Joe Gomez says it is ‘privilege’ to return to England squad nearly four years after last call-up

The Independent

Joe Gomez says his return to England's squad for the first time in three and a half years has closed the chapter on a difficult period of his career which had a “psychological toll”.The Liverpool defender is back on the international scene amid a fine season, making the cut in Gareth Southgate’s final squad selection before he names his 23-man pool for Euro 2024.It was during a session while away with England in November 2020 when Gomez injured the tendons in his knee, leading to surgery and an eight-month spell on the sidelines that became a near-four year absence from Southgate’s squad.

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00:00 It must be a very special feeling to be back there, especially after all you've been through with the injuries.

00:05 Does it feel quite surreal as well, after four years away?

00:09 It is surreal I think, just because four years is quite a long time and I probably spent a fair bit of that time thinking about wanting to be back in the mix and

00:20 seeing the team do so well and having a taste of it when I was quite a bit younger was obviously special. I'd be lying if I didn't say I spent time

00:31 thinking about wanting to be back with the boys and getting back to this level.

00:36 It has played a big part in my mind and just given me a new appreciation to be here and a different perspective because I know the flip side and how tough that can be.

00:51 It's obviously a privilege, it's a cliché to say, but it's a privilege to be here and having that approach of gratitude but also wanting to do well and wanting to prove to myself

01:03 and that I can be here and participate and play my part.

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