Madueke's meteoric rise has been nothing short of extraordinary – the £50 million winger who polarised fans with a petition and social media campaign just 12 months ago is now a World Cup starter, leading England to a crucial victory over Croatia. The 24-year-old's electric performance was the spark that ignited the Three Lions' engine, with his pinpoint pass setting up Harry Kane's opener in a 4-2 win.
His inclusion comes despite Bukayo Saka being ruled out through injury, and while it may have raised eyebrows initially, it's clear Madueke has earned his place on the pitch. Tuchel's tactical approach plays perfectly to his strengths, with wingers who can make runs behind defences creating space for Kane to drop deep and influence play – a strategy that paid dividends against Croatia, where Madueke's four passes to Kane were among the highest in the England team.
But what makes this story even more remarkable is the dynamic between Saka and Madueke. Despite competing for places at both club and international level, they maintain an unbreakable bond – Saka affectionately referring to his teammate as 'brother'. Their close relationship was forged on the training pitch, where Arteta successfully deployed them together during Arsenal's title-winning campaign.
With Saka not expected to return until England's final Group L game against Panama, Madueke is set for another start against Ghana – and if he continues in this vein, it won't be long before he's cementing his status as a national hero. His journey from fan protest to World Cup starter has been nothing short of phenomenal, and it's clear that Madueke is here to stay.
The fact that he's already providing the goods on the biggest stage possible is a testament to his immense talent – a talent that was only fully unleashed at Arsenal last season. Despite starting just 16 Premier League matches due to competition and injury, Madueke made 43 appearances in total for the Gunners, scoring eight goals and providing four assists.