Gareth Southgate drops major hint over England Euro 2024 squad selection as he insists he won't 'gamble' on unfit or unproven players

In the last two major competitions, Southgate had picked players despite injury concerns. Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson made it to the Euro 2020 team with knocks, Kyle Walker was picked for the 2022 World Cup squad despite carrying an injury.

The 53-year-old manager further reasoned his decision by suggesting that going deep into such major events where the team needs to play six or seven matches will demand the utmost fitness levels of all the players in the team. He also mentioned that he generally prefers versatile players in his team who can play in multiple positions.

Speaking to reporters, the Three Lions boss said, "It makes it a different sort of thought process because you’ve had that leeway in the last couple of tournaments to take players that weren’t going to be fit for the first couple of games, or a bit of cover in a couple of positions that you might or might not have needed. This time, the physical condition of the players is going to be really important, the ability of players to bat out six or seven games.

"We know, having been to the latter end of two tournaments, the physical demands of that were far greater than we would have known, had we not been through that experience. We know that that’s a huge requirement. “If you can only take two for each position, then players that are adaptable are helpful, players that can play more than one position are helpful."

He added: "But equally, players that are physically vulnerable we’ve got to think very carefully about. I wouldn’t say all 23 [need to be totally fit], but we can take far fewer gambles than we were able to to the last two tournaments where it was 26."

The Three Lions have remained unbeaten in the Euro qualifiers thus far, winning six out of their seven matches. They will face North Macedonia in their final game on Monday.