England have named their provisional squad for Euro 2020 ahead of the tournament kicking off on June 11.
Gareth Southgate has picked the expected names, including Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Raheem Sterling and more in the forward roles. But some might view Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy as conspicuous by his absence.
The Athletic has looked at why Vardy has not been picked for England for the European Championship below.
Southgate named his provisional squad on Tuesday, and you can follow all the latest coverage on England with The Athletic here.
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Why has Vardy not been included in England's Euro 2020 squad?
There's a simple answer to this question — Vardy has been semi-retired from international football for the last few years.
The striker was part of the 23-man squad for the 2018 World Cup when England managed to reach the semi-finals for the first time in a generation. But Southgate used him sparingly in Russia. Vardy only started one game — the final group stage match against Belgium. England had already qualified for the knockout rounds by that stage.
After the tournament ended, Vardy told Southgate he did not want to be considered for selection unless England were facing a significant injury crisis.
He has not picked up a cap for the nation since.
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Has Vardy retired completely from international football?
Not at all. Speaking shortly after he asked not to be selected by England, he said: "Gareth said that he felt I still had a lot to offer, and we've not shut the door completely.
"If the worst came to happen and everyone was injured, then obviously I wouldn't say no."
What was Vardy's record like for England?
He had a solid record during his time in an England shirt. After making his debut under Roy Hodgson in 2015, he went on to make 26 appearances.
During that time, he scored seven goals.
His peak year in an England shirt was undoubtedly 2016, when he managed to score five goals in 10 appearances. Of those, one of the strikes came in the 2-1 win over Wales at Euro 2016.
Has Vardy impressed for Leicester this season?
Yes. Vardy has been a shining light for Brendan Rodgers's side in the Premier League and in cup competitions.
He played a big role for Leicester as they secured European football for the second year running, scoring 13 goals in the Premier League and linking up well with Kelechi Iheanacho.
Vardy also won the FA Cup with Leicester as they overcame Chelsea in the final earlier this month. It was the first time the club had ever won the honour. Vardy also became the first player to ever play in every round of the competition, including the preliminary stages.
What is the full England Euro 2020 squad?
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Manchester United), Sam Johnstone (West Bromwich Albion), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Sheffield United).
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Conor Coady (Wolves), Ben Godfrey (Everton), Reece James (Chelsea), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Ben White (Brighton & Hove Albion).
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Jesse Lingard (Manchester United), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds), Declan Rice (West Ham), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton).
Forwards: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Mason Greenwood (Manchester United), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).
(Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
