Noni Madueke: From Hashtag to England's World Cup Star
Noni Madueke walked out for England’s World Cup opener with a familiar noise still echoing in the background – but it wasn’t the roar of the crowd. It was the memory of a hashtag.
Last summer, Arsenal paid around £50m to take him from Chelsea and a section of supporters launched a petition against the deal. #NoToMadueke trended, the move was mocked, and the winger arrived in north London with a target on his back.
Twelve months on, the picture could hardly be more different. Madueke is a Premier League champion with Arsenal, a starter for Thomas Tuchel’s England, and one of the main reasons the Three Lions began their World Cup with a 4-2 win over Croatia.
From hashtag to headline act
Arsenal’s first league title in 22 years has transformed reputations across the club, but few players have rewritten their story as sharply as Madueke. He made 43 appearances in all competitions last season, scoring eight goals and supplying four assists, as Mikel Arteta’s side finally ended their long domestic drought.
He did that without ever truly owning a starting spot. Only 16 of those appearances were Premier League starts, his minutes squeezed by a knee injury and the presence of Bukayo Saka on the opposite flank. At times, Madueke felt like the luxury option.
Yet even in a supporting role, he kept forcing his way into the conversation. In the Champions League final last month, he came off the bench for Saka and immediately lit up Arsenal’s attack, only for Paris St-Germain to prevail on penalties. It was a performance that hinted at something more than “back-up”.
Tuchel clearly saw it.
Tuchel’s England, built for Premier League power
When the German named his World Cup squad, he didn’t hide his admiration. Madueke, he said, could be a “difference-maker”, praising his one-on-one threat and his ability to change the tempo of a game.
Tuchel’s England is deliberately Premier League in its feel – aggressive, physical, relentless in transition. He has selected a group of powerful runners and robust competitors, then built everything around record goalscorer and captain Harry Kane.
Kane drops off the front line to dictate, the wingers tear in behind. The idea is simple: drag defenders towards the ball, then punish the space they leave. Against Croatia, that blueprint came to life.
Madueke’s relationship with Kane was central to it. He fed the captain four times – the joint-highest combination in the side, matched only by goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. When Kane drifted deep, Madueke darted beyond the back line, stretching Croatia’s defence and opening lanes for England’s midfield.
The pressure finally told when Madueke drove into the box and drew the foul that handed Kane the chance to score from the spot. England had their lead, and the Arsenal winger had his World Cup moment.
He finished with five touches in the opposition area, completed his only dribble and constantly asked questions of his full-back. On the opposite wing, Anthony Gordon matched his intensity, the pair pinning Croatia back and giving Tuchel exactly the width and energy he had demanded.
A “brotherhood” with a competitive edge
The twist in Madueke’s story is that his biggest rival for minutes is also one of his closest friends. Saka, nursing an Achilles problem he has carried since March, was expected to start the tournament as England’s first-choice right winger. Instead, he watched Madueke seize the role.
Saka made his 50th England appearance in the win over Croatia, but described the dynamic with his club-mate as “unique”. He has also called Madueke his “brother”. They share a dressing room at Arsenal, now a fight for the same position at a World Cup.
Arteta has already shown there is room for both. During the title-winning 2025-26 campaign, he frequently found ways to squeeze them into the same XI – Madueke switched to the left, Saka drifted inside into a number 10 role, and Arsenal’s attack became even more unpredictable.
Tuchel will have seen that template. As the tournament progresses and Saka edges back towards full fitness, the temptation to unleash both from the start will grow.
Another audition against Ghana
For now, though, the right wing belongs to Madueke. Saka is still managing his Achilles and is not expected to start until England’s final Group L game against Panama in New Jersey on Saturday.
That leaves Ghana on Tuesday as another stage for Madueke to strengthen his claim. Another start. Another chance to show he is more than the man who plays when Saka cannot.
He has already turned a hostile hashtag into a Premier League medal and a World Cup starting shirt. If he keeps bending the narrative like this, the question for Tuchel and Arteta won’t be whether they can trust him.
It will be how they dare to leave him out.
