Chelsea and England star Cole Palmer has spoken about his frustration after struggling for regular game time at Euro 2024.
Despite a brilliant Premier League campaign, the midfielder was not trusted to start any games in Germany under Gareth Southgate. He had been one of the standout performers in the country ahead of the tournament, but this wasn’t enough to earn the full trust of his international manager.
The England star finished the tournament with just 145 minutes under his belt. Now speaking to Sky Sports about this experience, Palmer has outlined how “difficult” it was to be regularly left out.
Palmer on Not Playing Much at Euro 2024
“It was difficult”
After leaving Manchester City in the summer of 2023 in search of regular game time, the 22-year-old was richly rewarded, becoming a key man overnight for Chelsea. By the end of his debut season at Stamford Bridge, he scored 27 goals and provided 15 assists in all competitions.
This form earned him a first international call-up in November and by the time Euro 2024 started, he played four times for the Three Lions. However, in Germany, he had to sit out the first two games, before getting a 19-minute cameo in the final group match.
Despite looking bright off the bench, the creative player continued to have just an impact role within the team. He would finish the tournament with one assist in the semi-final, and a goal in the final, having failed to start a single match.
Speaking to the press about his experience, Palmer revealed that he was left questioning why Southgate would not pick him. He said:
“It was difficult, not playing. You’re going into a new group, you have the lads that have been there a number of years, obviously being a new, young player, all the lads did take me in to be fair, like they should with all the young players. So it was quite easy to settle in but obviously not playing, and thinking to yourself, like, ‘why’, just questioning yourself.”
|
Palmer at Euro 2024 |
|
|---|---|
|
Games (starts) |
5 (0) |
|
Goals |
1 |
|
Assists |
1 |
|
Minutes |
145′ |
Related
‘Dumb’ Todd Boehly Plan Undermined at Chelsea by £60.8m Cole Palmer Decision
While the player deserves a new contract, it’s still a baffling situation.
Palmer Full of Self-Belief
“I didn’t question my ability”
Despite not earning the trust of his manager, it seems as though the Chelsea star did not lose faith in his own abilities for even a second. Having been asked if he doubted his own ability, Palmer replied:
“I didn’t question my ability because I knew what I did in the season. You’re just thinking ‘why’, and stuff like that, but I just thought, ‘when I do get on, I’m just going to try to make an impact and do something’.”
Palmer will hope to cement his status as one of the league’s most exciting talents during his second season with the Blues. His campaign will start against title-holders Manchester City at Stamford Bridge this Sunday, with a number of his fellow Euro 2024 finalists understood to be major doubts for the fixtures.
If the 22-year-old can continue on his upward trajectory, he could be in with a shot at more regular time with the national team, greatly benefiting from Southgate’s departure. After all, he did win the U21 European Championships with interim manager Lee Casrlsey, scoring a goal in that final against Spain too.
Stats via Transfermarkt.
