Tottenham Hotspur icon, Rafael van der Vaart, has expressed his disagreement regarding the selection of Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke for England’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
He criticized both players for their performances with Arsenal during the 2025-26 season.
Eze and Madueke have been included in Thomas Tuchel’s team for the forthcoming World Cup.
Both players joined the Gunners last season and played a role in securing the Premier League title. However, they often played secondary roles unless injuries affected the Arsenal lineup.
Rafael van der Vaart has now directed his criticism towards these two England players in anticipation of the FIFA World Cup. He stated to Aceodds.com:
“As I observe the squad, I find Eze and Madueke to be overrated. Madueke is not actively playing for Arsenal, and Eze only features occasionally. I believe they are somewhat overrated.”
“I acknowledge that Madueke is a talented player; I am familiar with him from his time at PSV. However, this season has not been favorable for them, but due to Arsenal’s overall strong performance, they managed to contribute in some capacity,” he continued.
Eze has started in 36 out of 52 matches across all competitions for Arsenal, netting 10 goals and providing six assists. In contrast, Madueke has scored eight goals and assisted four times in 43 appearances, with 27 of those being starts.
He also suggested alternatives to replace the Arsenal duo in England’s squad.
The former Tottenham Hotspur forward expressed his confusion over Cole Palmer’s omission from the squad.
“Cole Palmer is an exceptional player, and even in the Netherlands, we frequently discuss his potential.
He consistently makes a significant impact for Chelsea, and when reviewing the squad, one wonders: Why is he absent? To me, this decision is simply incomprehensible. I find it quite strange,” he remarked.
Palmer achieved 11 goals and three assists in 34 matches for Chelsea last season. For the England national team, he has recorded two goals and one assist in 14 appearances. Nevertheless, he was not selected for their FIFA World Cup squad.