'I don't see any reason' - Cole Palmer addresses limited minutes at Euro 2024 with England despite stellar club campaign with Chelsea

After being ignored in the first two matches, Palmer was introduced by England manager Gareth Southgate in the 71st minute in place of Bukayo Saka against Slovenia, marking his first appearance in a major international competition for the Three Lions. The dynamic midfielder was a breath of fresh air in England's otherwise uneventful match and ended the match with a 100% passing accuracy. His presence on the pitch was immediately felt as he created the best scoring opportunity for his team, forcing Slovenia's goalkeeper Jan Oblak into a crucial save during stoppage time.

Despite being mostly ignored during the group stage, Palmer remains optimistic.

"I'm still full of belief," Palmer stated confidently. "After the season I've had, I don't see any reason why I should be down. So I will just try and stay positive and when I get on the pitch, try to make an impact."

The circumstances of Palmer's introduction were challenging, with England finding it difficult to penetrate Slovenia's defence. However, the 21-year-old midfielder was undeterred. "I just tried to play my game when I went on and I think I did that," he explained. "I tried to create chances and be positive. There are great players everywhere in the team, so I'm just supporting whoever is on the pitch [when substitute] and when I get my chance I need to try and show what I can do."

England will face one of the best third-placed teams in the next round, a match that presents an opportunity for Palmer to further showcase his talents.

"Our goal was to qualify and finish top of the group and we've done that. But we know there are levels we can go up and hopefully we can show that," said Palmer.

"All the games in the tournament are difficult as you can see, no matter who it is. So we know we need to move up through those [performance] levels and hopefully we can do that."

Palmer's optimism is backed by his incredible campaign with Chelsea. His performances at the club level, which saw him score 27 goals and provide 15 assists in 48 appearances, have earned him recognition and a call-up to the national team.

There are growing calls for Palmer to start in the knockout stages, as his creativity and energy could be vital for England's success. And the pressure is on Southgate to hand the youngster a start in the next game as England try to progress further in the competition.