You can always tell how important a player is by how his teammates talk about him. And, for Manchester United’s £27 million ace, his return to contention could not have come soon enough.
Many have questioned the decision to bring him to the European Championships in the first place.
And understandably so. Having not featured in a single Manchester United game since February’s 2-1 win at Luton Town, handing Luke Shaw a seat on the plane to Germany always felt like a risk.
A risk that looked destined to go unrewarded as he missed the entire group stage as well as that round-of-16 triumph over Slovakia.
But his long-awaited return to action – featuring off the bench against Switzerland and then the Netherlands in the semi-final – threatens to vindicate Gareth Southgate’s decision after all.
Manchester United’s Luke Shaw back in England reckoning
Shaw has featured for only 87 minutes at Euro 2024. But the difference in England’s performance when he is on the pitch – compared to the right-footed, square peg that is Kieran Trippier – has been night and day.
Fellow full-back and Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold could hardly be more positive in his assessment of a man who’s return to fitness might just give Southgate a timely selection headache ahead of Sunday’s final with Spain.
“Huge player for us,” Alexander-Arnold tells the official England YouTube channel. “Obviously he came with a little bit of doubt as to whether, when he is going to be fit, etc.
“He has been on the pitch and delivered for us. He has been really, really good. He is a massive addition to the squad and someone who helped us the other day win the game.
“Incredible.”
Shaw, lining up as a left-wing back in Southgate’s 3-4-2-1 formation, provided some much-needed depth to England’s attack while offering the sort of composure in possession often lacking from the out-of-sorts Trippier.
Shaw’s ability to make an immediate impact after four months out has certainly caught the eye behind the scenes in the England camp too, Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale blown away by his determination and hunger.
Shaw and Kobbie Mainoo could feature in Sunday’s final
“I have seen the hours he has put in behind the scenes,” Ramsdale adds. “We are a tight-knit group and he is one of the ones I am close with. To see what he has been through and how he has got back mentally as well…
“Probably in his head, he was thinking he would probably be fit for the second or the third game. But he had to bide his time.
“The performances that he has put in have been phenomenal.”
Shaw famously opened the scoring in double-quick time during England’s last appearance in a Euro final against Italy three years ago, the Three Lions looking to go one step further this time around.
The long-serving left-back is the second Man United star to help aid England’s progress to a second successive decider, Kobbie Mainoo delivering typically masterful performances at the heart of Southgate’s midfield.
Shaw, however, insists that the rapid rate of Mainoo’s rise should come as no surprise.
“The growth is scary really,” Shaw told Beanyman Sport of Mainoo before that dramatic victory over the Dutch on Wednesday. “It’s been really quick for him. When I first saw Kobbie, he was in and out of the first-team training, but you could really see the qualities he had.
“He came away on pre-season and was unfortunate to get an injury, which maybe set him back a bit, but it didn’t stop him. I think his qualities have shown. I don’t see him as a young lad anymore and I think he’s one of our main players.
“For me, he’s got the world at his feet. He can do everything, he just needs to stay level-headed and keep working hard.
“He can honestly achieve anything. I’m not surprised at how easily he’s taken to it (at England) because he did it with United. He came out of nowhere and took it at ease,” Shaw adds.
“It hasn’t surprised me really, everybody knows his qualities and it was just about getting him in the team and once that happened, it was about showing how important he can be.
“It’s a big pat on the back for him really, that what he’s done so far has been really good.”
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