England manager Gareth Southgate named James Maddison as one of the best attacking players in the Premier League after the Leicester midfielder was included in his country on Thursday. World Cup Squad.
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Southgate has shown faith in a series of players low on form or fitness and had previously overlooked Madison.
The 25-year-old only has one senior cap in 2019, and was controversially pictured at a casino just days after being pulled out of England duty due to illness three years ago.
However, of the players available to boss England, only Harry Kane scored more Premier League goals and assists in 2022 than Madison.
“He earned the right,” Southgate said. “We think he can give us something different from other attacking players.
“I think he’s playing as well as any attacking player in this country. We’ve got different kinds of threats and I think we might need that.
Manchester City pair Kyle Walker and Calvin Phillips have been included despite fitness concerns.
Southgate admitted that Walker was unlikely to be fit for England’s first match against Iran on 21 November.
The right-back is coming back from a groin injury, while Phillips played only 13 minutes this season before coming on as a substitute in City’s 2-0 League Cup win over Chelsea on Wednesday.
On Phillips’ selection, Southgate said: “We think it’s a risk worth taking.”
“He is injury free. We know he won’t be able to play seven 90 minutes, we have to build up his fitness level.”
Despite being dropped at club level, Manchester United captain Harry Maguire has been included.
The absence of Chelsea right-back Reece James means the defensive weaknesses of Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold have been overlooked by Southgate to build the 26-man squad.
Conor Gallagher is another surprising selection in midfield, with Southampton’s James Ward-Prause omitted.
A forward, Callum Wilson of Newcastle was chosen to be Kane’s deputy, ahead of Evan Toney and Tammy Abraham.
After facing Iran in Group B, England will take on the USA and Wales.