Top 10 Stars Who Look Likely To Miss Euro 2024

A race against time will determine whether some well-known players can make it to Germany for the competition, while others have already been ruled out.

Less than three months remain till the first match of Euro 2024. Although some managers and players are concerned, it’s undoubtedly fantastic news for the fans because there isn’t much time left for a few stars to go back to full health in time for the competition in Germany.

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Of course, injuries have already ruled out a number of fantastic talents, the most common injury affecting modern footballers being the terrible ACL rupture, while suspension will keep other players from competing in the Euros.

However, several players remain optimistic about their chances of forcing their way back into their national-team squads during the final two months of the club season, by either proving their match fitness or simply rediscovering their very best form.

THEEAGLE runs through all of the big names that currently look set to miss this summer’s celebration of European football in Germany…

Thibaut Courtois (Belgium)

Thibaut Courtois, who was expected to make his comeback following the international break, was devastated to learn that he had suffered a major knee injury during a Real Madrid training session. This is not the first time this season that Courtois has been reduced to tears.

The Belgian injured his left knee’s internal meniscus on March 19, following a preseason ACL tear. The following day, Courtois had surgery, and it is anticipated that he won’t be able to play again until the 2024–2025 season.

The thing is, though, the 31-year-old probably wouldn’t have played at Euro 2024 anyway. Indeed, Courtois’ relationship with national team coach Domenico Tedesco appears broken beyond repair. The pair fell out last summer, with Tedesco claiming that Courtois missed the Euro 2024 qualifier with Estonia because he was upset at not being given the captain’s armband.

“I tried everything to take him to the European Championship this summer, but the last thing I heard was that he didn’t feel ready to go,” the Belgian manager asserted prior to the March international break. He did it in an open and sincere manner.” In response, Courtois used three Pinocchio emojis to basically label Tedesco a liar on social media.

Consequently, it currently seems unlikely that Courtois will be called back as long as Tedesco is in charge.

Sven Botman (Netherlands)

Sven Botman would have wanted to force his way into Ronald Koeman’s starting lineup even though center-back is undoubtedly the deepest position group in the Netherlands. However, on March 16, when playing for Newcastle against Manchester City, he broke his ACL. His absence from the Euros this summer is now expected to be six to nine months.

Reece James (England)

In late February, Reece James said on social media that “the comeback is coming”—the question now is when. Given James’ lengthy history of hamstring issues, Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has understandably been hesitant to assign a general recovery date for the right-back. That being said, England manager Gareth Southgate stated that “we would hope he would have some games before the Euros” in response to questions about James’s progress during the March international break.

Southgate did pose a very pertinent question, though: “Could he play seven games [in a month]? His record over the last few years would suggest no. But is he a top-level player who could provide something important? No question.”

James, who has only made nine appearances for Chelsea this season in all competitions, must act quickly to persuade Southgate that he is a gamble worth taking.

David Alaba (Austria)

Alaba was one of three Real Madrid players this season to rip an ACL, but he never stood a chance of making a comeback before the end of season, in contrast to teammates Thibaut Courtois and Eder Militao. In fact, the adaptable Austrian defender sustained his injury in December during the first half of a Liga match against Villarreal. Considering the anticipated eight-month recuperation period, Alaba will not be able to participate in his nation’s Euro 2024 campaign.

Gavi (Spain)

Barcelona has reportedly accused Spain’s coach Luis de la Fuente of causing Gavi’s injury during last November’s pointless Euro 2024 qualifying match against Georgia. With “a complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and an associated injury to the lateral meniscus,” Gavi’s injury to the midfield, which occurred just 24 minutes into the match in Valladolid, infuriated the Blaugrana, who were down to just two players remaining from the game against Cyprus three days earlier.

De la Fuente insisted that the teenager was “fresh” and well fit to play, rejecting claims that he was already in danger of burnout. He contended that “this can happen in any situation.” It was a mishap and an accident. He was ideal for playing.”

Regardless of the facts, it has been claimed by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) that Gavi will not be called up for international duty until the following year, despite the fact that he ought to be fit to play again before the 2024–25 season begins.

Luke Shaw (England)

Luke Shaw regrouped with the England team in advance of their March friendlies with Brazil and Belgium, but there is still a significant chance he won’t play at Euro 2024. The same muscular issue that kept the Manchester United left-back out for three months earlier in the season took him off the field in February’s match against Luton. The player can also play in the centre of defence.

Shaw, 28, is said to still be determined to board the plane to Germany, despite the initial belief that he would be sidelined for the duration of the season. With few quality choices at left-back for the Three Lions, England manager Gareth Southgate will undoubtedly be hoping that one of his star players from Euro 2020 can bounce back from this latest setback sooner rather than later.

Christopher Nkunku (France)

The likelihood of Christopher Nkunku arriving in Germany is rapidly decreasing. Since joining Chelsea, Nkunku has struggled with his health. He hasn’t played for France since June of last year. During the preseason, he had a knee injury that necessitated surgery, which kept him out of the game for four months.

After missing out on game action in January due to a hip problem, he returned to action and looked impressive, even scoring on his Premier League debut on Christmas Eve. However, the following month, he injured his hamstring.

It appears unlikely that the 26-year-old, who has never scored for his country, would be able to push his way back into the France squad in time for the Euros. Nkunku could make his comeback in April, but nobody is taking anything for granted.

Paul Pogba (France)

It makes perfect sense that Paul Pogba is “heartbroken” about his four-year suspension after testing positive for a prohibited drug in August of last year. Although testosterone metabolites were discovered in his system, the midfielder maintains that he never used performance-enhancing drugs. However, if he is unsuccessful in getting the suspension reversed through an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), he will likely never play for Juventus or his nation again.

Pogba was already dealing with a string of injuries, and he was unable to recover from surgery in time, thus he was unable to play in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. As a result, when he transferred from Juventus to Manchester United in 2016, there were already significant questions about whether he would ever regain the form that made him the most expensive player in football history.

Ivan Perisic (Croatia)

Regretfully, Ivan Perisic’s remarkable total of 129 caps for his country does not appear likely to increase at Euro 2024. The talented winger was sidelined by the club for “the remainder of the season” after the Croatian icon “suffered a complex ACL injury in his right knee” during non-contact training with Tottenham in September of last year.

The 35-year-old’s contract ends at the end of the current campaign, thus manager Ange Postecoglou also said in January that Perisic is unlikely to play for Spurs again.

However, Perisic stated later in the month that there’s a remote possibility he could be ready to play again in April.

Raheem Sterling (England)

Raheem Sterling had a season that was nearly perfect at the beginning, but as England manager Gareth Southgate said only last week, the winger has “a fight on his hands” to get back into the starting lineup. Despite playing in 15 goals for Chelsea in 2023–24, Cole Palmer, his teammate, is outperforming him by a wide margin. In fact, the Stamford Bridge boo boys have turned their attention towards Sterling in recent weeks.

In light of the fact that Jarrod Bowen and Anthony Gordon are playing better and that Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka are surefire selections, it becomes somewhat more comprehensible why Southgate is willing to leave one of the top players from Euro 2020 at home this summer.