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

MLS Investigates Inter Miami Over Casemiro Tampering Allegations: What You Need to Know.

MLS opening an investigation into Inter Miami over Casemiro tampering allegations is as much about how the league works as it is about one transfer. At the centre of the story are three moving parts: Casemiro’s status as a free agent, Inter Miami’s ambition and the MLS rules on “discovery rights” and tampering that most European fans barely know exist. Put together, they explain why a seemingly straightforward signing has suddenly become a regulatory flashpoint. The headline is simple enough: MLS has confirmed it is reviewing a tampering allegation against Inter Miami in relation to their move for Casemiro, shortly after the club announced his signing. The allegation originates from LA Galaxy, who had previously registered Casemiro on their “Discovery List”, giving them priority within MLS to negotiate with him. In their view, Inter Miami contacted the player and progressed a deal before formally acquiring those rights, which is where the accusation of tampering comes in. MLS has said ...

John Stones: The Premier League Free Agent with Chelsea and Arsenal in Hot Pursuit.

John Stones hitting the market as a Premier League free agent is the kind of twist that instantly rewires the summer agenda for clubs like Chelsea and Arsenal. After a decade of winning at Manchester City and a strong showing with England, he’s not moving as a faded name chasing one last payday; he’s moving as a proven, system-friendly defender whose profile still matches what elite coaches want from a modern centre-back. That’s why both London clubs are not just interested, but firmly in the chase. Stones brings something very specific to the table: the hybrid centre-back. He’s comfortable defending in a high line, stepping into midfield zones, and acting as a deep playmaker in possession. That alone explains why his availability lights up the radar at Chelsea. With a new project focused on structured build-up and aggressive pressing, they need defenders who can do more than just head clearances. Stones has spent years in a system where centre-backs are effectively extra midfielders i...

Why Newcastle United is Holding Firm on Bruno Guimaraes: The Importance of Direct Offers.

Newcastle United’s hard line on Bruno Guimaraes is not just stubbornness; it’s a deliberate stance built on power, strategy, and respect — and that’s exactly why they care so much about how bids arrive, not just how much money is on the table. In the middle of a noisy market, they’re drawing a clear line: if you want their captain, you come directly, formally, and at full value, or you don’t come at all. Bruno isn’t just another midfielder at Newcastle; he’s the emotional and tactical centre of their project. Since arriving, he has become their reference point in possession, their heartbeat in tough games, and their visible symbol of ambition. Everything about the club’s recent identity shift — from relegation scrap side to European contender — has his fingerprints on it. He knits together transitions, drives the ball through midfield, and adds the kind of personality that lifts a stadium when things are flat. When a player holds that kind of role, you don’t treat his future as an open...

Post-Match Brawl: Analyzing the Chaos After Spain's Victory Over Argentina.

Spain’s victory over Argentina should have been remembered first as a tactical triumph and a historic final, but the post-match brawl quickly shifted the conversation from football to control, emotion, and discipline. What happened after the whistle was not just a “dust-up”; it was the visible collapse of tension that had been building through a high-stakes match, and it exposed how fragile the line is between competitive fire and outright disorder. The first thing to understand is that brawls after major finals rarely come from nowhere. They are usually the product of accumulated frustration, perceived disrespect, emotional fatigue, and the pressure of knowing that one result has just ended a dream. In this case, Spain had won a final that Argentina believed they could claim, and that alone creates a volatile emotional climate. When a game ends with disappointment for one side and ecstasy for the other, the body language in those first few seconds can matter as much as anything that h...

The Rise of Yan Diomandé: What Makes Him the Next Big Thing in Football.

Yan Diomandé looks like the kind of footballer who makes the game feel slightly ahead of schedule. His rise has been so fast, so visually striking, and so full of “how on earth did this happen so quickly?” moments that he already feels like a player the sport has decided to circle before fully understanding him. What makes him the next big thing is not just talent in isolation, but the rare combination of dribbling volume, end product, fearless mentality, and a career path that has hardened him in ways many elite prospects never experience. The first thing that jumps out about Diomandé is how unusual his journey has been. He was born in Ivory Coast, developed further in Florida, spent time in Spain, and then exploded at RB Leipzig in Germany. That path matters because it means he did not come through a single polished academy system where everything was predictable and perfectly scripted. He has had to adapt to new cultures, new tactical demands, new levels of pressure, and new expecta...

Dribble Diaries

Search This Blog