Kieran Trippier: Fitness Not an Issue Despite Euro 2024 Final Loss

Kieran Trippier dismissed tiredness as a reason for Spain’s 2-1 defeat of England in the Euro 2024 final in Berlin, extending England’s 58-year wait for a major tournament victory. Despite England manager Gareth Southgate’s comments that some players were “a little bit short of their physical peak” during the month-long tournament, Trippier insisted that the team’s fitness was not an issue. Trippier, who started six of England’s seven games, said, “The team that we’ve got is fit. If you see the running stats, I think we’re probably the highest in the whole tournament. So that’s not an excuse.”

Trippier emphasized the challenges of chasing the game against a team like Spain, highlighting that football often depends on fine margins. He added, “The lads gave everything.” England’s journey to the final posed difficulties, with the team drawing two of their three group games against Denmark and Slovenia and fans booing them off the pitch. In the last-16 match against Slovakia, they narrowly avoided elimination thanks to Jude Bellingham’s acrobatic equalizer and needed penalties to overcome Switzerland in the quarter-finals.

Despite the setback, Trippier remains optimistic about England’s future and pointed out the emergence of young talents. He cited 19-year-old Kobbie Mainoo, who made his debut in March and played a crucial role in the team’s run to the final. Trippier also mentioned Marc Guehi, 24, who impressed in his first major tournament, and Cole Palmer, 22, who scored in the final after coming off the bench. Kieran Trippier said, “The young players stepped up in big moments for us. They can learn a lot from this. It will make them grow,” underscoring the positive impact of the tournament on England’s emerging talents.