Wayne Rooney tells Thomas Tuchel he should have picked retired England star after DR Congo win
England managed a hard-fought 2-1 win over DR Congo in the World Cup round of 32, but the way they played made some fans and experts worried. Even Wayne Rooney chimed in, saying Thomas Tuchel should have brought back a retired star for the tournament.
This win was special for England because it ended a 60-year wait for a World Cup victory. Harry Kane scored twice in the last 15 minutes to turn the game around after DR Congo’s Brian Cipenga scored early on in the 7th minute.
Despite the win, people started questioning Tuchel’s choices for the team, with some fans asking for changes. Rooney thinks Tuchel might regret not including a retired England player in the squad.
The former Manchester United star said Tuchel should have picked Kyle Walker to help the team chase their first World Cup title in 60 years. England is having some trouble with right-back injuries—Reece James and Tino Livramento can’t play. Rooney believes Walker could have stepped in to cover, even though Djed Spence and Jarell Quansah are options.
On the BBC, Rooney said, “We’ve seen players come out of retirement before. When Livramento got hurt, Tuchel should’ve called Kyle Walker right away. Kyle’s still good enough to play for England. I would have told him, ‘We need you here. Come help us.’ I’m worried this could hurt us on the right-back side.”
Walker, who earned 96 caps for England, only retired from international football in March after 14 years. Rooney thinks Walker’s solid performances for Burnley this season show he would’ve been a great help for England.
At the same time, many fans wonder why Trent Alexander-Arnold was left out. Even though he had a tough first season at Real Madrid, his skills with the ball and relatively better injury record would have been valuable for Tuchel’s squad.