In an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live’s Football Daily podcast, former Three Lions striker Wayne Rooney expressed his concerns about England’s performance at Euro 2024. Rooney believes that the absence of experienced players like Harry Maguire, Jack Grealish, and Marcus Rashford could have impacted England’s performance in Germany.
Rooney highlighted that despite finishing at the top of their group with five points, England faced criticism for lacklustre performances in Germany. He mentioned that the majority of fans, pundits, and journalists were pleased with Gareth Southgate’s squad selection, but he was worried about the absence of seasoned players. Rooney emphasized the importance of having players with previous experience and success with the national team.
Rooney pointed out that there had been calls for Southgate to exclude certain players and include others who were performing well at their clubs. However, he emphasized that experience can be crucial, especially in high-pressure tournaments like the Euros. Despite Grealish and Rashford’s less than stellar club seasons, Rooney suggested that their presence could have made a difference for England.
The former England striker underscored the significance of having players who have excelled for the national team in the past. He encouraged listeners to tune in to the full episode on BBC Sounds to hear more insights on this topic.
In summary, Wayne Rooney believes that England’s lackluster performance at Euro 2024 was due to the absence of experienced players like Harry Maguire and Jack Grealish from their final squad. The former Three Lions striker emphasizes that having seasoned players is crucial in high-pressure tournaments like this one and encourages listeners to listen to more insights on this topic by tuning into BBC Sounds’ full episode.
