Jack Grealish on his 'heartbroken' summer following England's rejection for Euro 2024.

Manchester City's Jack Grealish has spoken out about his 'heartbroken' summer following his omission from the England squad for the European Championships in Germany.

The 28-year-old was unexpectedly left out of Gareth Southgate's 26-man team for the European Championship this summer, despite being included to an initial 33-man provisional training group.

Grealish, who has previously made 36 appearances for England, missed out on a second consecutive European Championship final after the Three Lions lost 2-1 to Spain in Berlin earlier this month. The Birmingham-born talent was one of several surprising absences from England's tournament team, including Marcus Rashford, James Maddison, and Harry Maguire, who were all left out by previous boss Southgate. Grealish has struggled throughout the 2023/24 season leading up to the competition, failing to appear for Pep Guardiola's side since a 5-1 victory against Wolves at the Etihad Stadium in early May.

Grealish made just 26 starts for Manchester City last season, netting three goals - his lowest score since joining the club from Aston Villa for £100 million in 2021. Speaking to reporters on Monday night before of Manchester City's penultimate pre-season friendly against Barcelona in Orlando, Florida, Jack Grealish was questioned about his absence from Southgate's England team over the summer. "I'll be honest, it was probably - football wise - the most difficult thing I've ever had to deal with, in terms of my own career," Grealish told the media.

"I was completely heartbroken." And then, obviously, when you're on vacation, wherever I was, every time you turn on the phone, TV, or anything, you just see it." He went on to say, "It was difficult not to notice. But for now, I'm moving forward. I simply have to use that as fuel for this season, and try to maintain the same mentality I had two years ago, during my first season at City.

"I don't think I performed as well as I could of, and then in the second season, I played in a lot of the games, and that was down to the first season that I had and I wanted to come back stronger and I certainly did that, and hopefully I can do that again now." Grealish is a member of Guardiola's pre-season touring squad in the United States this summer, with Manchester City having a few first-team players available for the four-game tour, which includes games against Celtic, AC Milan, Barcelona and Chelsea. The Sky Blues have two remaining matches after losing to Celtic and AC Milan in their first two pre-season friendly.

Comments

Can Roberto Mancini’s Tactical Shield Withstand Zidane’s New France?

France and Italy meet in Paris with more than three Nations League points at stake. The match is a collision between two historic football nations, two celebrated former players turned managers and two projects moving in opposite emotional directions. Zinedine Zidane’s France have begun their new era with consecutive 1–0 victories over Türkiye and Belgium, while Roberto Mancini’s Italy responded to an opening defeat against Belgium with an emphatic 4–1 win over Türkiye. France lead Group A1 with six points, while Italy enter the contest with three. The setting adds another layer. This is Zidane’s first home match as France coach, and it comes against Italy—the country involved in the most unforgettable moment of his playing career, the 2006 World Cup final. But the real story is not nostalgia. It is tactical survival. France possess the athleticism and attacking depth to overwhelm opponents, even without the injured Kylian Mbappé. Italy, under Mancini, must construct a defensive shield...

The Tactical Adjustments Norway Needs to Overthrow Portugal.

Norway’s defeat to Portugal exposed a frustrating contradiction: they dominated possession, produced more shots, created more pressure and still lost 2–1. Ståle Solbakken’s side had 62 per cent of the ball, attempted 22 shots to Portugal’s 12 and recorded 36 touches inside the opposition penalty area compared with Portugal’s 13. Yet João Félix and Gonçalo Ramos scored the goals that mattered, while Diogo Costa made five saves to protect the visitors’ victory. The lesson is not that Norway need to attack more. They already attacked frequently. Their real challenge is to attack with greater clarity, create better-quality chances and protect themselves more effectively when possession is lost. Portugal proved that a team can surrender territory while remaining dangerous if its counterattacks are precise and its defensive structure stays compact. Norway’s next step must be tactical refinement. They need to transform possession into access, access into chances and chances into goals. Most i...

UEFA Pressured by Real Madrid Complaint Against Barcelona: The Ultimate Sanctions Facing Barcelona If Proven Guilty.

European football has entered another tense legal chapter as Real Madrid intensify their campaign for UEFA to examine Barcelona’s alleged involvement in the Negreira case. UEFA has confirmed that it received an extensive dossier submitted by Real Madrid and that its ethics and disciplinary inspectors will analyse the material within the framework of the existing review. That confirmation is significant, but it is not the same as a guilty verdict, a formal sanction or proof that Barcelona attempted to influence match results. The next stage depends on what UEFA can establish after examining the documents and hearing the relevant parties. The dispute concerns payments made by Barcelona over many years to José María Enríquez Negreira, a former vice-president of Spain’s Technical Committee of Referees. Reports have placed the total payments at approximately €8.4 million between 2001 and 2018. Barcelona have maintained that the money related to technical reports and consultancy work, while ...

Madrid Derby Preview: Can Real Madrid Overcome Atlético's Recent Dominance?

The Madrid Derby has always been more than just a football match—it is a cultural collision, a battle of identities, and a tactical chess match that reflects the evolving philosophies of Spanish football. As the 2026 edition approaches, the stakes feel higher than ever. With Real Madrid chasing the title and Atlético Madrid continuing to disrupt the established order, this derby is not merely about three points—it is about momentum, pride, and psychological supremacy. The central question looms large: can Real Madrid overcome Atlético’s recent dominance, or has the balance of power in the Spanish capital subtly shifted? To understand the present, one must first appreciate the historical weight behind this rivalry. Since their first meeting in 1906, the Madrid Derby has grown into one of the most fiercely contested fixtures in world football. Statistically, Real Madrid still hold the upper hand, with over 120 wins compared to Atlético’s 60 across all competitions . Their dominance is fu...

Why India Needs Competitive Match Volume to Survive the Elite Tier.

India’s 4–0 defeat to Brazil in Kolkata was not merely a heavy friendly loss. It was a detailed lesson in what separates a promising international side from a team that can consistently compete with the elite. For 27 minutes, India defended bravely, attacked with courage and made Brazil uncomfortable. But once Brazil found their rhythm, the match revealed a tactical gulf that extended beyond individual quality. It exposed differences in decision-making, tempo control, ball progression, pressing reactions, defensive concentration and the ability to sustain a plan for the full 90 minutes. Brazil eventually won through goals from Estêvão, Pedro and Samuel Lino, who scored twice. India finished with 34.2 per cent possession, nine shots and three efforts on target, while Brazil produced 20 shots, seven on target and 65.8 per cent possession. The passing figures were even more revealing: Brazil completed 652 passes to India’s 330 and made 156 successful passes in the final third compared wit...

Dribble Diaries

Search This Blog