Why England’s squad does not include Rashford or Henderson.

Yasir AliMay 22, 2024

3 9 4 minutes read

Why England's squad does not include Rashford or Henderson.

Jordan Henderson and Marcus Rashford are not included in Gareth Southgate’s preliminary 33-man England roster for Euro 2024.

The 26-year-old attacker for Manchester United, Rashford, has had trouble scoring this season despite making 33 league games and only registering two assists. Before being benched against Belgium in March, he participated in seven matches for England this season.

On social media, Rashford shared a photo of the training team, captioning it with “Wishing Gareth and the boys all the best” for the competition. Henderson left Liverpool in the summer of 2018 to join Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia, but he returned to Ajax in January, now struggling.

After he moved to the Saudi Pro League, Southgate kept selecting him, despite the fact that some England supporters jeered him during his first game back in the nation in October against Australia at Wembley, which the manager of England stated at the time “defies logic.”

Henderson was included in the team for the March friendly with Belgium and Brazil, but he did not participate.

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As Southgate prepares to announce his final squad of up to 26 players for the tournament in Germany, due by midnight on June 7th, he will have to exclude at least seven players.

Who is in the England interim team?

Goalkeepers: James Trafford (Burnley), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), Jordan Pickford (Everton), and Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace).

Defenders: Harry Maguire from Manchester United, Jarell Quansah from Liverpool, Luke Shaw also from Manchester United, John Stones representing Manchester City, Kieran Trippier of Newcastle, Jarrad Branthwaite from Everton, Lewis Dunk at Brighton, Joe Gomez of Liverpool, Marc Guehi playing for Crystal Palace, and Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa.

Midfielders: Trent Alexander-Arnold for Liverpool, Conor Gallagher for Chelsea, Curtis Jones for Liverpool, Kobbie Mainoo for Manchester United, Declan Rice for Arsenal, and Adam Wharton for Crystal Palace.

Forwards: Jude Bellingham from Real Madrid, Jarrod Bowen from West Ham, Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace, Phil Foden from Manchester City, Jack Grealish from Manchester City, Anthony Gordon from Newcastle, Harry Kane from Bayern Munich, James Maddison from Tottenham, Cole Palmer from Chelsea, Bukayo Saka from Arsenal, Ivan Toney from Brentford and Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa.

Initial team includes five uncapped players.

Southgate’s starting lineup consists of the uncapped quintet of James Trafford, Adam Wharton, Jarell Quansah, Curtis Jones, and Jarrad Branthwaite.

The 21-year-old centre back for Everton, Branthwaite, was instrumental in helping his club win the Premier League this year. Meanwhile, the 21-year-old centre back for Liverpool, Quansah, and his 23-year-old midfield partner, Jones, helped the Reds place third in the top division.

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Wharton, 20, made an impression at Palace after joining from Blackburn Rovers during the winter transfer window. Southgate has also selected teammates Eberechi Eze, Marc Guehi, and Dean Henderson.

After Sam Johnstone was injured and forced out of the squad in March, Trafford—who had not played for Burnley—was called up for the first time by England. Despite this, he has not yet made an appearance for the national side.

Along with left-back Luke Shaw and midfielder Kobbie Mainoo from Manchester United, other players who made the cut were forward Jarrod Bowen of West Ham, winger Jack Grealish of Manchester City, and striker Ivan Toney of Brentford.

The 19-year-old Mainoo has represented England in friendly matches against Brazil and Belgium in March. Throughout this season, he has appeared 31 times for Manchester United, scoring four goals. Shaw has been out since February due to a muscular ailment.

The training team will report on Wednesday, May 29 in advance of their friendlies against Iceland on June 7 and Bosnia-Herzegovina on June 3. Then, on June 16, Southgate’s team will play Serbia in Gelsenkirchen as part of Group C of the Euro 2024 competition.

Important omissions: who else is left out?

Alongside Rashford and Henderson, notable absentees include Ben White, Eric Dier, Reece James, Jadon Sancho, Dominic Solanke, Raheem Sterling, and Ben Chilwell.

Despite Shaw’s injury worries, Chelsea’s left-back Chilwell was not selected, and the team is also without right-back James as well as winger Sterling.

Since his long-awaited comeback from injury in May, James has only participated in two games, while Sterling hasn’t represented England since their 2022 World Cup loss to France.

In the 38 Premier League games that Bournemouth played last season, Solanke scored 19 goals and provided three assists. Meanwhile, White has withdrawn from consideration for England assignment.

England's provisional squad for Euro 2024 does not include Rashford or Henderson.

Although he guided the German team to the Champions League final, Sancho, a left-winger on loan at Borussia Dortmund from Manchester United, has been excluded from Southgate’s selection.

Center-back Dier hasn’t done sufficient to make the list, despite the fact that he is once again playing regularly after leaving Tottenham, despite helping Bayern Munich reach the Champions League semifinals.

Why is Ben White not playing for England?

Southgate stated there was “unwillingness from his side” when Arsenal midfielder White was left off the roster for the March matches, adding that he had no idea why the athlete had chosen to be absent.

Though he acknowledged on Tuesday that he hadn’t spoken to the player since, Southgate stated he has “no issue” with him.

It has been reported that White left the Qatar 2022 World Cup team early due to personal reasons, amid speculations of dissatisfaction and a disagreement with assistant coach Steve Holland.

In March, Southgate refuted the allegations. With the defensive injuries, White’s versatility as a right- and center-back would have been essential.