Gareth Southgate and his England squad travelled to Germany for Euro 2024 on Monday, departing after one last training session at St. George's Park with the full squad in attendance.
Prior to their departure, the England squad were paid a royal visit as The Prince of Wales met the players, coaching staff and support staff to wish the team well and present them with their squad numbers for the tournament.
Amongst the squad that touched down in Germany was Manchester United's Tom Heaton, who received a last-minute call up from Gareth Southgate to join the squad as a training goalkeeper.
Heaton won three England caps in 2016-17 and was a part of the Euro 2016 squad, on a statement on X, he wrote: "Incredibly honoured to be asked by Gareth to join the squad."
"To get the call to go to a major tournament, to help in anyway I can and pass on my experience is a proud moment."
Incredibly honoured to be asked by Gareth to join the squad.
— Tom Heaton (@TomHeatonGK) June 10, 2024
To get the call to go to a major tournament, to help in anyway I can and pass on my experience is a proud moment
We have a great squad, I'm excited and can't wait to join the group. pic.twitter.com/BvJ5yIHqtD
For 12 of the players in the squad, Euro 2024 marks as their first major tournament with England. Meanwhile, Kyle Walker, John stones and captain Harry Kane are travelling to Germany for their fifth major tournament with the Three Lions.
Harry Maguire, James Maddison and Jack Grealish have been left out of Southgate's final 26-man squad. Maguire's absence can be largely explained by a calf injury while Maddison struggled to recaputre early season form since returning from injury.
Southgate opted for younger alternatives in a front-loaded squad, replacing the likes of Grealish and Marcus Rashford in the hopes of unlocking younger players potential.
The squad are headed into the tournament off the back of a mediocre run with just one win in their last five games. Following England's 1-0 home defeat to Iceland at Wembley on Friday, the team were booed off by their own fans as they spurned several opportunities to avoid the loss.
England begin their campaign against Serbia in Group C on Sunday.