England: James Maddison has gone from an outcast to man of the moment after World Cup selection

The path that led James Maddison to one of the best moments of his life started with one of the worst.

Before training with Leicester on Thursday morning, Maddison went into Brendan Rodgers’ office to return a missed call from the England manager. 

Moments later, the 25-year-old was ‘full of the joy of the world’ after Gareth Southgate told him he had been included in the 26-man squad for the World Cup.

James Maddison has plenty to smile about after being selected for England’s World Cup squad

Maddison’s fine form for Leicester City has seen him force his way into the Three Lions setup

He will now be hoping to add to his solitary cap won for his country back in November 2019

His selection is fully deserved. Maddison has been the best English attacking midfielder in the Premier League in 2022 and leaving him out would have been a huge error. 

Yet in May last year, Maddison was having a rather different conversation in Rodgers’ office, as the Foxes boss told his playmaker he would not be in the starting XI for the FA Cup Final. 

Though Rodgers has never doubted Maddison’s ability, he had concerns about his defensive work and contribution when Leicester did not have the ball.

Maddison is thought to have been hugely disappointed but to his credit, he listened and learned. ‘It was a tough call at the time,’ remembers Rodgers. ‘He had suffered a wee bit with injury leading up to the final and his energy wasn’t quite at the same level as it is now.

‘His talent has always been there but at the highest level it is about work ethic and pressing too. That conversation was based around why he wasn’t playing and then I was able to show him statistically why I had come to the decision I had.

‘Then it was a case of supporting him after that and showing him the levels he would need to reach to be recognised as a top player.

Maddison was a substitute during Leicester’s FA Cup final win over Chelsea in May 2021

Since August 2021, the playmaker has 18 goals and 12 assists in the Premier League alone

‘But there was also a physical element to it. A deficiency there that when we got him tested that really was the main factor in that ability to make repetitive sprints.

‘When our medical team saw that, the differences for him then were huge and now you see his running ability, power and strength and then you add it to the talent. That was a key moment.’ 

Maddison started last season slowly but since the turn of the year he has hardly looked back. Since August 2021, he has 18 goals and 12 assists in the league alone.

The notion that he is an orthodox No 10, which some pundits have said counts against him in Southgate’s mind, is as mistaken as it is bizarre. Maddison has rarely played in that position at Leicester, with his best form coming as an attacking No 8, or – since last season – from the right of a three-man attack.

The more you see of Maddison, the more he brings to mind Kevin Pietersen, the great former England batsman. Pietersen sometimes did and said silly things. He was brash, forthright and unconventional. At times he could be, to put it bluntly, a bit of a wally.

He also just happened to be one of the finest sportsmen of his generation who helped England win three Ashes series. Given the chance, there is no reason why Maddison cannot shine in Qatar.

‘I watch England now and I know there’s a gap for me,’ Maddison told Sportsmail in an exclusive interview two years ago. ‘I know I can go and make an impact on the international stage; it’s just about being patient.

‘I’ve had a taste and I want more. It’s about taking that chance and I know I’m capable. Hopefully it will come around soon.’

During that conversation, Maddison also said he wanted ‘people talking about me again.’ He has made sure of that, all right. He is at the perfect age, too, with his 26th birthday falling between England’s games against Iran and USA. Make no mistake, James Maddison’s time is now.

England boss Gareth Southgate will hope Maddison can provide an attacking spark in Qatar