By Ewan Murray
When Gareth Southgate named a 33-man provisional squad for Euro 2024, there was always going to be heartbreak for seven unlucky England stars.
With only 26 players able to travel to the tournament in Germany this summer, the Three Lions boss knew he would have to have some awkward conversations, the first of which came with Tottenham midfielder James Maddison.
The seven-cap international has been sent home from the England camp after failing to make the final squad, with Southgate preferring other options in the centre of the park as he aims to take the Three Lions a step further than at Euro 2020.
Here is why James Maddison missed out on Euro 2024.
Competition for places
In many other years, someone of Maddison's quality and ingenuity would be a shoo-in for selection at a major tournament. After all, it was only at the beginning of the 2023/24 season that pundits and supporters were waxing lyrical about the Tottenham star after a brilliant start to the campaign.
However, a significant injury halfway through the season and a slow return from the treatment room allowed others to leapfrog him in the pecking order for that number 10 role.
One of those who has done exactly that is the Premier League Player of the Season Phil Foden. The Man City forward was regularly utilised in central areas by Pep Guardiola en route to the league title, blossoming in a role where he could influence proceedings closer to the penalty area. His end of season form was simply superb.
And then there is the Premier League's Young Player of the Season Cole Palmer. The Chelsea youngster enjoyed a truly remarkable campaign - often in a misfiring team - and finished up with 22 goals and ten assists playing behind a number nine or operating on the right flank. His versatility is another tick by his name, as is the case for Foden.
But arguably the main reason Maddison was deemed surplus to requirements was the incredible Jude Bellingham. Now a Champions League winner with Real Madrid, the 20-year-old was named La Liga's Player of the Season and has shown his flexibility by playing in a box-to-box, number 10 and striker role.
Questionable form
After such a bright start to the campaign, Maddison simply wasn't the same player once he returned from a two-month long ankle issue.
He produced three goals and five assists in the 11 Premier League games prior to his injury but managed just a single goal and four assists in the 17 games that followed his time on the sidelines.
Of course, his dip in form coincided with Tottenham's on-field problems in the second half of the season, but his individual performances left an awful lot to be desired as he struggled to act as playmaker in an advanced midfield role.
History with Gareth Southgate
Southgate and Maddison have not always seen eye to eye, mainly stemming from an incident that occurred in 2019. The then Leicester City midfielder had withdrawn from the England squad due to illness, but was later spotted gambling in a casino during a Three Lions match.
Maddison did make his England debut a month later during a 7-0 win over Montenegro, but he then failed to earn another cap until March 2023 - although he was an unused member of the 2022 World Cup squad.
The casino incident, of course, may not have been the reasoning behind Maddison's omission, but it certainly did his hopes of greater game time for England no good.
