Jack Grealish has admitted being omitted from Gareth Southgate’s final England squad for Euro 2024 was the “most difficult thing I have had to deal with in my career”.
The Manchester City midfielder was a regular in the build-up to the tournament, including coming on in the penultimate warm-up match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, but he was left out of the final 26-man squad.
“I’ll be honest, football-wise it was the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to deal with in terms of my own career,” he said.
“I was absolutely heartbroken. For myself now moving forward, I have to just try and use that as motivation going into this season.
“I felt I should have been in the [England] squad,” added Grealish, who was speaking on City’s pre-season tour of the United States.
“I feel like I offer something different to players in the England squad. But it is what it is.
“When you are on your holidays, every time you turn on the phone or the TV you just see it [the tournament], so it was hard not to see.”
England then went on to reach the final of the tournament, before being beaten by Spain.
Grealish, who has 36 England caps, will be hoping for a fresh start following the departure of Southgate. As yet it is unknown who will take charge for the Uefa Nations League matches against the Republic of Ireland and Finland in September.
For now though his priority is impressing for City, who face Barcelona in their latest pre-season friendly on Wednesday, and it’s a game manager Pep Guardiola can’t wait for.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s a friendly or an official game against Barcelona, for me personally, for the club and team it will always be so special,” he told the club’s official website.
“I am here thanks to Barcelona – they gave me absolutely everything.
“Always I will be grateful, what they gave to me as a formation as a person, a footballer, started as a ball boy and became a manager.
“Without Barcelona it would not be possible.”
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