Serbian former midfielder Nemanja Mati? believes that the exclusion of Jack Grealish and Marcus Rashford from England’s UEFA Euro 2024 squad is “good news” for Serbia.
On June 16, Serbia will face England in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, hoping to upset the tournament favorites in their opening Euro match.
Mati?, who played for Manchester United and Chelsea before retiring from international duty in 2020, remains an avid follower of the Serbian national team.
Despite their underwhelming club form, Mati? feels that their absence benefits Serbia.
“I always want players like Rashford and Grealish in a team, as they can decide a game with one move! Their non-inclusion is good news for us,” Mati? wrote on his social media platform.
Rashford, a former teammate of Mati?’s at Manchester United, had a strong showing at the 2022 World Cup but failed to make Southgate’s Euro squad.
In the 2022/23 season, Rashford enjoyed his best campaign statistically, scoring 30 goals and helping United win the League Cup and secure a Champions League spot.
However, the 26-year-old前锋 has struggled this season, netting only eight times for the Red Devils.
Both Rashford and Manchester City’s Grealish have paid the price for their lackluster form. Manager Southgate acknowledged the difficulty in delivering the news, saying, “These are tough decisions. As a coaching staff, we’ve discussed them repeatedly, trying to be fair and find the right reasons. Both players are strong characters, great teammates, and fantastic to work with. So, it was sad to have to give them that news.”