After weeks of trepidation, Gareth Southgate announced the 26 players he will be taking to Qatar to represent England in the 2022 World Cup. Captain Harry Kane, West Ham's Declan Rice and Everton's Jordan Pickford, among others, were some of the expected call-ups, but one that may have been a slight surprise was the inclusion of Conor Gallagher.
The Chelsea midfielder, who won his first senior international cap in 2021 after excelling on loan at Crystal Palace, where he scored eight Premier League goals, was included in the Three Lions squad due to a number of reasons, with Southgate citing "his fantastic pressing" as one.
He added: "I think there are going to be moments at games where we are going to have to use different attributes. We feel he can be that sort of player. He isn't experienced, but he is a goal threat. Can score and create."
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Gallagher is set to join his Blues teammates Raheem Sterling and Mason Mount on the plane to the Middle East. Reece James won't join them after he confirmed that he would not be named in England's 26-man squad, with the England boss highlighting "there were too many unknowns" surrounding when he would be available after he suffered a knee injury in October.
The 22-year-old last made an appearance for England in the embarrassing 4-0 Nations League defeat to Hungary, with his other three appearances coming against Switzerland, where he got an assist then against San Marino and Ivory Coast. His club displays for Chelsea under Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter this season have seen him included in the squad.
Plenty of players heading to the World Cup have shared videos and images of their reactions to their respective inclusions, and while the recipient of the call-up is yet to post any reaction on his own social media, two of the Gallagher family - brothers Josh and cousin Jordan, have shared their reaction to the news he will be heading to the World Cup.
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