England's Test cricket team captain Ben Stokes visited the nation's football training camp in Durham on Saturday, June 1. Stokes shocked everyone with his surprise visit and encouraged Gareth Southgate's men ahead of the upcoming Euro 2024.
Stokes surprisingly opted out of the ongoing ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup 2024 to focus on red-ball cricket last month. Stokes played a crucial role in the Three Lions triumph in the T20 World Cup 2021 and brought his title-winning mentality to England's football camp at Rockliffe Hall in Darlington Hall.
The 32-year-old all-rounder shook hands with head coach Gareth Southgate and captain Harry Kane and then watched cricketers train.
England announced their 33-member provisional squad for the 17th edition of the European Championship in Germany starting on June 14. Harry Kane-led English side finished as runners-up in the 2020 edition after a 3-2 loss on penalties to Italy at Wembley Stadium in London.
Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford were shockingly left out of the preliminary squad as Southgate picked a relatively younger squad for the Euros.
The Three Lions lost against Brazil 0-1 and drew 2-2 against Belgium in the last friendlies in March. Gareth Southgate remains under pressure to deliver in the upcoming tournament after England's title-less run in this century.
England are drawn into an easy group with comparatively lower-ranked sides Denmark, Serbia and Slovenia. They will kick off their Euro 2024 campaign against Serbia at Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen on June 16. England will also play two friendly games against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 3 and against Iceland on June 7.
England's provisional squad for Euro 2024:
Goalkeepers: James Trafford, Dean Henderson, Aaron Ramsdale, Jordan Pickford.
Defenders: Jarrad Branthwaite, Jarell Quansah, Luke Shaw, Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa, Lewis Dunk, Joe Gomez, Kyle Walker, Harry Maguire, John Stones, Kieran Trippier.
Midfielders: Adam Wharton, Kobbie Mainoo, Curtis Jones, Conor Gallagher, Declan Rice, Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Forwards: Ivan Toney, Ollie Watkins, Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane, Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, James Maddison, Jarrod Bowen, Eberechi Eze, Jack Grealish.
