After beating Spain in Seville last month in the Nations League, England now face the USA in a friendly at Wembley tonight. Before it’s back to Nations League action on Sunday against Croatia, once again at Wembley. England manager Gareth Southgate selected a squad of 27 players for both of these fixtures as well including the returning of England legend Wayne Rooney for just the USA game.
Is Rooney a legend? Well, there has been much talk of the Rooney’s return for the officially named Wayne Rooney Foundation International game against USA tonight but it’s something that Southgate wants. It will see Wayne Rooney make a 120th and final England farewell appearance, which means he will finish his illustrious career just five caps behind Peter Shilton. Therefore of course he’s a legend, but to be honest it is not even a question that should be asked, they guy gave everything for his country for nearly fifteen years and finished as England’s record goalscorer.
It’s easy to judge Wayne on just his last few years with England, but for a ten-year period from when he made his debut in 2003 he was outstanding. Of course the team didn’t perform that great at times but he himself can not be held responsible for that. Still to this day too I hear comments about Rooney like “but he scored all his goals against rubbish countries in pointless friendlies. I ask you to please go and check the actual statistics and I think you will find his record of goals in no worse than that of Sir Bobby Charlton.
For some reason, it is just to easy to criticise, especially in this day and age with all the ways to comment on social media. What is more worrying about that, is the fact the people read stuff on there and treat it as fact. Anyway, Rooney will is a legend and will play some part tonight alongside some old and new team mates.
The full squad is as follows:
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Dele Alli (Spurs), Ross Barkley (Chelsea), Marcus Bettinelli (Fulham), Jack Butland (Stoke City), Ben Chilwell (Leicester City), Fabian Delph (Man City), Eric Dier (Spurs), Lewis Dunk (Brighton & Hove Albion), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Harry Kane (Spurs), Michael Keane (Everton), Jesse Lingard (Man Utd), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea), Alex McCarthy (Southampton), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Marcus Rashford (Man Utd), Wayne Rooney (DC United), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Luke Shaw (Man Utd), Raheem Sterling (Man City), John Stones (Man City), Kieran Trippier (Spurs), Kyle Walker (Man City), Danny Welbeck (Arsenal), Callum Wilson (Bournemouth), Harry Winks (Spurs)
Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson has been handed his first England senior call-up then with Everton’s Michael Keane returning to the squad for the first time in a year. There are also returns after injury to the squad for Fabian Delph, Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
All should make an appearance at some point, whether it’s against the Unites States tonight or against the Croatians on Sunday in the final Nations League group game. A game we may have to win to top the group if Croatia beat Spain tonight first and I think they can.
