England defender Luke Shaw says he is fit to start Wednesday’s Euro 2024 semifinal against the Netherlands and “ready to go” after a long-term injury and a long-running debate over his selection for the tournament.
Manchester United left back Shaw played his first game since February when he came off the bench Saturday in England’s quarterfinal game with Switzerland, which England won in a penalty shootout.
England, the runner-up at Euro 2020, faces Netherlands on Wednesday in Dortmund in its bid to reach another final.
Shaw had repeated setbacks in his recovery from a muscle injury before that and said Monday he’d been “itching” to get back on the field.
“Of course I think I am, but obviously that’s solely down to (England manager Gareth Southgate’s) decision on what he does. But I feel fit and I’m ready to go,” Shaw said when asked if he was fit to play a full game.
Shaw’s injury problems made him a much-disputed selection for Euro 2024 as England’s only specialist left back. “I’ve got a lot to thank (Southgate) for because he showed a lot of faith and trust in picking me when he didn’t have to,” Shaw said.
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Kieran Trippier has taken over the left back role, but he’s a naturally right-footed player who has faced criticism for regularly cutting inside toward the center of the field, rather than attacking down the left wing.
That’s part of a wider criticism from many England fans of what they see as Southgate’s tendency toward caution over entertainment. Some fans threw plastic cups at Southgate at a group-stage game and the manager has said it’s been hard to deal with the “personal” backlash.
“I think the most important thing is winning,” Shaw said. “And at the moment, whether people like it or not, the way we play and how the team are playing, for us, we’re in the semifinals. That’s all that matters.”
