Vieira says no one in the England squad is better than Arsenal man at one thing

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·22 Juni 2026

Vieira says no one in the England squad is better than Arsenal man at one thing

Patrick Vieira admires Noni Madueke, who has been a starter for England at the World Cup and in recent international matches.

At club level, he remains second choice at Arsenal behind Bukayo Saka, although Saka’s fitness issues this summer have given Madueke more opportunities for England in recent months. His increased involvement has come at an important stage, with England managing squad rotation while maintaining attacking consistency.

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International Role and Tactical Importance

He started against Croatia as England delivered a strong performance and opened their campaign with an impressive win. His pace and direct running in wide areas were a key feature of England’s attacking threat throughout the match.

He is expected to start again against Ghana, with Saka still not fully back to his best level, meaning England will continue to rely on Madueke’s ability to stretch defences and run in behind. His role has therefore become more significant in recent fixtures, particularly in systems that require wide forwards to operate with high intensity and speed.

Thomas Tuchel clearly likes him and has continued to use the attacker, with Vieira saying via Metro Sport:

“We just hope that Saka’s injury is not that bad and he will come back because those players coming from the bench will have a massive impact.

“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.”

Club Debate and Player Assessment

Some Arsenal supporters were not convinced by his signing last summer, but he has since shown improvement and consistency in his performances. However, he is still generally not considered above Saka in the overall pecking order, despite claims from his supporters that his direct style offers a different attacking dimension.

Vieira’s remarks highlight the growing trust in Madueke’s contribution, particularly when England require pace, width, and direct attacking runs from wide positions.

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