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Luke Shaw: England defender ready to play 90 minutes at Euro 2024

Posted on by angelo
Luke Shaw: England defender ready to play 90 minutes at Euro 2024

Video caption, Euro 2024: Luke Shaw ‘fit and ready to play’ with England

England defender Luke Shaw says he is fit and ready to play 90 minutes at Euro 2024.

Shaw, the only specialist left-back in Gareth Southgate’s squad, has missed England’s first four matches at the Euros with a hamstring injury.

But the Manchester United defender came on as a second-half substitute in the quarter-final win over Switzerland and says he is now ready to play a bigger role in England’s campaign.

“Of course I think I’m (fit and ready to play 90 minutes),” Shaw said. “It depends on Gareth’s decision. I feel fit and ready to play.”

Shaw’s appearance from the bench after 78 minutes against Switzerland marked his first competitive game since being injured in February.

Southgate had hoped Shaw would return during the group stage in Germany but his recovery took longer than expected and forced Kieran Trippier to replace Shaw on the left side of defence.

“The last four months have been really tough,” Shaw said of his injury problems. “At first, I was expected to come back a lot sooner, but I’ve been through a lot of setbacks.

“It was really nice to come up the other night and have a few minutes – I was craving it.

“I think before the team was announced we were planning to come back around the second or third game but unfortunately things didn’t go as planned and I was pushed back a game or two.

“Of course it’s tough. They’ve really been there for me, not just Gareth and Steve (Holland, England assistant manager) but also the medical staff. I have to thank them a lot.”

Shaw had ‘strange’ Euros

Image source, Getty Images

Legend, Shaw has 32 caps for England, including 26 under Gareth Southgate.

Shaw had to sit and watch from the touchline as England reached the semi-finals of a second successive European Championship.

The 28-year-old has been focused on his recovery, so much so that he pulled out of a planned press conference ahead of the Switzerland game because he did not want to speak to the press until he was back on the pitch.

“It was strange,” he said of his Euro 2024 experience. “It was also difficult to go to the games, to feel the atmosphere. Not putting on the jersey or participating in the games was difficult, but it motivated me to come back to work.

“The atmosphere of these matches motivated me.

“I was of course delighted to be back, but the priority was to help us get back into the game and qualify.”

Without Shaw, England have not consistently impressed at Euro 2024 – drawing their last two group games before trailing in both knockout games so far.

But brilliant equalisers from Jude Bellingham against Slovakia and Bukayo Saka against Switzerland helped them qualify.

“I don’t understand the criticism of Southgate”

Image source, Getty Images

Legend, Shaw was the only specialist left-back selected by Southgate for England’s Euro 2024 squad

Shaw knows what it’s like to score a big goal at a European Championship: he opened the scoring for England in the Euro 2020 final against Italy inside three minutes with a powerful volley.

But watching from the bench, he says he has been tested just as much as the England fans.

“I was more nervous watching than playing, it’s quite difficult,” he said.

“I never thought we were going to make it through this. You have to believe until the end.

“Good moments like Jude’s (the equaliser) can happen, but it’s up to us to make them happen on the pitch.

“We are improving game by game. There are still things we can improve, but we look in good shape.”

Shaw has become a key player under Southgate, starting every game at the 2022 World Cup, and has defended his manager in the face of criticism he has received over his selections and style of play.

“I don’t understand the criticism,” Shaw said of Southgate, who became the first man to lead England to three major tournament semi-finals.

“What he has done for the country and for us players has taken us to the next level. No manager has had as much success as him in recent times.

“We players love him, he’s exactly what we need. He allows us to go out on the pitch and give our best. He showed a lot of faith and trust in choosing me.”