With the World Cup entering the business end of the competition, teams are coming ever closer to getting their hands on the coveted trophy. Here are three Newcastle stars who may feature in the latter stages in Qatar.
Kieran Trippier (England)
With Kyle Walker returning from injury and Trent Alexander-Arnold unfavoured by Gareth Southgate, the Toon’s very own Kieran Trippier filled in for what was a hallmark performance on matchday one. The veteran full-back played the full ninety minutes in England’s 6-2 demolition of Iran, as Southgate’s side went on to top Group A and set up a last-16 matchup against Senegal.
Despite Trippier not featuring, the Three Lions emerged 3-0 victors, setting up a blockbuster quarter-final tie with the holders France. While England have so far swept through the competition, they face their toughest test in Saturday’s match, with England vs France odds in favour of the latter side at 7/1 for a 1-0 victory. Whether he is in the starting eleven or not – which could be likely should Southgate revert to a back three – Trippier has shown his experience and leadership both on and off the pitch, proving to be a vital component in the Three Lions’ set up in Qatar.
🏴 Kieran Trippier, Callum Wilson and Nick Pope all start on the bench for England this evening.
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) December 4, 2022
⚫️⚪️ https://t.co/b5mL8yc6PO pic.twitter.com/CIy5Q7o7W3
Callum Wilson (England)
One man who is a doubt for that match at the Al Bayt Stadium is our very own Callum Wilson, who was absent from England’s training the day after their 3-0 last-16 victory. While many pundits who don’t watch Wilson on a weekly basis may have doubted his contributions to Southgate’s side, the 30-year-old soon proved them wrong in the mere 14 minutes of action he got against Iran. The forward unselfishly teed up Jack Grealish for England’s sixth despite the opportunity to score in his first ever World Cup match, highlighting his selfless nature on the pitch.
Naturally, Wilson has been forced to play back-up to captain and leading front man Harry Kane in Qatar – who is once again finding his best form in the knockout stages of a major tournament – but during the 46 minutes that the Newcastle man has accumulated, we’ve seen glimpses of his pace and agility. Should Kane experience any issues against France and Wilson himself be fit, Southgate will not hesitate in bringing him in.
Good first few days training 🙌🏽🇶🇦 pic.twitter.com/MiwlMZS66x
— Callum Wilson (@CallumWilson) November 19, 2022
Bruno Guimaraes (Brazil)
Like England, Brazil boast an embarrassment of riches in their attacking third, meaning Toon superstar Bruno Guimaraes has perhaps been deprived of the minutes his performances in 2022-23 have deserved. The 25-year-old has consistently dazzled at St. James’ and elsewhere with displays that go beyond his mere three goals and two assists in 12 Premier League games, which is no mean feat in itself.
So far in Qatar, the midfield magician has amassed just over 60 minutes of football, meaning he played a part in the Canarinha’s qualification as Group G winners, despite defeat in their final match against Cameroon. Unfortunately for Bruno, he was an unused substitute as Brazil danced their way into the World Cup quarter-finals with a 4-1 demolition of a depleted South Korea side. While Tite’s side can only face one of either England or France – and maybe neither – in the final due to the structure of the draw, Bruno will likely be on hand to give some insider information should they come against some familiar Premier League faces.
Resiliência e confiança no trabalho e processo. Seguimos! 🙏🏼🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/O8t8UtRXaM
— Bruno Guimarães (@brunoog97) December 3, 2022
The quarter-final stages of any competition give players the opportunity to rise to the occasion and make a difference. The three Newcastle players on this list will undoubtedly step up when called upon, as the World’s best teams battle it out for international football’s biggest prize.
