England's 23-Man Euro 2016 Roster Announced: Latest Comments and Reaction

Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford will be part of England’s 23-man party for the 2016 UEFA European Championship, after manager Roy Hodgson confirmed his final squad for the tournament on Tuesday. 

Newcastle United winger Andros Townsend, Leicester City’s Danny Drinkwater and Manchester City’s Fabian Delph have been cut from the preliminary group selected for the summer showpiece.

The full cast of players to travel to France was confirmed by the team's official Twitter feed:

Rashford was handed his first senior appearance for England in the recent 2-1 win over Australia, scoring with his first shot in the match. It was a moment that capped an astonishing rise for the 18-year-old, having only made his club debut late in the 2015-16 campaign.

BBC Radio 5 Live Sport summed up what have been an exceptional few months for the teenager:

In the end, Hodgson couldn’t afford to leave him out of the group. While there is a lot of quality in the centre-forward positions with the likes of Harry Kane, Wayne Rooney and Jamie Vardy, Rashford has shown he can offer a different kind of attacking threat. Coming off the bench against tired opposition, he could be a huge asset for the Three Lions.

England come into this tournament as contenders for the title, having won all 10 of their qualifying games. Recently the team has also impressed in friendly matches, with wins over Australia, Turkey, France and most notably a 3-2 win away at world champions Germany, having come back from two goals behind.

The obvious strength in the squad is in the forward line. As we can see here, courtesy of Squawka Football, the England boss has the Premier League’s two top scorers to choose from in Kane and Vardy:

There’s plenty of creativity in midfield, too. Adam Lallana finished the season well for Liverpool, while Jack Wilshere’s return to fitness is a big boost for the squad. Dele Alli, who enjoyed a brilliant first season with Tottenham Hotspur, is likely to be at the crux of the team’s forays forward.

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While Joe Hart is dependable between the sticks, the back four is the biggest area of concern. Chris Smalling had his best season at the club level with Manchester United, although the men vying to partner him, Gary Cahill and John Stones, have both endured fluctuations in form as of late.

Football journalist Liam Canning remains far from convinced about the players who will make up this back four:

The squad announcement for major tournaments will always split opinions, and this one will be no different. Hodgson has made a big call on Rashford after his brilliant beginning to life at the top level. Some will say it’s too soon for the youngster, but up to this point, he’s taken every challenge in stride and excelled. Expect him to continue that trend.

England need to be attacking at this tournament, a trait that’s at odds with Hodgson’s pragmatic principles. Provided the front line clicks into gear, they have a chance of going toe-to-toe with any of the 24 teams in the tournament. The forwards will have to be at full tilt to offset the defensive woes, though.