Shaw, who made his Three Lions bow in March 2014, remains on a mere 31 caps over a decade later, partly due to the severe double-leg fracture he suffered while playing for the Red Devils a year later.
His journey back into national team consideration under Southgate's regime was lengthy. Despite returning to his peak form at club level, Shaw was only welcomed back into the England fold three times in five years.
Frustratingly, after clinching two Player of The Year awards for United at the close of the 2018/19 campaign, he found himself sidelined in favour of then-Leicester City and Tottenham defenders Ben Chilwell and Danny Rose.
Defending his choice, Southgate named a key reason as he said at the time: "I think Ben Chilwell and Danny Rose have been excellent. At the moment they're ahead [in the pecking order] and have played particularly well. They've given everything for the England shirt."
In stark contrast, last season saw Shaw plagued by multiple injuries for United. However, the 28-year-old has now received the nod for the 26-strong squad jetting off to Germany.
Shaw has made the cut while Harry Maguire's injury was deemed too serious (Image: The FA via Getty Images)
The inclusion highlights a significant change in left-back fortunes for Southgate, who openly acknowledged his gamble with Shaw due to a severe lack of options - especially given Chilwell's omission from even the initial squad following an injury-hit season of his own.
"It's a calculated risk," the England boss told reporters this week. "He's progressed really well in the last couple of weeks At the moment we think he could have some involvement in the second group game but you have to keep hitting the markers.
"But he's had a good volume of work, operating at good speeds, so yeah, I think you can take one gamble and that's a gamble, we've got enough evidence to believe it can pay off.
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The Three Lions are among the favourites to win this summer's Euro 2024 tournament and you can get your hands on the brand new Nike home and away kits before the first whistle.
"And positionally, with what he brings with his experience, the fact that he's a left-footer who can drive forward that's a situation we wanted to explore."
Kieran Trippier is expected to start out of position in Shaw's absence for the opening group game against Serbia, as he has done in the friendlies against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iceland. Joe Gomez can also deputise.
But Southgate will be hoping his gamble pays off having left out several other perfectly fit players to take Shaw, whose career injury record doesn't make for pretty reading and could struggle to get up to the levels required at a major tournament so quickly.
