Luke Shaw, the defender for Manchester United and England, has expressed regret over his decision to play in a recent match, which he fears may jeopardize his participation in the Euro 2024 tournament.
Currently, Shaw is recovering from a hamstring injury and is not expected to be ready for England’s opening game against Serbia in the Euros.
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The absence of Harry Maguire, another Manchester United defender who was also injured and did not make the final squad, has left England’s defense in a challenging position.
Shaw’s potential return could significantly strengthen the team’s prospects for winning their first major trophy since 1966.
However, Shaw has been sidelined for nearly four months following a hamstring injury sustained during a match against Luton Town on February 18.
Despite being advised by Erik ten Hag and the club’s medical team to play in that game, Shaw now acknowledges that it was a mistake to do so.
‘I felt something against Aston Villa and came off at half-time at Villa Park,’ Shaw said. ‘It’s kind of everyone’s fault. Partly my fault, partly medical staff, I think everyone would admit that.
‘I didn’t train the whole week. The scan came back and there wasn’t too much there. But I didn’t train all week, then trained the day before the game. If the manager asks me to play, I’m never going to say no. I shouldn’t have played.’
Shaw claims he wanted to clear up the confusion over his fitness issues after being included in England’s provisional Euros team on May 21 – four days before missing the FA Cup final through injury.
‘No one knows the situation, what’s been happening,’ the defender added. ‘I think people have seen that there was a setback, but I was actually very close to returning to team training.
‘I was, of course, pushing to try and get back for the games and the final and I think I pushed too hard. I came back too quick and I actually ended up getting another injury in my hamstring, which was three weeks from the final and they said it was a six-week injury, so that’s why there was that setback.
‘I think people have been getting confused with what’s actually happened because nothing had been said.
‘I got a few people coming up to me, saying: “How can you not be fit for United but fit for England?” But the circumstances were that I did push to do everything I can to be fit for United, and that’s been really my whole season.
‘It’s been disappointing for me, but I want to do everything I can, first and foremost, for United. It’s better for me to come out and say what happened, because I think there were a lot of questions over how I could be here and not United.
‘That’s been playing on my mind a little bit because I don’t want people thinking that that’s what I’m doing.’
Shaw said: ‘We just go day by day, see how I’m feeling in training.
‘I would love to make the first game, but I don’t want to rush too quickly because realistically I’ve only got one chance. If I feel something, then that’s it. I don’t want that to happen.’
