Dan James and Leeds team-mate miss out on international duty in late development
Leeds United players are enjoying a well-earned rest after leading their side to Championship glory this season.
But not all of them, as a handful of players have been selected to represent their countries during the post-season international window.
As exhausting as the Championship season can be, these stars will be raring to help their nations attempt to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Dan James and Charlie Crew to miss out for Wales
Wales duo Dan James and Charlie Crew were two players who would have been hoping to add their tally of international caps.
However, it has now been confirmed that both of them will miss out.
James will miss Wales’ tie with Liechtenstein on Friday (6 June) due to an illness. He had been kept apart from his Wales teammates to protect them against infection and has now been left out of the squad completely.
Meanwhile, Crew remains fairly low in the pecking order of midfielders available to manager Craig Bellamy and has been deemed surplus to requirements for this round of fixtures.
The 18-year-old will have plenty of opportunities to add to his one Wales cap in the future, including against Belgium on Monday (9 June).
Sun journalist Phil Cadden announced the late development to Wales’ squad list via his personal X account (6 June).
Leeds players deserve lengthy break after successful Championship season
Representing your country is frequently described as the greatest honour in football, so Leeds’ Welsh duo will surely be disappointed to be left out of this squad.
James, who has earned 56 caps, would definitely have felt that he could contribute to the team’s cause. James had missed Leeds’ last few games with injury and would have been raring to get back on the field.
| Appearances | Minutes played | Goals | Assists |
| 36 | 2616 | 12 | 9 |
At the same time, it could be seen for some as a blessing in disguise to miss out on this final window of international football.
The modern-day professional footballer gets little time to rest his body these days. It seems as if the football calendar is being filled to breaking point, and that’s particularly true if you have the honour of playing for your country as well.
Leeds fans may therefore may be pleased that James and Crew will be able to leave international duty earlier than expected. It means they’ll have more time to recuperate ready to represent their club in the Premier League next season.