The season is entering its decisive phase, but for many players an even bigger prize awaits later this month: a place in a World Cup squad.
With 48 nations taking part and squads containing between 23 and 26 players, as many as 1,248 footballers could travel to this summer’s tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Providing they remain fit, Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham appear certain to be included in England’s bid to end 60 years of hurt.
Rice is an automatic selection under head coach Thomas Tuchel, while leaving Bellingham out of the starting line-up would come as a major surprise.
Yet former England midfielder Gareth Barry believes it is not guaranteed that both men should start every match this summer.
Barry understands the importance of balance in an international midfield, having won 53 England caps across a 12-year career and started three of his country’s four matches at the 2010 World Cup.
Gareth Barry believes Jude Bellingham (left) and Declan Rice (right) should not automatically start together in England’s midfield at the World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the USA
Barry believes Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers must start for England in midfield
Former England star Barry spoke exclusively to Daily Mail Sport as a TOCA Social ambassador
Barry admires both players and would usually select them together, but he says Tuchel must discover the right balance while also finding room for Morgan Rogers.
‘When you look at the certainties, Declan Rice is probably the best player around at the moment and he can perform several different roles,’ Barry told Daily Mail Sport in an exclusive interview about his England World Cup selections.
‘Jude Bellingham has already shown that he can handle the biggest occasions. Morgan Rogers is different from the other players, so I would definitely have him as a shoo-in. Those would be my three definite selections for the World Cup.
‘But Thomas Tuchel has to find the right combination for his starting XI. I wouldn’t necessarily play Bellingham and Rice together because both are operating further forward for their clubs.
‘I would play one of them, probably Rice, in the deeper role and then you have to choose another player.
‘Tuchel changed things around quite a bit in the qualifying matches, didn’t he? That final midfield place is probably the one still available.’
Rice and Bellingham have started 29 matches together for England, recording 16 wins, seven draws and five defeats for a 55.2 per cent win rate. Their last four starts as a pair have all ended in victory, against Finland in the Nations League and Albania, Latvia and Albania in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
That run includes notable wins over Italy twice and the Netherlands, although it is also set against painful defeats by France in the 2022 World Cup quarter-final and Spain in the Euro 2024 final.
Rice and Bellingham celebrate England’s victory over the Netherlands to reach the Euro 2024 final
Barry won 53 England caps and played at the 2010 World Cup
Since Tuchel replaced Gareth Southgate, Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson has occupied the central midfield position alongside Rice and is expected to compete for the role Barry described as available.
Although he has some reservations about Rice and Bellingham forming England’s midfield partnership, Barry has no doubts about what Aston Villa’s Rogers would offer the team.
‘You have to create a place for Morgan Rogers,’ he said. ‘The way he carries the ball forward is different. I don’t think there are many players who can take it from their own 18-yard box to the opposition’s in an instant.
‘He is so effective when he runs with the ball, so for me he is a definite starter.’
While Rogers, Rice and Bellingham look almost certain to make Tuchel’s squad, Phil Foden’s position is surprisingly less secure.
The Manchester City forward has endured an inconsistent campaign by his high standards and struggled in England’s two Wembley friendlies in March. He started as a No 10 in the 1-1 draw with Uruguay before an unsuccessful spell as a false nine in the 1-0 defeat by Japan.
Even so, Barry remains convinced that the 25-year-old has the ability to make the squad.
‘With the World Cup approaching, timing is everything,’ he said. ‘Phil Foden has enjoyed several outstanding seasons, but this one has been stop-start. He has not been as consistent as he would have wanted, so he probably needs to finish the campaign strongly.
‘For me, he should still be in the England squad. But to make his place secure, he will probably need to provide what Manchester City need from him: goals, assists and a regular place in a winning side.’
Phil Foden found March’s friendlies difficult, but Barry believes he can still reach the World Cup
Foden may have work to do to secure his place, but Barry believes the same uncertainty does not apply to his Manchester City team-mate Nico O’Reilly.
The 21-year-old is enjoying an excellent breakthrough season, demonstrating that he can play at left back or in central midfield. He has also scored important goals, including both strikes in City’s Carabao Cup final victory over Arsenal in March.
‘You forget how young he is,’ said Barry, who was speaking to Daily Mail Sport as an Angry Birds ambassador for TOCA Social.
‘He starts every game in different positions, looks like a Rolls Royce and moves beautifully, while playing with real maturity. If you had to choose between the two now, you might say O’Reilly is more firmly in the manager’s [Tuchel’s] thinking than Foden, although both have a strong case to go.
‘It is important for them, and for plenty of other players, to end the season in strong form.’
O’Reilly’s performances have helped Manchester City close the gap on Arsenal in the Premier League title race, although their progress was checked by Monday’s 3-3 draw at Everton.
City’s sluggish start to the campaign prompted questions about Pep Guardiola’s future at the Etihad, with his contract due to expire at the end of next season.
Even if City fail to win a fifth Premier League title in six seasons, Barry, who won the club’s first title in 2011-12, expects Guardiola to remain next year and attempt to leave on a high after what he describes as a rebuilding campaign.
‘When you look at teams that dominate for a long time, the recruitment has to remain excellent. They have had to replace important players, and footballers like Kevin De Bruyne do not come along very often.
‘Maybe a couple of signings have not worked out as they hoped, and sometimes a rebuilding season is needed to begin again. It feels like that kind of season for Manchester City.
CONTINUE READING: Psychopathic Traits Stronger Among Americans Living in Their Childhood State, Study Finds
‘That does not mean they cannot finish like a train and end the campaign well, but it has that feel about it. I would be surprised if this is Pep Guardiola’s final year at the club. I am sure he will want to go out on a high and will believe he can still turn things around, perhaps get ahead of Arsenal. There is plenty of football left, but I would not be surprised if he has another summer of recruitment before making one final push for a proper high.’
Barry expects Pep Guardiola (left) to remain at Manchester City next season and aim to finish on a ‘proper high’
Manchester City’s title challenge could be decided on the final day, when they face Villa. Both clubs remain close to Barry, who joined Villa as a trainee in 1997 and made his first-team debut a year later. He went on to make 441 appearances across 12 seasons, captaining the club before moving to City for £12million in June 2009.
During his time at Villa Park, Barry’s nearest brush with silverware came in the 1999-00 FA Cup final, which he started as Chelsea won 1-0.
Villa have not won a major trophy since lifting the League Cup in 1995-96, but they are favourites to beat Freiburg in this year’s Europa League final in Istanbul on May 20, a victory that would end a 30-year wait.
‘They have had an incredible season. At one stage, people were discussing them as Premier League title contenders, and it was not long ago that their name was being mentioned among the potential champions.
‘They have suffered injuries in midfield, which is especially important for a tactical manager such as Unai Emery because he needs those different options. That has been a major reason for their drop-off, but I still believe they can finish in the top five, which will be the target.
‘Any Villa supporter would swap a top-five finish for a trophy. It has been a long wait, so winning the Europa League would make it a fantastic season.’
Despite the emphasis on ending their trophy drought, Barry remains confident Villa can also qualify for the Champions League through their league position.
‘I believe they have come through their difficult spell and can finish strongly, perhaps even leapfrog Liverpool into fourth. Manchester United are also finishing reasonably well and have the right feeling around the club, so I expect them to continue in third.’
Aston Villa are targeting a top-five finish and a return to the Champions League
Barry played alongside James Milner at Villa, Manchester City and England, starting 124 matches with his former team-mate.
In February, Milner moved ahead of Barry’s Premier League appearance record of 653 matches during Brighton’s 2-0 win at Brentford.
The 45-year-old Barry is delighted for Milner, 40, although his competitive side emerged when he was reminded that he had played almost 14,000 more top-flight minutes before his record was finally broken.
‘I know, I did not want to make his record look bad!’ Barry joked. ‘I am obviously pleased for James. He is a former team-mate, has had an extraordinary career and deserves enormous credit for still playing in the Premier League at 40.
‘If you asked whether I would rather be first or second on the list, I would choose first! But I have been retired for five years, so it has been nice to see my name return to the spotlight as other statistics and stories about me have emerged.
‘It is a special moment for James to pass the record, and I am sure it was a relief because people had probably been asking both of us about it for the last five years. Now he can move on and forget about appearances!
‘I have spoken to him and congratulated him. I do not know whether he has decided if he will continue next season. He will probably see how the campaign ends, but playing Premier League football into your forties is remarkable.’
Barry’s Premier League appearance record was recently broken by former team-mate James Milner, pictured with him at Aston Villa
Barry retired from professional football at the age of 39 in August 2020 after finishing his career with West Brom in the Championship. He previously described the club’s 2017-18 Premier League relegation to Daily Mail Sport as an ‘all-time personal low’.
In July 2024, however, he returned to the pitch with Hurstpierpoint, who compete in the second tier of the Mid Sussex Football League, the 12th level of the English football pyramid. The attention generated by the move still surprises both Barry and the club.
Explaining how it happened, he said: ‘My best friend Michael Standing, who joined Aston Villa with me, began managing and coaching a team there for his son.
‘He asked me to come along and play the occasional game. The media picked up on it and made it a little bigger than it was [laughs], so that surprised me, but it gave Hurstpierpoint some welcome publicity.
‘I have not played for them in the last 18 months. I turned out a couple of times and it was tough!’ he laughed. ‘The left foot still works, but the body does not follow what my mind is telling it, so I will have to leave it there.
‘It is all about fitness, and the pitches are obviously not as good as those in the Premier League, so I found them difficult! [laughs] I think I was unbeaten in the games, though, so I could still hold my head high.’
Did opposing teams give him any special treatment because of his pedigree?
‘There was probably a bit of it, but nothing I had not experienced before, so I could deal with it. I enjoyed it. It was competitive football, and we love playing at any level. It was good to return to grassroots football and realise that the desire to win a match is still there.’
These days, Barry’s attention is largely split between cricket and golf, and he is ‘looking forward to the better weather to get back out there’ for both. He bats at No 5 for Temple Grafton Cricket Club in the Cotswolds and can also bowl when required. He is eager to play more after not getting on the field as often as last year.
Unlike many former professionals, Barry currently has no plans to move into coaching, preferring to enjoy the family time that was difficult to find during his playing career.
Since retiring, Barry has played non-league football in his forties but now enjoys cricket and golf
He showed Daily Mail Sport’s Luke Augustus his ability while playing the new Angry Birds game
‘If you asked me for a yes-or-no answer today, it would be no, but I have always taken things one day at a time,’ he said when asked about coaching. ‘If someone made a call and changed my perspective, I would never say never. At the moment it is no, but never say never.
‘I have not completed my badges, and I speak to many people involved in coaching who do not always sell it to me. If you choose that path, you dedicate your life to it, and to do it properly you have to make that commitment.
‘I have really enjoyed my five years of retirement and spending more time with my family. They see me differently now, so I am happy with where I am.’
Barry spoke to Daily Mail Sport after trying the new Angry Birds game at TOCA Social in west London. He holds the record for the most yellow cards in top-flight history, with 123, and has become the venue’s new ‘Angry Ambassador’.
Despite that title, Barry displayed plenty of composure when he teamed up with Daily Mail Sport for a game. Afterwards, he offered an encouraging assessment of his new midfield partner.
‘You talked yourself down, so the only way was up, and I think you delivered. As a team and as a midfield unit, we were all right! [laughs].’
He may not be pursuing a coaching career, but Daily Mail Sport would gladly accept that assessment from a Premier League and England stalwart.
The new Angry Birds game launched at all TOCA Social UK venues in the UK from March 30. Book now:
