{"id":297542,"date":"2023-11-17T17:09:17","date_gmt":"2023-11-17T17:09:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports-life-news.com\/?p=297542"},"modified":"2023-11-17T17:09:17","modified_gmt":"2023-11-17T17:09:17","slug":"malta-footballer-is-best-mates-with-englands-james-maddison-and-plays-in-efl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports-life-news.com\/soccer\/malta-footballer-is-best-mates-with-englands-james-maddison-and-plays-in-efl\/","title":{"rendered":"Malta footballer is best mates with England’s James Maddison and plays in EFL"},"content":{"rendered":"
If Malta international Jodi Jones finds the net against England, James Maddison may feel rather conflicted.<\/p>\n
The Tottenham Hotspur midfielder will be playing the role of spectator when the Three Lions take on the European minnows in the penultimate game of their Euro 2024 qualification campaign. Maddison, 26, will be absent from Gareth Southgate\u2019s starting XI as he is nursing an ankle injury he picked up in Spurs\u2019 explosive 4-1 home defeat to Chelsea. <\/p>\n
But while he will be cheering on his fellow England comrades, he will also be watching Jones\u2019 performance. It\u2019s often said there are no friends when the whistle is blown, but Maddison will make an exception for the Maltese ace.<\/p>\n
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Maddison and Jones have been friends since they played alongside each other at Coventry between 2014 and 2016. The duo are even in a WhatsApp group made up of other stars who turned out for the EFL side at the Ricoh Arena.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is a good guy,\u201d Jones, 26, said, when asked about Maddison in an interview with the Athletic. \u201cI say that to everyone. Some people might see him as arrogant. But when you know him, you understand that he just believes in his ability.<\/p>\n
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\u201cHe backs himself. He is confident. Without that, I don\u2019t think he would be where he is now. I still don\u2019t think I have seen anyone with a better first touch than him, which takes him into another position \u2014 it might take him past a player; it might give him space for a shot.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jones now plays his football for Notts County. While he grew up dreaming of playing for England, he qualified for the nation of 500,000 through his Maltese father. The tiny country has lost all seven of their matches in Group C, yet they are not fazed by the challenge of facing England. <\/p>\n
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\u201cWhen you look at us, Malta is not the biggest nation. People automatically think we might not be very good,\u201d Jones added. \u201cWe have showed that we can win games. We just try to make it difficult for the opposition. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut on the other side, when we attack, we believe that we can hurt teams. I play up top and I believe I can drop off and make something happen. In my wildest dreams, I believe I can score against England.\u201d<\/p>\n