Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood has apologised for the embarrassment caused by his breach of coronavirus regulations while on England duty in Iceland.
The 18-year-old said he had learned a lesson from the incident, which resulted in his being dropped from the squad for Tuesday’s Nations League match in Denmark, along with Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden.
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England manager Gareth Southgate refused to comment on the nature of the breach but media reports said the pair left the bio-secure bubble to meet two local girls.
Both players have been fined 250 000 Icelandic krona ($1 800, £1 350) by Reykjavik police and the Football Association said it would be launching a full investigation.
“Having now had the chance to reflect on what’s happened, I can only apologise to everyone for the embarrassment I have caused,” Greenwood said in a statement.
“It was irresponsible of me to break the Covid-19 protocols which are in place to protect players, staff and the public.
“In particular, I want to apologise to Gareth Southgate, for letting him down when he had shown great trust in me.”
Greenwood added: “Playing for England was one of the proudest moments in my life and I only have myself to blame for this huge mistake.”