World Cup 2026: Noni Madueke's journey - from controversial player to England star
Noni Madueke's journey from a controversial rookie at Arsenal to England's main star at the 2026 World Cup has demonstrated his impressive transformation.
When Noni Madueke was named in England's starting line-up for their opening World Cup match against Croatia, it was one of the memorable moments of the Arsenal winger's tumultuous season. Last summer, Madueke completed a transfer to Arsenal from Chelsea for around £50 million, but fans launched a petition against the player with the hashtag #NoToMadueke on social networks. However, less than 12 months later, the 24-year-old became a Premier League champion, contributed greatly to helping Mikel Arteta lead Arsenal to win the tournament for the first time in 22 years, and is now playing for England under the guidance of Thomas Tuchel.
Madueke was one of the standout players in the 4-2 win over Croatia, and he won the penalty from which Harry Kane scored England's opener. Arsenal team-mate Bukayo Saka is expected to be England's starting right-winger at the World Cup but is currently suffering from a heel problem that he has been suffering from since March. Saka and Madueke are in the rare situation of competing for playing time both with club and national team. Saka, who made his 50th England appearance in the win over Croatia, described the situation as "unique" and added "I don't really know how it works, but it works" when speaking about his relationship with Madueke.
When Tuchel announced his England squad for the World Cup, he heaped praise on Madueke. The striker has put in several impressive performances for England since Tuchel took over, and the coach believes Madueke can become a "difference maker" in the squad, before highlighting his ability to "go 1-1". Tuchel has made it clear that he wants England to play in a style that reflects the strength of the Premier League. This mindset has influenced his squad selection, with the 52-year-old coach choosing players with good physique and fast running power.
Tuchel has built his game plan around Kane, the top scorer and captain, with the Bayern Munich striker surrounded by wingers who prefer to run behind the defense to create space for him. This mindset was effective when Madueke made four passes for Kane against Croatia, the most in the England team, equaling goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. Anthony Gordon started on the opposite flank to Madueke, and their dynamic performance on the flanks was one of the positives of the match for Tuchel's side.
Kane is renowned for his passing ability and when given space, the striker made a few passes to free Madueke from the Croatian defence. Madueke had five touches of the ball in the opposition penalty area, completing his only dribble of the match and winning the penalty to start England. Despite competing for playing time, Madueke and Saka maintain a close relationship off the field, with Saka calling his teammate "brother". Coach Arteta has sought to get both wingers on the field at the same time in the 2025-26 season, something Tuchel is likely to apply as the World Cup continues. Madueke was used on the left wing by Arteta, while Saka also played as a number 10 as Arsenal won the title.
Madueke made 43 appearances last season - scoring eight goals and providing four assists in all competitions - as Arsenal ended their title drought. However, Madueke only made 16 appearances in the Premier League due to competition with Saka and a knee injury limited his appearances. He created many bright spots for Arsenal in the Champions League final when he replaced Saka from the bench in the loss to Paris-St Germain on penalties last month. And he may take on a similar role for his country, if England progresses into the next round of the World Cup.
Saka is still recovering from an Achilles injury and is not expected to feature until the final Group L match against Panama in New Jersey on Saturday (22:00 BST). With Madueke likely to start again against Ghana on Tuesday (21:00 BST), he has another chance to prove that he is more than just a backup option to Saka.
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