England’s poor performance at Euro 2024 has left many questioning the reasons behind their struggles. Former Three Lions striker Wayne Rooney believes that the absence of experienced players like Harry Maguire, Jack Grealish, and Marcus Rashford may have played a significant role in their underperformance.
Rooney expressed his concerns about the squad’s lack of experience in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live’s Football Daily podcast. He noted that while fans, pundits, and journalists generally praised Gareth Southgate’s squad selection, he felt that the absence of seasoned players was a cause for concern. Rooney emphasized the importance of having players who had previously excelled on the international stage.
Despite being sidelined due to injury and not included in the final squad, Maguire was viewed as one of England’s most talented defenders. Meanwhile, Grealish and Rashford were both highly rated youngsters who had been performing well for their clubs at the time of selection. Rooney believed that their presence could have made a significant difference to England’s performance in high-pressure situations like those seen at Euro 2024.
Rooney urged listeners to tune into the full episode on BBC Sounds to hear more insights into this topic.
In summary, former England striker Wayne Rooney believes that the absence of experienced players like Harry Maguire, Jack Grealish, and Marcus Rashford may have impacted England’s performance at Euro 2024. While many fans were pleased with Gareth Southgate’s squad selection, Rooney emphasized the importance of having seasoned players on international duty. Despite their less than stellar club seasons, Rooney suggested that Grealish and Rashford’s presence could have made a difference for England in high-pressure situations like those seen at Euro 2024.