Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham are among seven stars who could be forced to step down from England duty in a key decision
England began their final preparations for Euro 2024 on Monday with a 3-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Gareth Southgate’s side face Iceland on Friday
James Maddison has spoken out for the first time since being left out of England’s Euro 2024 squad
Tottenham striker Maddison was included in Gareth Southgate’s 33-man provisional squad and featured in the 3-3 friendly win
0 for England against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Monday
However, on Thursday, the 27-year-old left the team – as did Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones – after learning he would not make the final 26-man squad for the tournament
On Thursday, Maddison posted a statement on her Instagram profile
“Devastation is not enough
I trained well and worked hard all week, but to be honest my form for Spurs when I came back from injury in the second half of the season was probably not at the level I had set for it, which gave Gareth a chance
decision made,” Maddison wrote
Southgate will confirm his final 26-man squad for the tournament on Saturday, including Kane and Bellingham
However, both could have to take the Three Lions down in 2025 due to the FIFA Club World Cup
FIFA has completely revamped the tournament, with 32 clubs taking part in the first expanded edition of the CWC to be held in the United States next summer
However, leagues around the world and players’ unions have expressed serious concerns about player welfare due to increased competition
Currently, FIFA CWC is expected to run from June 15 to July 13, 2025, with over £2 billion
The prize money will be divided among the participating clubs
According to The Sun, league leaders want the tournament to be pushed forward by two weeks so players can benefit from a proper summer break before starting pre-season with their clubs
However, moving the tournament start date to early June will affect FIFA World Cup qualifiers ahead of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada
With Bayern Munich and Real Madrid among the clubs qualifying for the CWC, Kane and Bellingham may have to choose between their club and country
Manchester City stars Phil Foden, Kyle Walker, Jack Grealish and John Stones could face a similar dilemma, as could Chelsea striker Cole Palmer
It is likely that Premier League clubs and players’ associations will decide to boycott the reformed league, with Premier League chief Richard Masters, PFA boss Maheta Molango and La Liga president Javier Tebas all backing a act
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