‘Quite a big shout’ – What Gary Lineker said about possibility of World Cup call for Rio Ngumoha

The former Match of the Day host said: “I mean, that’s quite a big shout. He’s only just broken into the Liverpool team, but he’s very exciting. He is a talent, but yeah, it’s just come a bit too soon for him, I think.”

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Ngumoha’s time for England will come, even if it isn’t this summer

We agree with Lineker on this one – as brilliant as Ngumoha has been and as much as he’s deserved his first-team minutes at Liverpool, it’d come as a massive shock if Tuchel were to include him in the England squad for the upcoming World Cup.

Some may point to Theo Walcott’s bombshell inclusion for the 2006 finals (when he was 17 and hadn’t yet played for Arsenal) as an even more unlikely precedent, although the depth of attacking options available to the current Three Lions boss is much larger than what Sven-Goran Eriksson had 20 years ago.

Anthony Gordon, Marcus Rashford and Harvey Barnes are all tried-and-tested options on the left flank, with Phil Foden, Morgan Rogers, Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke also capable of lining out there, so there’s already huge competition for places in Tuchel’s attack.

In that context, for Ngumoha to even be mentioned in conversations as a potential wildcard pick for the 2026 World Cup is a testament to how brilliantly he’s doing for Liverpool, with his stock rising further after his magnificent goal against Fulham a fortnight ago.

Even if the England call doesn’t come in time for June, it seems almost certain that the 17-year-old will receive his maiden Three Lions cap in the foreseeable future, should he build upon his exploits of this season and avoid any cruel injury setbacks.