The next World Cup is now just around the corner, and as weird as it will be being in the middle of the winter in the UK and in the middle of a domestic season, excitement for it is now starting to grow, as it does for any World Cup.
It is the biggest of the biggest in this sport, and every player dreams of playing there. Players will be wondering now and making a last-ditch push to try and make the squads for their perspective countries.
Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek played for England in the 2018 World Cup, and I believe he has a real genuine chance of making this one as a last minute wildcard option, due to his current and consistent high quality Chelsea performances last season and this season.
Based on current form and injuries, he is the first name I would pick in midfield in this Chelsea team, without any doubts. He’s been superb for us this season and we even started to see signs of it last season. His versatility has proven to be one of our most useful tools, as has his physicality and power.
You simply have to admire the mans mentality. He wasn’t ready to give up on his Chelsea dream, even when so many others had done. He wasn’t going to throw in the towel and take an easy route out to go and get guaranteed starts elsewhere, he was going to stay at Chelsea and fight for his place against all the odds.
Thomas Tuchel first showed real faith in him, and I fully respect him for this, and now Graham Potter is doing the same. But he has earned and deserved that trust. He’s just got his head down, hasn’t moaned, doesn’t do anything silly off the field, has the best possible attitude and mentality, and his work ethic is second to none. He’s just worked hard, and even harder, and just focused on making his Chelsea dream reality.
I genuinely believe he has become a key player for Chelsea now, and I also believe he will now go to the World Cup with England as well. Why wouldn’t he go in all honesty? Bringing a player like that to be a part of the squad would be very wise for Gareth Southgate, a player who can be so impactful and play in so many different positions and be more than useful there. He simply has to go now, and he deserves to go.
In 2018 at the last World Cup, ironically Loftus-Cheek was absolutely bossing it for the England midfield. He was superb and playing with absolute confidence, just as he is now for Chelsea.
Ruben deserves to be a regular starter for Chelsea right now, and he deserves to be at the very least in the England squad for the World Cup. Long may this come back continue, because on his day, Ruben is absolutely unplayable, and he can literally do it all.
