Gareth Southgate recently named his England squad for the upcoming World Cup starting later this month, with James Maddison a surprise inclusion.
Maddison has only ever made one appearance for his country, a surprise to many fans across England. The Leicester City midfielder has been in sensational form this season, but with Southgate often overlooking Maddison, it was a bit of a surprise to see him included in the World Cup squad.
With England able to select a 26-man squad for the World Cup, Southgate has opted to include Maddison on this occasion, but former England international Stan Collymore believes Maddison may not have been selected had the squad been a little smaller.
“I don’t think there are any major surprises in this squad. Maddison and Wilson have been playing really well – I don’t think either player would have made it if the squad was only 23 players,” said Collymore, speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside.
With a 26-man squad allowed, Southgate has the option to include players who maybe offer England something slightly different, and Maddison is exactly that.
With many players struggling with injuries and fitness, Maddison may get more of an opportunity than expected in the upcoming World Cup and could end up becoming a key player as the tournament progresses, despite being one of those who were potentially on the fringes of not making the squad.