are ranked fourth in the world, one place below England.
“The great thing is definitely some players have emerged positively from the opportunities they’ve had so we’ve perhaps got more depth in one respect but the injuries are a concern.
“We’ve got so many players missing at the moment and we’ve still got the real heat of the (club) season to come, the intensity of the games, what’s resting on the games.
“We’re not going to know what we’re let with until right at the end but we’ll just make the best decisions that we possibly can.”
BATTLE FOR PLACES: The reality is that if England have a clean bill of health, there will be limited places up for grabs in the 23-man squad.
Despite a flat performance against Brazil -the team’s first defeat since they lost to France at the 2022 World Cup -- England showed over the two games they have atacking strength in depth.
In the absence of the injured Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka, who are both certainties for the Euros, Jarrod Bowen and Ivan Toney, making his first England start, impressed their manager, with Toney scoring a penalty.
Midfield looks strong, with Bellingham and Declan Rice certain starters, but Manchester United starlet Kobbie Mainoo appears close to booking his place on the plane ater just two caps.
Southgate said the 18-year-old prodigy, who has played just 15 times for United in the Premier League, gives England a “different profile of midfield player to anything else we’ve got”.
“His atributes are there for everybody to see, that ability to receive under pressure and ride challenges, to manipulate the ball in tight areas,” he said.