By Samuel A. June 10, 2024
With the Euro 2024 squads submitted, BRUTAL decisions were made by managers across the continent as they revealed their squads for this year’s tournament. Some players that were cut were injured along the line during the season, and others didn’t qualify. Several big names were surprisingly missing, and so black sports live have decided to make an XI of the best players that will miss the Euro 2024:
Goalkeeper [GK]: Thibaut Courtois
This came as a shock to several football fans, especially the Real Madrid fans who won the just concluded UEFA Champions League and took their tally to 15, with Thibaut Courtois’ masterclass securing them the last two. The plan all along was for Courtois to skip the Euros and focus on making a full recovery following consecutive knee injuries. Even though Courtois played in five of Madrid’s final seven matches of the season, his return was choreographed. He hadn’t played more than two matches in a row since June 2023. Crucially, Courtois wouldn’t have the same flexibility during a whirlwind tournament like the Euros, and he could run the risk of reinjuring himself ahead of what’s shaping up to be Madrid’s most exciting season yet.
Right Back [RB]: Reece James
Just like the goalkeeper, the multi-talented England right back had been struggling with injuries over the past 12 months, and just came back from a hamstring injury which kept him out for about 4 months and even led to surgery. Given these reasons, it’s justifiable to see why he wasn’t picked by the Three Lions’ manager
Center Backs [CBs]: Mats Hummels and David Alaba
Hummels, as well as Dortmund fans, was rightly peeved when he learned Julian Nagelsmann had omitted him from his squad. The veteran center back had just reached the Champions League final with Borussia Dortmund and really impressed international audiences with tidy individual performances along the way, especially against Paris Saint Germain in the semifinals. Hummels led all players in the Champions League in tackles won (29), interceptions (25), and clearances (69), yet, Nagelsmann deemed the 35 year old surplus to requirements. It’s unlikely Hummels will get another chance to represent Germany at another major tournament.
David Alaba, on the other hand, tore his ACL in December – the third Madrid player to do so in a short period in the just concluded season, so there was no way for him to make the Euros. But while he’s unavailable as a player, he’ll be in Germany as Austria’s “non-playing captain,” giving the national team access to his leadership skills rather than his exceptional versatility on the pitch. Alaba can play anywhere from central midfield to left back, and even had an attacking role earlier in his career. It’s his ability to plug gaps that Austria will miss most.
Head coach Ralf Rangnick will have to find solutions elsewhere – defensive midfielder Konrad Laimer can fulfill a similar wild card role, as he did for Bayern Munich this past season – but Alaba’s composure in high stress situations is tough to replicate.
Left Back [LB]: Lucas Hernandez
Probably the unluckiest player on this list, Lucas Hernandez will miss a second consecutive major tournament with a knee injury, leaving his brother Theo to fill in at left back for the French national team. The 28 year old tore his ACL in his right knee in France’s opening match of the 2022 World Cup, making him miss the rest of the tournament, and has now ruptured the ligaments in his left knee during the Champions League semifinals in May.
However, head coach Didier Deschamps has significant cover across the entire backline, and Lucas’ brother Theo is a marauding left back himself, so his absence might not hurt France’s chances too much, but it’d be much better having him in the squad knowing what he brings to a team.
Central Midfielders [CMs]: Martin Oedegaard, Pablo Gavi and James Maddison
Norway missed out on Euro 2024 despite having two of the Premier League’s best players in its lineup. Odegaard and Erling Haaland could only help their national team finish in third in Group A – behind Spain and Scotland – with 11 points out of a possible 24.
Norway haven’t qualified for a major tournament since 2000, and two players don’t make a team. It’s a shame because Odegaard and his scoring machine of a teammate would add tremendous quality and entertainment to the Euros. Odegaard was shortlisted for the Premier League player of the season award, having led Arsenal’s title charge with his influential play in midfield, and so it would be a huge miss to not have him there.
Barcelona lost Gavi for the season when he tore his ACL in what Barcelona fans called an ‘unnecessary game’ in November on international duty. The 19 year old is just the latest in a string of academy graduates to suffer serious injuries at an early age. Pedri and Ansu Fati have also missed significant time, and Fati has since called on Barcelona to do a better job protecting young players. Spain is lucky to have Pedri fit and Rodri at the base of midfield for this tournament, or else Gavi’s absence might have had greater consequences. Gavi is a versatile midfielder who can play deeper and closer to the striker, and if he gets the protection Fati so desperately wants for his peers, he’ll become a staple in Spain’s midfield for the decade to come.
James Maddison was told that he would not be at the Euros squad even after he was picked for the provisional 33 man squad initially. The midfielder took to social media to express his disappointment, admitting that he was not at the best in the second half of last season, but still said he’ll show his support throughout the tournament.
Forwards [FW]: Marcus Rashford, Erling Haaland and Alexander Isak
It’s no surprise Southgate omitted Rashford from England’s Euro squad. The Manchester United forward is coming off a wretched campaign in which he scored just eight goals in 43 total appearances. He’s a long way off his rip-roaring post-World Cup form, and his exclusion marks a new low for a player who burst onto the scene as a teenager in 2016. England certainly won’t miss him at this year’s tournament. Harry Kane, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, and Cole Palmer are much more confident finishers right now.
Haaland finished tied for seventh in scoring during Euro qualifying, behind Scottish midfielder Scott McTominay. But Haaland missed three qualifiers, all of which Norway failed to win. Any team would struggle to produce without Haaland’s 62 goals in just 66 Premier League appearances. Big-name strikers have missed tournaments before – Zlatan Ibrahimovic was absent from the 2018 World Cup due to Sweden’s failure to qualify – so losing a player like Haaland isn’t unprecedented. Manchester City are surely happy about it. They’ll get their star man back in tip-top shape come the start of the season in August.
Lastly, Alexander Isak wouldn’t be at the Euros simply because Sweden did not qualify. The striker had a beautiful season for Newcastle, even though they finished 8th, taking them out of European spots.
