Madueke: England's Squad Depth Will Be Crucial

England international Noni Madueke believes that substitutes will play a crucial role at the World Cup as England prepares for their big opener against Croatia on Wednesday. Head coach Thomas Tuchel boasts a deep 26-man squad heading to Dallas on Tuesday ahead of their Group L curtain-raiser. Madueke is vying for a starting spot on the right wing with Arsenal teammate Bukayo Saka, but the squad features several big names like Anthony Gordon, Marcus Rashford, Eberechi Eze, Morgan Rogers, and Jude Bellingham, all competing for a place in Tuchel's starting XI.

“I feel like we have an incredible squad, so it’s not like being on the bench means you’re useless. It’s possible that an opponent might be better suited to a particular player, or someone might be in better form. But if you look at the last game against Costa Rica, how the substitutes came on and won the match for us so easily, that’s the depth of strength we possess. That will be crucial this time,” Madueke stated.

Madueke was selected for his versatility, with the England coaching staff appreciating his ability to play on both wings. He has performed well for England under Tuchel and believes he is on track to become one of the world's top wingers, acknowledging the need to add more goals to his game.

“I want to be more ruthless. I feel that to reach the level where I’m one of the best wingers in the world, I need to score more goals, I need to provide more assists,” he added. “I feel like I do so much for the team regardless. But definitely, as a winger, you want to score as many goals as possible. If I could score in every game, I would. I feel like the level I’m at now is the next step. And I will definitely get there.”