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Noni Madueke was a surprising inclusion in England's first 2026 World Cup team, but within only a few minutes, it was clear why Thomas Tuchel selected him. The Arsenal forward was, simply, superb against Croatia in Dallas.
The age-old narrative is that Madueke is one of those players who can provide everything except an end product, but those who watched the game with a close eye on Madueke will feel differently about him now.
Noni Madueke quickly proved that he does have an end product
Against Croatia, Noni Madueke recorded an impressive pass success rate of 94%. He also created two chances in the game, including one big chance. Oh, and to make matters even better, he won the penalty that Harry Kane (eventually) converted.
- Minutes played - 72
- Goals - 0
- Assists - 0
- Expected goals (xG) - 0.08
- Expected assists (xA) - 0.41
- xG + xA - 0.49
- Accurate passes - 17/18 (94%)
- Chances created - 2
- Big chances created - 1
- Penalties won - 1
He might not have had a goal contribution, but heck, Madueke did everything but that. He literally could not have played better if he tried.
England fans are learning what Arsenal knew about Noni Madueke
Heading into the World Cup, there was naturally some scepticism around why Noni Madueke made the England squad. He has proven all those doubters wrong, and in fairness, they are holding their hands in the air and appreciating what Madueke gave.
An England fan on Reddit said, "Madueke as well, so rapid. I actually didn't realise, but he's a really big lad as well."
This is what the World Cup is about. You learn a lot about the players that you wouldn't watch every week elsewhere. Arsenal fans might have forgotten, for example, that Harry Kane is still one of the best players in the world. Hey, at least we can enjoy what he offers now.
Noni Madueke will continue to get minutes going forward. A large reason why Thomas Tuchel selected him over Bukayo Saka is to protect Saka from an injury concern, but Saka still came on and provided an assist for Marcus Rashford.
The healthy competition for a spot at the right wing will serve Tuchel well, particularly in an extended tournament. Both Arsenal wingers are humble enough to remain on the bench until their time comes, especially if it means watching their friend give England what it needs going forward.
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