Noni Madueke and Max Dowman are both Arsenal players who are knocking on the England door right now but Joe Cole believes only one is worth taking to the World Cup.
Madueke started last night but also came off injured as England drew with Uruguay at Wembley.
Dowman, meanwhile, has enjoyed a meteoric rise to stardom but remains just 16 and has less than an hour of Premier League football to his name.
Indeed, picking his England squad, Joe Cole clearly believes it’s too soon for Dowman.
Should Ben White be a starter for England at the World Cup?
Joe Cole picks Noni Madueke for England but no room for Max Dowman
Madueke going off injured might be a problem for him for the World Cup and he’ll be desperately hoping it’s just a precaution for now.
As for Dowman, he will know deep down he doesn’t have much chance of making the squad.
Speaking for the Dressing Room Podcast, former England man Cole was asked to give a yes or no to certain players. And in doing so, he quickly responded with a yes for Madueke and a no for Dowman.
Among the other players Cole believes will miss out are Adam Wharton and Kobbie Mainoo, while he also had no place for Aaron Ramsdale and Ollie Watkins.
Arsenal will expect to see Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka be among the first names on the England team-sheet for the USA.
Ben White is another who could end up getting the nod, although Myles Lewis-Skelly will almost certainly not be included after dropping off this season.
Ethan Nwaneri is on the periphery of things with the under-21s. While Eberechi Eze is another who is touch and go under Thomas Tuchel.
However, Arsenal are building a good core of young English talent and come the 2028 tournament in the UK, we could see England’s first XI dominated by Gunners.
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