As another packed season of club football comes to an end, the European Championship in Germany is fast approaching.
The summer tournament bookends a busy 2023/24 season and one that has seen repeated calls for action regarding fixture congestion and player welfare.
So it is no surprise that several important players are set to miss Euro 2024 through injury, with many others battling to be fit in time for the opening round of group games, which begins on 14 June.
Stars including Serge Gnabry, David Alaba and Gavi were already ruled out due to ACL tears and muscle injuries even prior to the squads being announced, while Luke Shaw was included but faces a race to be fit for England’s tournament opener against Serbia on 16 June.
Others suffered the distressing process of being called up for the Euros - only to then either suffer injuries or assessments which suggest they won’t be able to play a full part, and have since been axed. Below is a run-down of those players who confirmed to be missing the tournament through injuries suffered since the squads were announced, as well as several others who are in a race against time to be fit for the group stages.
Definitely out of Euro 2024
Lyndon Dykes: A training ground injury at the Scotland training ground has ruled the QPR striker out of the competition.
Ben Doak: The Liverpool forward was initially in Steve Clarke’s 28-man provisional Scotland squad but the 18-year-old has now been withdrawn after not playing since sustaining a knee injury in December.
Giorgio Scalvini: The Atalanta centre-back had a successful campaign for his club as part of the Europa League-winning side, but he suffered an ACL injury in the final minutes of the club’s last Serie A match on 2 June.
Francesco Acerbi: The experienced Inter Milan defender withdrew from Italy’s provisional squad due to a hernia injury.
Marten de Roon: The Atalanta midfielder confirmed he will miss Euro 2024 after picking up a knee injury in his side’s Coppa Italia final against Juventus.
Otavio: The Portuguese midfielder was injured playing for Al Nassr in their King’s Cup final loss. He’s been replaced by Matheus Nunes in Roberto Martinez’s squad.
Caglar Soyuncu: The former Leicester defender, who is currently on loan at Fenerbahce from Atletico Madrid, was dropped from the Turkey squad after suffering a thigh injury during his side’s final league match of the season.
Frenkie de Jong: The Netherlands midfielder was ruled out by team officials four days before the start of the tournament, with his ankle not yet “resilient” enough after injury to be called upon.
Teun Koopmeiners: The midfielder injured himself against Iceland and has been cut from the Oranje squad.
Michal Sadilek: Perhaps the most unfortunate exit so far, the Czech Republic midfielder fell off his bike and suffered a “laceration” to his leg which will mean he cannot take part at the Euros.
Aleksandar Pavlovic: The 20-year-old Bayern Munich star was forced to withdraw from the squad just two days before Germany’s opening match against Scotland due to illness, reportedly tonsilitis. Emre Can has been called up in place of the defensive midfielder.
Racing to be fit
Luke Shaw: The Manchester United man has been out since February, but England’s lack of cover at left-back means that he’s been named in Southgate’s provisional squad. The England boss said he was “pleased with the progress” that Shaw was making ahead of the group stage opener and he is now training with the team.
Aurelien Tchouameni: The Real Madrid man has become a key component for his club and national side’s midfields, and despite only making the bench for the Champions League final, he is expected to be fit in time for the opener against Austria on 17 June.
Mike Maignan: AC Milan’s ‘keeper is expected to start in goal for France, but he has been absent from the last few games of the club season due to recurring injuries.
Robert Lewandowski: The Poland striker suffered a thigh injury during a pre-tournament friendly against Turkey and had to be subbed off. He has since been ruled out of Poland’s first group game but there is hope he’ll be fit to return after that.
Karol Swiderski: In the same game as Lewandowski he scored, celebrated by jumping - and twisted his ankle upon landing. A scan came back clear and he is expected to “return to full training within three to four days.
Andy Robertson: The Scotland skipper left training early but the camp insisted they were merely being “extra cautious” ahead of the tournament and he trained fully the following day.
