JESSE LINGARD was reduced to tears after being left out of Gareth Southgate’s squad for Euro 2020.
The Manchester United forward made it into the Three Lions manager’s provisional 33-man squad but was then ousted from the final 26.
That was despite scoring nine goals on loan at West Ham during the second half of last season.
And Lingard recently described the anguish he felt when he found out he had not made it to the Euros.
Speaking to The Players’ Tribune, he said: “Back in June, I really thought I had done enough to get into the final 26 for the Euros. Obviously, I respected Gareth’s decision, but when I rang to tell my brother, well … I cried. Lou (his brother) cried as well.”
Despite his desperate disappointment, Lingard flew home and cheered his England team-mates on throughout the tournament.
He publicly documented his support for the national team during their Euros opener against Croatia where he posted photos and videos on social media of him in a local pub with an England shirt on.
He has now opened up about the antics that day – which included having Declan Rice on the back of his shirt, getting on the DJ decks and having a parrot on his shoulder.
“Two years ago, that news would have crushed me completely,” he added. “Thankfully, I’m in a better place these days. When the boys played the opener, I wasn’t going to sit around and mope. I might not have been playing, but I was still a fan, right??
“So I pulled on a shirt — I’m close to Dec, so it had to be RICE 4 on the back — and I went to a pub with Lou and some friends. This guy there was walking around with a parrot — how random is that? — and suddenly it’s sitting right on my shoulder watching us beat Croatia!!
“You gotta love the pub when England are playing — the atmosphere, the energy. I took some pics, signed some autographs. I’m not really sure how it happened, but soon I was on the DJ decks!
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“What an afternoon that was. I’ll say this to every player: Join the fans in a pub at least once during your career. It just gives you a different perspective.”
Since the Euros, Lingard has gone on to force his way back into the England set-up.
And he repaid the faith Southgate put in him by scoring twice in a 4-0 win over Andorra last month.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
