World Cup 2026: Van der Vaart Suggests Replacement for England’s Eze and Madueke in Squad Selection

Tottenham Hotspur legend Rafael van der Vaart has voiced his disagreement with the inclusion of Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke in England’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Van der Vaart criticised both players for their performances with Arsenal during the 2025‑26 season, where they were deemed to have played mainly supporting roles until injuries opened opportunities for others.

Both Eze and Madueke were selected by Thomas Tuchel for the upcoming World Cup. Van der Vaart told 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 added.

Eze has started 36 of 52 matches across all competitions for Arsenal, scoring 10 goals and providing six assists. Madueke has appeared in 43 games, with eight goals and four assists, starting 27 of those matches.

Van der Vaart also suggested alternative players to replace the Arsenal duo in England’s squad and expressed confusion over the omission of Cole Palmer.

“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 finished the previous season with 11 goals and three assists in 34 matches for Chelsea. In international play, he has scored two goals and added one assist in 14 appearances for England. Despite these contributions, he was not selected for the World Cup squad.