England squad: Jack Grealish and Harry Maguire among those to be axed from England Euro 2024 squad

Manchester City star Jack Grealish and Manchester United defender Harry Maguire are among the high-profile names to miss out on Gareth Southgate’s final 26-man squad for Euro 2024.

The £180m duo have joined Tottenham Hotspur playmaker James Maddison, Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones and Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford on the sidelines for the tournament in Germany.

Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah and Everton centre back Jarrad Branthwaite have also been left out of the final 26-man squad.

Southgate has said: “All the players took the news really respectfully. Of course, all players will think they should be in and that's why they are top players.

"They have that self-belief and mindset, but the fact is we have some players who have been playing extremely well in the league all season.

"We just felt other players had stronger seasons particularly in the last six months or so."

Maguire’s omission from the England squad is arguably the biggest bombshell in the list. The 31-year-old was a near ever-present in Southgate’s backline and was the fourth most capped player in the provisional squad, behind only Harry Kane, Kyle Walker and John Stones. The 63-time England international has been a polarising figure with supporters due to a dip in form for Manchester United but has always been a firm favourite of Southgate’s - notably forming part of the team which reached the semi-final of the 2018 World Cup, the final of Euro 2020 and the quarter-final of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The former Red Devils captain confirmed that he been left out due to injury. He expressed his emotions in a post on X which reads: “I am devastated not to have been selected to play for England at the Euros this summer. “Despite my best efforts, I have not been able to overcome an injury to my calf. Maybe I pushed myself too hard, to try and make it. Simply, I am absolutely gutted. “For me, representing England is the highest honour. It means everything to me. If I can’t help the team as a player, I will support them as a fan – along with the rest of the country. Go and win it boys. “Next, I will return to the supervision of the Manchester United medical team in order to prepare for next season.”

The decision to drop Grealish also comes as a shock after the news of Maddison’s omission from the squad. Many experts believed that there would only be room for one of the pair in the squad as a potential impact squad, but Southgate has decided that neither will make the trip to Germany.

Maddison recorded four goals and nine assists in his first season at Tottenham, but despite winning the Player of the Month in August, he admitted that he has struggled to reach the heights he believes he is capable of.

Earlier today, Maddison said he will be supporting the team from afar and hopes football can finally come home after a 58-year wait for silverware.

“Devastated doesn’t quite cut it. Trained well and worked hard all week but if I’m honest with myself, my form for Spurs when coming back from injury in the second half of the season probably wasn’t at the levels I had set which gave Gareth a decision to make.

“I still thought there would be a space for me in a 26 man squad as I feel I bring something different & had been a mainstay in this whole qualifying campaign for Euro 2024 in Germany but the manager has made the decision and I have to respect that. I’ll be back, I have no doubt. Wishing the boys all the luck in the world out in Germany, unbelievable group and lads that I literally call some of my best friends. I genuinely hope football comes home.” The Leicester ace said.

There has been no official confirmation from the Football Association as it stands and Southgate has a press conference at 6pm today (6 June) before the final pre-tournament friendly with Iceland at Wembley on Friday.

England’s stars to miss out: James Trafford, Jarell Quansah, Harry Maguire, Jarrad Branthwaite, Curtis Jones, James Maddison and Jack Grealish.