England National Team Manager Wants UEFA To Change Players Regulations At Euro 2024

The England national team dizzy about losing many players before Euro 2024 (Instagram/@england).

JAKARTA - Gareth Southgate, England's national team manager, wants UEFA to change regulations at Euro 2024. The idea came after the Three Lions were hit by a storm of injuries.

The 53-year-old architect wants an increase in the number of squads. He reflected on the hosts of Euro 2024, Germany, being allowed to enter 26 names from the previous 23 players.

The proposal will be discussed with 24 managers of the Euro 2024 participating team at the UEFA workshop in Dusseldorf, April 8 and 9, 2024.

Indeed, the main agenda of the workshop is the potential addition of the squad because of the large number of players who have suffered injuries throughout Europe.

The England national team has now lost Harry Maguire, John Stones, Kyle Walker, and Sam Johnstone due to injuries during the international window.

As a result, the Three Lions suffered a 0-1 defeat to Brazil and a 2-2 versus Belgium series on the international trial agenda.

"There was one more UEFA meeting where there was little talk among some coaches about the possibility of increasing the number of squads."

"Well, given where we are now, we have to make the best decisions based on what we know and some of them are currently medical decisions."

"We were able to do it right in previous tournaments. We were able to give players time. However, with 23 players, it was obviously more difficult," Southgate said at The Sun.

Usually, major tournaments feature 23 players. However, the Covid-19 that hit four years ago made Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup allow 26 players in the squad.

However, UEFA returned the number of players as before Covid-19, deciding to reduce the number of players for Euro 2024.

If all the managers of the Euro 2024 participating teams want to add to the squad, they still have to persuade UEFA to make changes.

Southgate, who previously claimed that he preferred a 23-member squad, would hold a training camp with 30 players on May 21, 2024.

Although the players will be given a break one week after the 2023/2024 Premier League season ends on May 19, 2024, several England national team stars will be involved in the European tournament finals.

For example, the 2023/2024 Champions League final at Wembley will be held on June 1, 2024.

England will face Bosnia-Herzegovina in Newcastle on June 3, 2024. Then, they meet Iceland in their last warm-up match at Wembley on June 7, 2024.

On June 8, 2024, the FA must confirm that the official squad and the England national team's first Euro 2024 match against Serbia at Gelsenkirchen will be held on June 16, 2024.