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What would your England starting XI look like to face Ukraine? Use our interactive team selector to choose your team…
They face Ukraine in Poland for their Euro 2024 qualifier on Saturday September 9 before taking on Scotland at Hampden Park three days later – to mark the 150th anniversary since the two teams first faced each other.
England boss Gareth Southgate selected Harry Maguire in his latest squad – despite the centre-back failing to start a league game for Manchester United this season – and also stuck with Jordan Henderson after the 33-year-old completed a transfer from Liverpool to Saudi Pro League side Al Ettifaq.
Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah and Chelsea defender Levi Colwill both earned their first senior call-ups.
England favourite Raheem Sterling was also omitted, with Southgate revealing the Chelsea forward was not “particularly happy about it”. Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope also lost his place with Crystal Palace stopper Sam Johnstone getting the nod with regulars Jordan Pickford and Aaron Ramsdale.
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England manager Gareth Southgate revealed Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling was unhappy with missing out on the England squad for the European Championship qualifier against Ukraine and friendly with Scotland
Trent Alexander-Arnold was listed as a midfielder but withdrew from the squad with a hamstring injury, while forward Jack Grealish also pulled out with a thigh strain.
So, what would your England XI look like? Use our interactive selector to pick your team and share on Twitter @SkyFootball.
State of play
England must go with experience in white-hot Wroclaw atmosphere
England manager Gareth Southgate and Harry Kane during a training session at St George’s Park
Sky Sports’ senior reporter Rob Dorsett:
With the ongoing devastation in their homeland, Saturday’s Euro qualifier is the closest Ukraine will get to a home game. With all the extra emotion surrounding the fixture, England’s players are likely to feel they are taking on an entire nation, rather than just 11 players on the pitch.
Since the war started more than 18 months ago, 6.2m Ukrainian people have been forced to leave the country, with Poland – the venue for this game against England – the most receptive neighbour.
More than three million displaced people have crossed the Western border to escape the horror, swelling the total number of Ukrainian people in Poland to over 4.5m, according to UN figures.
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England train at St George’s Park ahead of their European qualifier against Ukraine on Saturday
The match against England is close to a sell out, meaning there is likely to be more than 40,000 “home” fans inside the Wroclaw Stadium on Saturday night.
Those supporters have more than just a Euro qualifier to unite and motivate them, and how England’s players deal with the inevitable outpouring of national pride on and off the pitch could be key to their success. Or otherwise.
That’s what makes this match much harder than usual for Gareth Southgate and his squad. Italy away was always going to be the toughest prospect in qualifying: this is a close second.
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