On Sunday, Angel Gomes was one of the standout performers for England in its <a href="https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/sport/archives/2024/10/15/2003825318" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">3-1 victory against Finland</a>. The win in the UEFA Nations League marked an important turnaround after a shocking 2-1 loss to Greece just days earlier.



England’s interim manager, Lee Carsley, called up Gomes last month, having previously worked with him at the Under-21 level. The 24-year-old earned his third senior cap on Sunday, following his debut against the Republic of Ireland last month.



Gomes played a key role by threading an incisive pass to Manchester City’s Jack Grealish, who finished coolly to break the deadlock for the Three Lions.



<h2>Breaking records… again</h2>



Time has flown by for Angel Gomes, who is now positioning himself for a major move within Europe this summer. It’s been eight years since the former Manchester United academy graduate replaced Wayne Rooney at Old Trafford.



At the time, it was a symbolic moment. Gomes was just 16 years old, becoming United’s youngest debutant since Duncan Edwards in 1953. His potential was undeniable, but his journey since then hasn’t been straightforward.



Fast forward to 2024, and Gomes is back in the spotlight, breaking records once again. Last month, he became the first player to start for England whilst playing for a French team since Trevor Steven did so in 1992. While Steven’s international career faded soon after, Gomes’ breakthrough on the international scene signals an opposite trajectory.



<h2>The one that got away from Old Trafford</h2>



Gomes’ soccer journey has been anything but typical for an English talent. He came through Manchester United’s youth ranks as an attacking midfielder. Despite excelling at the Premier League 2 level, he couldn’t secure a regular spot in the senior team after debuting.



With time ticking on his contract, the arrival of Bruno Fernandes in January 2020 further limited his chances of regular football in coming years. Gomes made the bold decision to leave his boyhood club, even after being offered a lucrative deal to stay.



It was French side Lille that allowed him to rebuild his career. Moving to Ligue 1 allowed Gomes to develop away from the intense spotlight of English soccer. He first showed signs of promise during a loan spell at Boavista, before <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/gomes-strike-helps-lille-to-history-against-wolfsburg-20211208-CMS-361553.html">returning to Lille</a> and slowly integrating into the first team.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="675" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20241015_WST_535152_Angel-Gomes-Finland-1200x675_d74053ac.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="" class="wp-image-535197" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/10/Angel-Gomes-Finland-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/10/Angel-Gomes-Finland-300x169.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/10/Angel-Gomes-Finland-768x432.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/10/Angel-Gomes-Finland-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/10/Angel-Gomes-Finland.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



The 2022-23 season marked a turning point in Gomes’ career. Under new coach Paulo Fonseca, Gomes transitioned into a deeper midfield role, closer to the defense—a position that was unfamiliar to him. Fonseca tapped into Gomes’ attacking instincts but utilized them deeper on the field, allowing him to break lines and showcase his versatility.



<h2>Angel Gomes is a unique player for the England midfield</h2>



Despite his smaller frame, Gomes has thrived in this defensive midfield role. Playing in the physically demanding Ligue 1 helped him grow into the position. His form at Lille has translated to the England setup. It has come at a key transitional moment after Gareth Southgate’s resignation as England manager in July.



Gomes’ call-up to the national team was influenced by Jude Bellingham’s injury in September and Carsley’s preference for familiar players like Gomes and Morgan Gibbs-White. With momentum on his side, Gomes has a chance to solidify himself as a regular starter for England.



The second midfield spot next to Declan Rice in a 4-2-3-1 system is up for grabs. It’s a crowded field, with young talents like Kobbie Mainoo, Adam Wharton, and Gomes all capable of filling the role. But with Mainoo and Wharton not starting the season brightly, this offers Gomes the chance to make the position his own.



Gomes isn’t the typical second midfielder, and that’s exactly why he could be so valuable to England. His ability to combine defensive work with creative passing makes him a unique option that no other player in the squad can provide. 



The next two years will be a big test for Gomes. The big questions remain whether he stays in favor after Carsley’s tenure and whether he remains at Lille or moves on in the summer.



If everything falls into place, Angel Gomes could become a key figure for England at the 2026 World Cup in North America.



PHOTOS: IMAGO.

Angel Gomes: The missing piece in England midfield

Angel Gomes was the star of the show for England in a 3-1 win against Finland this weekend. Can he solidify a spot in the starting line-up?

Samuel Umtiti, who won the 2018 World Cup with France and previously played for Barcelona, may have no choice but to retire.



Umtiti moved to <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/lille-tv-schedule-for-us-viewers/">Lille</a> as a free agent this July on a deal that lasts until 2025. However, he hasn’t played regularly since 2019 due to knee problems he has had for over six years.



Despite manager Paulo Fonseca’s claims that Wednesday’s operation didn’t necessarily rule him out for the season, the player’s return date remains uncertain.



After a promising start with Lille, the 30-year-old has only played 13 games this season and will likely miss the remainder of the campaign.



He has also managed to complete just six matches. <a href="https://as.com/futbol/internacional/umtiti-rumbo-a-la-retirada-n/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Diario AS</a> says that sources in France suggest he’s contemplating retirement as he battles to break his unfortunate injury streak.



<h2>Terrible injury record doesn’t help</h2>



After a disappointing season with <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/barcelona-tv-schedule/">Barcelona</a>, he got a fresh start last year on loan with Serie A club Lecce. Having signed a contract extension with the Blaugrana in January 2022, the player spent the next year in Italy.



Les Lillois felt he would solidify their backline upon arrival in France. Nevertheless, he has fallen victim to his fitness problems once again. The ex-Barca player has missed a total of 159 games due to injuries. The majority due to issues with his left knee. 



His contract with Barcelona was amicably terminated after returning from loan last summer. Thus, he subsequently signed with Lille in France.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="800" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240217_WST_490067_imago1011903214h-1200x800_9502d09a.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=800" alt="" class="wp-image-490183" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/imago1011903214h-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/imago1011903214h-300x200.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/imago1011903214h-768x512.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/imago1011903214h-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/imago1011903214h-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure><figcaption>After an outstanding start to life at Barcelona, Samuel Umtiti began to struggle with injuries, and his time in the Catalan city was eventually cut short</figcaption></figure>



After agreeing to a five-year deal with the Catalan club in 2016, Umtiti transferred to Barca for $27 million. Although the Camp Nou side had their sights set on Marquinhos, they ultimately decided to acquire Umititi instead. Their reasoning was the much greater transfer price associated with the Brazilian.



<h2>What did World Cup winner Umtiti say of his Barca experience?</h2>



After relocating to Italy last year, the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/08/24/how-to-watch-the-world-cup-on-us-tv/">World Cup</a> winner criticized Xavi’s side, comparing it to a prison. 



“It felt like four years of being imprisoned, not just on a sporting level, but in my everyday life too.



“I was really in a bad way, I preferred to stay out of everyone’s way. At the start, I felt good and performed at a high level. But then I started to feel some diffidence towards me and realized then that nobody believed in me anymore”, he told <a href="https://www.sport.es/en/news/barca/samuel-umtiti-felt-like-he-was-in-prison-during-barca-spell-in-catalonia-87896196" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sport.</a>



The experienced centre-back then spoke forward about letting go of the resentment after departing for Lille. In an interview with <a href="https://www.sport.es/en/news/ligue-1/samuel-umtiti-says-he-has-left-behind-the-bitterness-92545882" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">L’Equipe</a> in September, he admitted:



“There are very difficult moments that I have lived through but, honestly, they are behind me now. I worked a lot on this because I had a lot of resentment, a lot of things inside me and in the end, it didn’t let me move forward.



“That’s life, I understood that in a career there are ups and downs, things that happen, some of which I can’t handle on my own. We adapt to the situation, that’s how it is now.



“It’s a message I pass on to the young players: we really have to live in the present moment, do our best, realize that we have the opportunity to do an incredible job and, when we are in good health, we really have to take advantage of it.”



Photo credits: IMAGO / PanoramiC : IMAGO / NurPhoto

Ex-Barca World Cup winner to make shock decision on career

Former Barca defender, Samuel Umtiti, who was a World Cup winner with France, may have no choice but to retire

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