Nketiah ready to embrace opportunity in England

Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah believes that his first call-up to the England national team has come at the perfect moment. He sees this as an opportunity to establish himself as Harry Kane’s backup during Euro 2024. Nketiah, 24 years old, holds the record for the most goals scored by an England under-21 player, with 16 goals in 17 games. Despite doubts surrounding his future at Arsenal, Nketiah was able to impress last season when Gabriel Jesus suffered an injury.

Nketiah has also filled in for Jesus this season and has managed to score twice in four Premier League matches, which ultimately led to his inclusion in Gareth Southgate’s squad.

Speaking on Tuesday, Nketiah stated, “I believe I have grown significantly as a player compared to two or three years ago. It is a great feeling to join the England team at the right time. I have confidence in myself and I am ready to continue improving. It is important to acknowledge that I am still young and have room for growth.”

He added, “Being able to join these experienced players, display my abilities, and learn from them is a valuable opportunity for my career progression.”

England will face Ukraine in Wroclaw, Poland on Saturday as they aim to maintain their perfect record in Euro 2024 qualifying. Following that, the team will play a friendly match against Scotland on Tuesday, marking the 150th anniversary of their first-ever international match.

With the match against Scotland approaching, Southgate may choose to rest players like Kane to assess the depth of his squad ahead of the tournament in Germany next year. Nketiah, who selected England over Ghana, his parents’ home country, is eager for game time.

He explained, “Both options were always on the table. Growing up in England’s academy, it was always my goal to represent this country. When the call-up came and the opportunity arose, it was incredibly difficult to turn down. I felt that now was the right time to take this step, and I am extremely delighted and proud to be here. I hope to contribute to the team this week and earn some caps.”

September 5, 2023