France legend Patrick Vieira has lavished praise on England forward Noni Madueke amid backlash from fans over his inclusion in the Three Lions’ 2026 FIFA World Cup squad.
Thomas Tuchel picked Madueke ahead of stars like Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Manchester City’s Phil Foden. Fans and pundits alike were not fond of the decision, criticizing the German for his selection.
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Madueke started and played 72 minutes in England’s opening game of the FIFA World Cup, a 4-2 win over Croatia (June 17). With Bukayo Saka still unfit to feature from the start, the 24-year-old is set to maintain his position in the starting lineup for the foreseeable future.
In an appearance on The Rest Is Football, Vieira defended Madueke’s position in Tuchel’s lineup. Speaking about the Arsenal winger, the former Gunner and France international said (via Metro):
“The way that they play in the first-half, and I think the role and responsibility of Kane will be quite the same, he’s going to drop. So you expect those wingers to run in behind with pace and you are not going to find somebody better than Madueke to do it.”
“I think we are… maybe the press are a little bit hard on him. But so far, he’s been really positive. And I think there is a really clear idea about how they want to play the game.‘So if he’s got the same kind of attitude on the field, I think he can still do a really good job for England,” Vieira added.
Up next, Madueke will likely be seen in action in England‘s Group L fixture against Ghana at the 2026 FIFA World Cup (June 23).
“Yes, I’m ready” – Declan Rice provides injury update ahead of England’s FIFA World Cup clash vs Ghana
Star midfielder Declan Rice claimed that he is fully fit and ready to go for England’s FIFA World Cup clash against Ghana.
In the Three Lions’ 4-2 win over Croatia (June 17), the 27-year-old was seen holding his back and hamstring. He was substituted in the 72nd minute, sparking doubts over his future availability in the tournament.
In a recent appearance on ITV, Rice put the doubts to rest. The midfielder, who plies his trade for Arsenal at club level, said (via Metro):
“Yes, I’m ready. I’m fit and raring to go. I think it was a smart decision (to take me off). I was feeling a little bit of neural pain in my hamstring which I was managing after Christmas with Arsenal for a very long time… The last 20 minutes is where you probably pick up most injuries. That last 20 minutes is where you really feel your body going through it. The last few days I’ve felt really, really good.”
England, who are considered one of the favourites for the 2026 FIFA World Cup title, will be hoping that Rice stays fit through the rest of the tournament.
Edited by Aaryan Nagraj