Cole Palmer lifts lid on ‘frustrating’ Euros campaign with England - ‘Everything I was doing was coming off’
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Published 13/11/2024 at 15:49 GMT
Cole Palmer felt that "everything" he was doing for Chelsea during the 2023/24 season "was coming off", but it did not stop his minutes from being capped in a "frustrating" Euro 2024 campaign with England last summer. The forward, who kept England in the final against Spain with a sweet strike after coming off the bench, has opened up on his stance in the Three Lions squad under Gareth Southgate.
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Cole Palmer has openly admitted his frustrations at the lack of game time he had while on England international duty at Euro 2024 in Germany last summer.
The Three Lions fell at the final hurdle for the second Euros tournament running, as Nico Williams and Mikel Oyarzabal scored in a 2-1 final victory for Spain in Berlin.
Palmer came into the tournament off the back of an excellent debut campaign for Chelsea - where he scored 27 goals and provided 15 assists - but played just 145 minutes overall under Gareth Southgate, all of which came as a substitute.
“It was frustrating at England, to be fair,” the Chelsea star told GQ as he cast his mind back to his experience in Germany.
“Not to say that the players aren’t good. But just coming off the back of the season I had, the form I was in, everything I was doing was coming off.
“So I’m not playing in the first two games even when the team was struggling, it was a bit like, ‘Why?’ Do you know what I mean?”
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England began the group stages with a win thanks to Jude Bellingham’s winner against Serbia, before back-to-back draws followed against Denmark and Slovenia.
“If you bring me on [in] the third game and I don’t do anything, then I can’t really say anything,” Palmer added.
“I just had to try and force my way in.”
Palmer came off the bench and played 19 minutes in the third group stage game, where he delivered a promising cameo to send a message to Southgate.
He was brought on again for substantial periods in the round of 16 and quarter-final matches - both of which required at least extra time - and he even converted his penalty against Switzerland to help England reach the semi-finals.
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Cole Palmer
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However, he only featured for 10 minutes in the semi-final against the Netherlands, as Southgate called upon Ollie Watkins to salvage a late goal with the teams locked in at 1-1.
“I remember Watkins coming on, and I was thinking, ‘Why not me?’” Palmer said honestly.
The former Manchester City forward was eventually introduced by Southgate and set Watkins up to fire England into their second successive European Championship final.
But once again, Palmer was left to make a difference from the bench, which he did so as he quickly cancelled out Williams’ opener with a low strike from the edge of the box.
“I had a feeling I was going to score,” Palmer said, who scored three minutes after his introduction in the 73rd minute.
“Even in the hotel the night before the game, I was just looking at the mirror, just thinking, What am I gonna do if I score? Am I gonna do my celebration? Am I just going to go mad?”
In the end, he did do his trademark ‘cold’ celebration, a celebration Chelsea fans have enjoyed plenty of times this season.
So far for Chelsea this campaign - under new boss Enzo Maresca - Palmer has netted seven goals in 11 Premier League games, while he has also contributed five assists in a promising start to the season.
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