With the UEFA European Championship getting underway this week, here are nine top footballers who have been left at home by their national team managers, including a star whose exclusion "shocked" his teammates.
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The tournament kicks off on Friday, with host nation Germany taking on Scotland in Group A at the Allianz Arena, home to Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich. The DFB-Elf, a nickname only recently introduced, will be without 57-time international Leon Goretzka and veteran centre-back Mats Hummels.
Both experienced players were overlooked by Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann, who worked with the former during his short stint in charge of Bayern. The midfielder fell out of favour at the Bavarians when Nagelsmann was at the helm, so perhaps it is no surprise his name was not called when the 36-year-old picked his squad.
Spain, meanwhile, have chosen to do without young defender Pau Cubarsi. The La Masia academy graduate enjoyed a breakthrough season for Barcelona this past term, making an impressive 24 senior appearances, including three in the UEFA Champions League. The 17-year-old was selected for his country's provisional squad, but will not add to his three senior international caps in Germany.
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Thibaut Courtois, despite returning from a lengthy absence for Real Madrid in time to play in their European final triumph over Dortmund, was left at home by Belgium manager Domenico Tedesco. The 32-year-old had previously been a mainstay for the Red Devils since his debut in 2011, amassing 102 appearances. Italy have left Manuel Locatelli behind after the midfielder made a name for himself at the previous edition of this tournament. The 26-year-old's inspired performances for the Italians at EURO 2020, held in 2021, earned him his move to Juventus.
Didier Deschamps has decided Christopher Nkunku is not fit enough to represent France in the competition after his injury-stricken season at Chelsea in England. The 26-year-old has so far failed to deliver on the international stage when handed the opportunity, having not scored for Les Bleus in 10 attempts.
England will be without Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish, with the latter's exclusion from the group said to have caught his teammates completely off guard. The Manchester City winger was picked for Gareth Southgate's training team ahead of the tournament, but will play no part in Germany. The ex-Aston Villa captain was reportedly "devastated" by Southgate's decision, while rumours suggest that some of his colleagues approached the manager to find out why he had been dropped.
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The 53-year-old Three Lions boss has since stated that he and his staff felt other players had better seasons at club level, with Newcastle United's Anthony Gordon and Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze having been picked ahead of Grealish, who appeared at EURO 2020 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
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