Countries may select 26 players for the European Football Championship

NOS Football•yesterday, 11:22 PM•Amended today, 06:43

Dutch national coach Ronald Koeman gets what he wants so badly. Countries may select 26 players for next summer’s European Football Championship in Germany instead of the usual 23 players. British media report that UEFA has internally approved a proposal that was on the table. The decision would be officially announced next month.

At the end of March, Koeman argued for an adjustment to the selection rules. After the practice match against Germany, the national coach of the Dutch national team said that he wanted to start a lobby.

Koeman called choosing 23 selection players absurd. “If more than one is missing, you can no longer play eleven against eleven in training. That is ridiculous. I will lobby for more, because I know that more countries think so.”

Watch here what Koeman said after the match against Germany about selecting 26 players:

Koeman wants 26 players to take to the European Championship: ’23 is ridiculous’

German national coach Julian Nagelsmann was also in favor. “Why shouldn’t we be flexible with this? If other countries want to call up 26 players, that’s fine with me.”

Italian national coach Luciano Spalletti also prefers to call up 26 players. “But only if all fifteen reserves are allowed to sit on the bench,” he set the condition. “I don’t want to have to send two or three players to the stands.”

UEFA said a week later that it would consider a proposal from the national coaches. Now, according to The Guardian and Sky Sports, among others, a decision has been made.

National coaches must submit a final list of players to the European Football Association on June 7, which is nine days before the first match of the Dutch team. If someone gets injured, a replacement may not be called up, unless it concerns a goalkeeper.

With the ability to call up 26 players, any injuries that arise can be dealt with more easily.