England squad announcement LIVE!Gareth Southgate is addressing the media with a press conference ahead of Friday’s Euro 2024 warm-up friendly against Iceland, after the manager has confirmed his final 26-man squad for the tournament ahead of tomorrow evening’s deadline to submit to UEFA.

James Maddison, Harry Maguire and Curtis Jones have already seen their early exits confirmed, with Jack Grealish, Jarrad Branthwaite, James Trafford and Jarrell Quansah completing the unlucky seven to stay at home this summer. Tottenham midfielder Maddison and Manchester United defender Maguire have since posted of their disappointment on social media.

Grealish is likely to have paid the price for a disappointing season with Manchester City, while Southgate is likely to explaine why the younger quartet of Liverpool midfielder Jones and team-mate Quansah, Everton defender Branthwaite and Burnley goalkeeper Trafford have been overlooked. It is great news for teenager midfielders Adam Wharton and Kobbie Mainoo, who look to be staying with the group. Follow Southgate’s presser LIVE with our blog below.

Latest news and updates

• Who's has been left at home? The unlucky seven confirmed

• Why Maguire was dropped

• Why Grealish and Maddison were dropped

• Latest on Shaw fitness

• Southgate on picking Toney and Watkins

• Does Southgate know his starting XI?

Southgate on Shaw fitness

18:53 , Alex Young

Gareth Southgate has named when he expects Luke Shaw will be fit to play for England during Euro 2024.

Shaw is England’s first-choice left-back has not played for club or country since February due to a hamstring injury.

The Manchester United defender was on Thursday named in Southate’s final 26-man squad but another key member of England’s back-line in recent years — Shaw’s United team-mate Harry Maguire — was cut after failing to recover from a calf injury sustained in April.

While Maguire’s fitness was too big a gamble, Shaw’s progress means Southgate was prepared to roll the dice.

Southgate said of Shaw: “He’s progressed really well in the last couple of weeks. At the moment, we think he could have some involvement in the second group game. But, of course, [he’s] got to keep hitting the markers. But he’s got a good body of work, operating at good speeds as well.

Read more here!

Southgate on Grealish

18:38 , Alex Young

Gareth Southgate has explained the decision to omit Jack Grealish from the England squad for Euro 2024.

Southgate has named Grealish as part of the last two squads for major tournaments but the City wide man has rarely been a regular starter.

Speaking of his decision to drop Grealish and Maddison, Southgate told a press conference: “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.”

Read more here!

18:29 , Alex Young

That’s everything for Gareth Southgate and Declan Rice.

A quite evening for Rice, not so much Southgate.

Is Kane ready to play 90 minutes?

18:25 , Alex Young

“Lewis Dunk won’t be available tomorrow [against Iceland] but can train from next week, everyone else is available to train tomorrow.

“Kane could play 90 minutes against Iceland, but I’m not sure he will.”

Rice on Wharton

18:23 , Alex Young

“There is a difference you can see between the top players at 20 and those on the cusp on something great, and he’s really top level.

“There’s an impressive way he passes a ball, a crispness to it. You can ask the Palace boys, he’s shocked them.

“It’s important we don’t put too much pressure on him.”

Who will replace Maguire's leadership?

18:19 , Alex Young

“Leadership is a really important part of any successful team, and we have plenty of players on over 50 caps.

“Pickford, Walker, Stones, Rice, Kane, and Trippier is very close to that figure.

“We will also see characters emerge through the coming months.”

Latest on Shaw fitness

18:16 , Alex Young

“Shaw has progressed really well in the past couple of weeks and we think he will be able to be involved in the second group game.

“I think you can take one gamble, and that’s one gamble which we have enough evidence on that we can take.

Does Southgate know his starting XI?

18:14 , Alex Young

“Whenever you write a teamsheet down at the beginning of the week, it’s very rare it’s the same one at the end of the week.

“We know where we are heading.”

18:12 , Alex Young

Southgate says tournament football has come too early for Branthwaite.

Southgate on picking Watkins and Toney

18:11 , Alex Young

“They all offer something different. Ivan and Ollie know Harry is the starting guy but have different attributes and can help us in games.”

18:07 , Alex Young

Jarrell Quansah is on standby, Southgate has confirmed.

He will be with the squad tomorrow against Iceland.

Why Maguire is out

18:06 , Alex Young

"Part of the reason we couldn't take Maguire is that he would have been the 10th defender, and that would have meant an unbalance elsewhere.

"We definitely wouldn't have had him in the group stages ... we need cover and need players fit from the start.

"You know how I feel about Harry, what he's done for England and what he's done for me as a manager."

Why were Maddison and Grealish dropped?

18:05 , Alex Young

"We've got some players who have been playing extremely well all season in the league and we feel other players have had stronger seasons, particularly in the last six months or so.

"Attacking areas, in particular, we're blessed with a lot of options, and some different.

"Madders and Jack offer something different ... we back our decisions but acknowledge we could have gone in another direction."

Hardest day

18:03 , Alex Young

"No question [it's been one of my most difficult days]. We're a close team and every player and staff has felt the last couple of days with this decision looming.

"We have tried to [make decisions] respectively, and a understand is will be a devastating blow for them and their team-mates.

"But we've got that balance for excitement and a bit of remorse along the way."

18:01 , Alex Young

Gareth Southgate is here.

Carragher stands up for Branthwaite

17:59 , Alex Young

The defenders union sticking together.

Let’s see what Gareth Southgate has to say...

17:55 , Alex Young

Gareth Southgate will be joined by Declan Rice at 6pm, so that’s in about five minutes.

Who partners Stones at centre-back?

17:50 , Alex Young

Sticking with defence, centre-back is certainly the weak spot in the squad. Perhaps the only weak spot.

With Harry Maguire not being fit, it will be either Guehi or Dunk to partner Stones at centre-back.

Dunk has had a couple of clangers for England in recent matches, and Guehi looked a bit shaky in the win over Bosnia on Monday.

Shaw beats the odds to keep his place

17:44 , Alex Young

Luke Shaw has also beaten the odds to make the plane.

Gareth Southgate described the left-back, England's only recognised player in that position, as a "long shot" when announcing his provisional squad last month.

A muscle injury has kept the defender out since the middle of February, and Southgate told reporters: "He is up against it - he's missed a lot of football. We're probably giving him longer than we might have done. I'm not sure what is realistic at this moment in time.

"I've talked with him, the medical team are liaising with Man Utd closely. But I would have to say he is a long shot."

But now, having "progressed well" since, according to his manager, Shaw is included and will almost certainly start the opener in 10 days' time.

Crystal Palace quartet

17:36 , Alex Young

Let’s not overlook a remarkable achievement by Crystal Palace, getting FOUR players in the squad - the most of any team.

• Adam Wharton

• Eberechi Eze

• Marc Guehi

• Dean Henderson

Incredible.

Who are the unlucky seven?

17:35 , Alex Young

Jarrad Branthwaite

Jack Grealish

Curtis Jones

James Maddison

Harry Maguire

Jarrell Quansah

James Trafford

England squad in full

17:33 , Alex Young

Goalkeepers: Pickford, Ramsdale, Henderson

Defenders: Dunk, Gomez, Guehi, Konsa, Shaw, Stones, Trippier, Walker

Midfielders: Alexander-Arnold, Bellingham, Eze, Gallagher, Mainoo, Wharton, Rice

Forwards: Bowen, Foden, Gordon, Kane, Palmer, Toney, Watkins, Saka

Squad confirmed

17:29 , Alex Young

Here it is!

Tough season for Grealish

17:24 , Alex Young

Jack Grealish has endured a difficult second season at Manchester City and it’s set to get even worse.

The winger came off the bench to set up Trent Alexander-Arnold’s goal in the 3-0 win over Bosnia & Herzegovina on Monday night, but has been axed in favour of the likes of Eberechi Eze, Jarrod Bowen, Anthony Gordon and Cole Palmer, all of whom enjoyed fine seasons for their clubs.

Nonetheless, the decision to omit both Grealish and Maguire, coupled with the bold calls to leave Jordan Henderson and Marcus Rashford out of the initial 33, means Southgate will go into the summer without several stalwarts of previous campaigns.

17:20 , Alex Young

Official confirmation of the final England squad is just 10 minutes away.

Who else is at risk?

17:15 , Alex Young

With three already known, that leaves four more to be left at home this summer.

Standard Sport understands the unlucky quartet are: Jack Grealish, Jarrad Branthwaite, James Trafford and Jarrell Quansah.

Maguire's reaction

17:11 , Alex Young

England defender Harry Maguire says he is “absolutely gutted” after losing his race to be fit for the tournament.

Maddison's reactions

17:05 , Alex Young

James Maddison says he is “devastated” at missing out on England’s Euro 2024 squad, but admits his poor Tottenham form left Gareth Southgate with “a decision to make”.

Why has Maguire been cut?

16:57 , Alex Young

Maguire has not played since April because of a calf problem but had been included in Gareth Southgate’s 33-man provisional squad in the hope he could recover in time.

The Manchester United centre-back has been following an individual training plan during England’s pre-tournament camp but has lost his race to be fit.

Maguire has been a key part of England’s defence at each of the past three major tournaments, forming a reliable partnership with John Stones and scoring at both the 2018 World Cup and Euro 2020. He had been the third-highest international goalscorer in the provisional squad, behind Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka.

Southgate has stuck by the 31-year-old through periods of poor club form despite heavy criticism of his loyalty but must now decide on a new centre-back partnership on the eve of the tournament.

Why has Jones been cut?

16:50 , Alex Young

Jones did not featur in Monday’s game, leaving youngsters Kobbie Mainoo and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton with more chance of making the grade.

Jones was in contention to feature in the friendlies against Brazil and Belgium in March but was ruled out through injury.

His wait for a first senior appearance goes on.

Why has Maddison been cut?

16:43 , Alex Young

James Maddison was named in Gareth Southgate’s 33-man training group and featured from the bench in Monday’s friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina but was informed on Wednesday that he is among the seven players being cut.

The Tottenham playmaker was included in the squad for the 2022 World Cup but did not feature after struggling with injury.

Maddison started the season in electric form for Spurs after his £40million move from Leicester, directly contributing to eight goals by the start of November, but his season was derailed by an ankle ligament injury suffered in Spurs’ 4-1 defeat by Chelsea.

Eze caught the eye in the 3-0 win over the Bosnians at St James’ Park, while Bowen is also thought to be in a strong position.

Who's been cut already?

16:37 , Alex Young

Both James Maddison and Harry Maguire have been cut and then gone public with their disappointments, while Liverpool’s Curtis Jones is understood to have made three of the unlucky seven.

Maddison and Jones late on Wednesday left the England camp, with the squad at Spurs’ Hotspur Way training complex to prepare for Friday’s final warm-up game against Iceland at Wembley.

Welcome

16:31 , Alex Young

Good afternoon and welcome to the Standard’s LIVE coverage of Gareth Southgate’s England press conference.

The manager will be previewing tomorrow night’s second and final warm-up friendly, against Iceland, before Euro 2024.

But, with names leaked over the past few days, will likely also confirm his final 26-man squad for the tournament.

Southgate will speak to the press at 6pm, with the final squad announced half an hour earlier at 5.30pm.