England manager Gareth Southgate has marked the week when he was due to name his squad for Euro 2020 by instead putting in a call to key frontline workers during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Three Lions were scheduled to play two pre-tournament friendlies early next month before beginning their European Championship campaign against Croatia at Wembley on June 14.
The global pandemic has seen the tournament pushed back 12 months, partly because of travel restrictions and safety fears, and also to allow domestic leagues time to finish their respective club seasons.
Rather than calling up 23 footballing stars, Southgate rang two of the nations heroes in fighting the pandemic - Luke Taylor, a podiatry manager in Manchester, and Lucy Gilpin, a nurse at the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Brighton.
“We know the opportunity for our players to represent England on the European stage will come again but for now it’s important the nation gets behind those playing their part in helping to return society to a sense of normality,” Southgate said.
“It was a great to make a call to Luke and Lucy and hear how they are coping during this period of adversity; something that I know thousands of others throughout the country can relate to.”
