The Lille midfielder has been contacted by Gareth Southgate and has been mentioned by Roberto Martinez. England or Portugal?
Angel Gomez has a difficult decision to make in the near future: will he play for England’s senior national team or for Portugal’s national team? The Lille midfielder has to choose one, which is no easy feat, considering they are both two of the strongest players on the planet. His personal history leans in the same direction, with Angel already playing more than 50 matches for England’s youth teams, from Under-16 to Under-21, as well as at all other levels. Meanwhile, he was born and raised in England.
On the other hand, family history plays in Portugal’s favour: Angel is the son of a Quiñas legend, and more specifically the Under-20 world champion, Gil Gomez, after whom he is named. A champion in the famous team that Carlos Queiroz led in 1991 to the world title in this category. His time at Boavista, in 2020/21, also helped him strengthen his emotional connection to Portugal, after an excellent season on a personal level, full of praise.
Gareth Southgate, the current England manager, has already contacted him to express his interest in potential call-ups. The same thing happened in the Portugal national team, where Roberto Martinez included him in the list of athletes who are part of his accounts.
Neither England nor Portugal have been called up yet, but this is a real possibility to take into consideration, especially given the good season Gomez had at Lille, where he made 11 appearances, and nine appearances, where he assisted on two goals. In the French national team, he forms a double pivot with Benjamin Andre and is distinguished by his talent in moving the ball and his extraordinary ability to link play with attack.
Angel was born in London in August 2000, around the time his father, having played in Portugal for Estrela da Amadora and Braga, moved into English football, joining London minor club Hendon.
Later, Gill traveled north, finishing his career at a club in the Manchester area. That’s when Angel started playing, joining the Manchester United academy at the age of seven. He did not leave the club until the age of nineteen, after a very promising career that made him an option at all levels of the England national team. Lille was then his destination, where he played his first season on loan at Boavista.
In France, he is in his third season and has been a starter for Paulo Fonseca, as he was before with Jocelyne Jourvenec. He has now played 80 matches with the French club, during which he scored six goals and provided ten assists. In the national teams, he will be about to start a career that is expected to be successful.
It remains to be seen which one. England? Or Portugal?
The Jose Mourinho effect
Through the hand of Jose Mourinho, in the 2016/17 season, and therefore still only 16 years old – he turned 17 in August -, Angel Gomez made his debut in the first team for Manchester United, and with his right foot, he must have said. The Red Devils beat Crystal Palace and Angel came on in the 88th minute to replace captain Wayne Rooney. An unforgettable moment for the young player, with the imprint of Jose Mourinho. Moreover, this season Manchester United won the Europa League.
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