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Callum Wilson has been selected for England’s World Cup 2022 squad ahead of fellow strikers Ivan Toney and Tammy Abraham, thanks in part to his impressive start to the 2022/23 Premier League season.
Toney and Abraham both made the last England squad in September for the fixtures against Italy and Germany, while Wilson last featured competitively for England three years ago, in 2019. Toney didn’t manage to get on the pitch for the aforementioned games, though, while Abraham only received a handful of minutes himself.
Wilson’s injury history has been somewhat of a concern in recent years, the Newcastle striker already having missed seven games in all competitions at the start of this season due to a hamstring injury, while he also missed a large chunk of the last campaign because of calf and hamstring problems, too.
His rivals for the position have also been playing at a high, consistent level.
Toney has already managed eight goals in 13 Premier League games this season, following the 12 he bagged last season during his debut year in the top flight. A penalty specialist, too, Toney’s inclusion has shocked fans expecting him to be a wildcard option should England require his services during a shootout.
Abraham, meanwhile, flourished last year after his move to Roma in Serie A, scoring 17 league goals and winning the Europa Conference League. While he has struggled somewhat this season, only managing to find the net three times so far, Abraham seemed Southgate’s preferred back-up striker behind Kane from the last round of internationals.
However, Gareth Southgate has opted for Wilson over the respective Brentford and Roma strikers, his six goals and two assists in ten Premier League games, and his general hold-up play this season, the deciding vote for the England manager.
Consequently, Wilson is the only out-and-out striker in the squad behind Harry Kane, with Marcus Rashford also available to Southgate should another focal point be needed. He only has only appeared four times for the national team during his career, though, scoring one goal in 2018 against USA in a friendly.
With England set to face USA in Group B at the Qatar World Cup 2022, alongside Wales and Iran, Wilson could add to his tally against the team from across the Atlantic.
