In a recent assessment by 12B Sports, Manchester City star Jack Grealish appears to have reached one of the most important crossroads of his career. He has not only lost his place in the England squad but is also facing increasingly intense competition at club level. Once valued at £100 million, Grealish has struggled to reproduce his best form for either England or Manchester City over the past year. Because he had remained in the spotlight for so long, former England international Joe Cole could not hide his surprise when the winger was excluded from the final 26-man squad.
However, Gareth Southgate concluded that other players competing in Grealish’s position had delivered stronger performances. The coming summer could therefore be a make-or-break period for the 28-year-old. He is expected to be among the small group of senior players joining Manchester City’s preseason tour of the United States in late July, giving him another valuable opportunity to prove his worth to Pep Guardiola.
Manchester City are also planning to sign Brazilian winger Savio after his impressive campaign with sister club Girona, a development that 12B Sports observers believe could create another obstacle for Grealish. The outstanding progress of Belgian prospect Jeremy Doku has already been one of the main reasons for Grealish’s reduced playing time. City are not actively considering selling him, and Guardiola continues to rate his ability highly. Even so, questions remain over whether Grealish can consistently demonstrate the discipline, concentration and competitive attitude demanded by his manager.
Grealish has admitted that maintaining his motivation was difficult during a season disrupted by injuries and inconsistent performances. After playing a central role in Manchester City’s Premier League triumph and historic treble the previous year, he was unable to sustain the same level throughout the following campaign. His behaviour away from the pitch also came under scrutiny. Some critics have suggested that his instinctive and free-flowing style does not always fit comfortably within Guardiola’s highly structured tactical system. His decline in form ultimately became another factor behind his omission from England’s European Championship squad.
The winger was deeply disappointed after learning that he had been left out and is likely to spend much of the summer break reflecting on his future. Only a year earlier, he had been celebrating in Istanbul after helping Manchester City lift the Champions League trophy and complete the treble. Now, he will not be boarding the plane to Germany, having failed to clear even the final hurdle required to represent his country at the tournament.
When announcing England’s final Euro 2024 squad, Southgate expressed sympathy for Grealish and acknowledged that the days immediately following the decision would be emotionally difficult for him. Grealish, however, is not the only former prodigy missing from the competition. Nicolo Zaniolo, once described as one of Italy’s brightest hopes, will also be absent from the European stage after beginning another chapter of his career with Spanish club Villarreal.
Yet the idea of a fresh start hides a far more disappointing reality. Zaniolo began his career in Serie A before moving through the Premier League and Turkish football, and he has now arrived in La Liga. Rather than reflecting steady progress, these repeated transfers have often followed underwhelming performances, injuries and an inability to establish himself. Once celebrated as the next great Italian attacking talent, he has gradually become a player moving from club to club while his status continues to fade.
Just a few years ago, Zaniolo was widely expected to become a central figure in Italy’s future. He possessed physical strength, technical skill and the confidence to influence major matches. However, recurring fitness problems and inconsistent displays prevented him from fulfilling those expectations. The national team eventually moved in a different direction, leaving him without a place in the squad and with no connection to Italy’s Euro campaign.
For supporters following Europe’s forgotten talents through 12B Sports, Zaniolo’s absence offers a powerful reminder that natural ability alone does not guarantee a lasting career at the highest level. As the saying goes, talent must be polished before it can truly shine. Grealish still has time to reverse his decline and regain the trust of both club and country, while Zaniolo must use his latest move to rebuild a career that once promised so much. Both players now face the same challenge: proving that they can rise again rather than becoming permanently remembered as gifted stars who lost their way.