No more leftovers for Lions

GARETH SOUTHGATE and Rob Page can call on EVERY member of their England and Wales squads in each match at the World Cup this year.

The game’s law-making body, the International Football Association Board, had already increased the maximum number of players allowed on the bench from 12 to 15.

And this amendment has now been adopted by FIFA, which means all 15 players not picked to start can now be on the bench.

Following the World Cup draw in April, Southgate (above) said that being forced to leave three players out from each matchday squad at Euro 2020 had been detrimental to morale.

“If the squads are going to be bigger then it needs to be a situation where everybody is able to change on a match day,” he said. “Whether a bigger squad is necessary... originally that was for Covid, there’s now people talking about the condensed fixtures.

“I still think it’s a bigger skill to pick a 23 and to work all that out. But I think everybody has to be available for all the games.”

At the Euros, Jadon Sancho was excluded from the 23 available for the Three Lions’ opener against Croatia, despite coming into the tournament off the back of an excellent club season with Borussia Dortmund.

Phil Foden, Ben White and Ben Chilwell were the three who missed out on the squad for the final against Italy.

FIFA said the decision to allow 26-man squads – initially brought in to help manage disruption caused by Covid-19 – had been taken due to the “unique timing” of the Qatar finals, which take place in the middle of the traditional European football season.

FIFA confirmed that November 13 will be the last day that any player selected for their country’s World Cup squad will be able to play for their club.

That date will be the final day of Premier League match action until Boxing Day.