James Maddison fails to hide disappointment at England snub: Leicester

As Gareth Southgate announced his England squad yesterday for upcoming friendlies, it appears there was no space for Leicester City star James Maddison, who was understandably disappointed.

Hours before Leicester City took on S.C. Braga yesterday evening, current England boss Gareth Southgate was hard at work selecting his 23-man squad for upcoming friendlies- though it seems there is no space for James Maddison, or any other Foxes player for that matter.

The playmaker didn’t let that dampen his spirits however, as the East Midlands club romped to a four-nil victory over the Portuguese side, with Maddison picking up a goal and an assist. The former Norwich City man has spent the last month or so struggling with fitness, but seems to be returning to his scintillating best as of late, playing an instrumental role in the Foxes’ undefeated start to their European campaign.

Maddison has three goal contributions so far in as many games in the Europa League, but with the likes of Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount included over the Englishman it’s clear that Southgate has not held true to his promise to pick his squad on form.

Leicester City’s James Maddison’s comments

When asked if he was disappointed with his omission from Southgate’s squad, according to Leicestershire Live, the midfielder replied: “Yes, if I’m honest. I want to be in the England squad, that’s what I dreamed of as a little boy. I’ve had a taste of it and I want more.”

Maddison has only been afforded one appearance under the current England boss, despite creating the most chances of any player in Europe in his debut season. This statistic only makes Maddison’s exclusion more baffling given the perceived lack of creativity in England’s midfield, especially as he’s recently displayed that he’s capable of playing the number eight role.

Speaking on his fitness, the 23-year-old said: “I am back fit now, I’m getting the minutes in the legs,” which should be good news for any Foxes fan, given the East Midlanders’ extensive injury list as of late.

Time will tell if Maddison becomes another Jamie Vardy– a criminally under appreciated player in the England setup, seldom utilised effectively and blocked from starting due to a persisting “big six” bias. A silver lining in Vardy’s case is that without the additional stress of international fixtures, the veteran striker has been able to play well into his thirties, scooping up the Premier League Golden Boot at the ripe old age of 33. Hopefully, Maddison will receive a well-earned spot in the England camp soon- but it’s not exactly bad news for Leicester if he doesn’t.