“Used to invite me and my brother to his house to play football” - Angel Gomes names Manchester United star he idolized after he gets England call up
Lille midfielder Angel Gomes, who came through Manchester United's academy, has received a call-up to the England national team for their international break in September. This is the first time he has been picked for the Three Lions squad, as interim manager Lee Carsley called him up alongside players like Noni Madueke and Tino Livramento.
The 24-year-old rose through the ranks at Old Trafford, going through the academy and graduating to the first team, where he made ten appearances in all competitions. It was soon clear he had to leave for playing time, moving to Lille, where has gone on to cement a regular spot in the midfield.
Speaking about his time at Manchester United, where he began as a six-year-old in 2006, he revealed who his biggest idol was. Angel Gomes said (via SPORTbible):
"Nani used to be my idol. I used to watch him and even practice his backflips on the trampoline. He used to invite me and my brother round to his house to play football in the back garden and show me how to hit the ball against a wall with either foot over and over again until it became natural.
Nani was certainly one of the most exciting wingers to play for Manchester United. He was a vital source of goals and assists, scoring 41 and providing 70 in 230 games during his eight-year stint at the club.
Manchester United manager calls for patience as Red Devils stumble to consecutive losses
Players like Nani and Angel Gomes have since left Old Trafford, which has seen its fair share of trophies in recent years. However, things are not easy-going on the pitch currently, with manager Erik ten Hag calling for patience.
The Red Devils have lost two consecutive games, with Brighton & Hove Albion beating them 2-1 and Liverpool beating them 3-0. However, Ten Hag has sought to remind the fans that he cannot do magic, explaining after the shock loss to the Merseysiders at Old Trafford (via Forbes):
"It is not like I am Harry Potter. You have to acknowledge that. For three players it was their first start of the season. Manuel Ugarte did not play one minute, he needs to build his fitness... It will take a couple of weeks, maybe even a month. That is the same for a lot of players.”
He added:
"It is the third game of the season. I have had to explain this so many times. We have to build a new team. We will be fine but it is clear we have to improve. At the end of the season, I am quite confident we will have a big chance to lift another trophy."
Time will tell if Erik ten Hag can motivate his Manchester United squad and start winning games in order to appease the fans.