Soccer-England boss Southgate will not gamble on player fitness at Euro 2024

Soccer Football - UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifier - Group C - England v Malta - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - November 17, 2023 England manager Gareth Southgate reacts Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs/File Photo

(Reuters) - England players hoping to compete at next year's European Championship in Germany will have to ensure their fitness is up to the mark, manager Gareth Southgate warned, with UEFA having reduced the permitted squad size to 23 players.

Squad sizes were increased from 23 to 26 at the previous edition of the Euros to mitigate the risks of teams facing a shortage of available players for certain matches due to possible COVID-19 cases and quarantine measures.