Kyle Walker has been appointed as England’s new vice captain ahead of the European Championship in Germany, according to sources.
The 34-year-old was informed of Gareth Southgate’s decision earlier this month, taking on a vital leadership role in a squad that has seen significant changes since the 2022 World Cup.
Southgate has revamped his squad, with only half of the 26 players who went to Qatar making the cut for Euro 2024.
Jordan Henderson, who was previously the vice captain, has been omitted from the squad after struggling to regain fitness following a muscular injury at Ajax.
Walker, who has 83 international caps, is now the second-most-capped player in the squad behind captain Harry Kane, who has 91 caps. Other notable absentees include Harry Maguire and Raheem Sterling.
Kieran Trippier and Declan Rice have been included in Southgate’s new leadership group, which aims to help integrate the 12 players new to senior tournaments into the squad for Euro 2024.
Trippier led England against Bosnia in their first warm-up game, and Rice was named captain in March on his 50th international appearance.
In other news, goalkeeper Jordan Pickford confirmed that John Stones, who had been dealing with an ankle issue and missed training due to illness, is fit and ready to play in Sunday’s Group C opener against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen. Stones participated fully in Friday’s training session.
England are considered favourites by many bookmakers to win their first major men’s trophy in 58 years, and Pickford has encouraged his teammates to embrace the challenge and perform under the spotlight.
“[In] Russia in 2018, there was no pressure on us,” he said. “But to be a top, elite team, you have got to have pressure. You have got to deal with it. To be one of the favourites, you have got to enjoy that pressure.
“That’s our goal [to win the tournament] but the most important thing for us is to win the first game, get out of the group, game-by-game focus on each game as it comes because you can’t look too far ahead.
“Everyone’s goal is to lift that trophy but it takes a hell of a lot of hard work to get there. There’ll be nothing more proud than lifting that trophy and bringing it home for the fans but there is so much hard work to do first.
“I know all the England fans will be rooting for us. They are passionate; everywhere in the country will be rooting for us and they’ll be having a good few days on the booze so it’ll be good.”