Newcastle United defender Kieran Trippier has delivered his honest verdict after England lost another European Championship final.
Kieran Trippier was an unused substitute against Spain on Sunday, despite starting every other Euro 2024 game for England during the tournament.
The 33-year-old lost his place in the starting XI, and his chance to come on disappeared when Mikel Oyarzabal put Spain ahead in the 86th minute.
That gave Spain the victory they deserved, while it broke English hearts. It has been an extremely difficult competition for the Three Lions, but one that nearly had the perfect ending.
However, Gareth Southgate’s side came up short, and it is now rumoured that he could be replaced by Eddie Howe.
Kieran Trippier reflects on Euro 2024
For Trippier, all he can do right now is reflect on another European Championship final defeat. He was part of the squad that lost to Italy in 2021, and he has now suffered the same fate three years later.
It must have been an agonising experience, and now Trippier has taken to his official Instagram account to express his feelings.
Alongside pictures from the aftermath of the final, Trippier wrote: “Bitterly disappointing to lose an another Euros final. We as a team honestly gave everything we could to bring the trophy home and make everyone proud. The togetherness and bond of this team is incredible and I know we will be back in more finals soon. Thank you to all the staff and Gareth for their hard work and finally all the fans for your support, it truly does really mean a lot to us. Thank you.”
Newcastle United defender is at a career crossroads
It is unclear what the future holds for Kieran Trippier.
His Newcastle United future is very much up in the air, as he enters the final year of his contract. It is possible that Newcastle sell Trippier, and they already have his replacement in Tino Livramento.
However, it is unclear if Howe would want to lose such an influential leader, both on and off the pitch.
Trippier’s international career is also up for debate. He has been a reliable lieutenant under Gareth Southgate, but his tenure as England boss has come to an end.
That could also mean it is the end of the road for Trippier on the international stage. He is 33-years-old right now, and it would be a surprise to see him represent the Three Lions at another major tournament.
The Euros were tough for Trippier. He received a lot of criticism for his performances, which was down to the fact that he was playing out of position. Southgate asked him to play on the left of defence, and it severely limited his ability to attack. It also hindered England’s overall balance, which was a consistent theme throughout Southgate’s team.
Trippier will now receive some time off before returning to Newcastle United, with his Toon teammates currently training in Germany at Adidas HQ.
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