By Mark Gleeson
ATLANTA, June 29 (Reuters) - If the Democratic Republic of Congo are going to hold England at bay in their World Cup last-32 tie in Atlanta on Wednesday, Croydon-born defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka will be key to their chances.
The 28-year-old was one of the outstanding performers for the Congolese as they got past the first round for the first time and booked a prestigious meeting with England in the knockout round.
Wan-Bissaka is one of two English-born players in the squad and came close
to winning a cap for England, having been called up in September 2019 ahead of the Euro 2020 qualifiers against Bulgaria and Kosovo, but was forced to withdraw because of a back injury.
It provided a rare window of opportunity because the likes of Kyle Walker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kieran Trippier and Reece James then kept him from another call-up, even if he made a £50 million ($66.29 million) move from Crystal Palace to Manchester United.
The lack of opportunity for Wan-Bissaka, now at West Ham United, meant he grew more receptive to persistent overtures from DR Congo. His father, Ambroise, who was a cleaner in London and would take his sons by public transport to training, hails from Congo.
Wan-Bissaka eschewed a handful of call-ups before he finally agreed to change his allegiance, having played for England at under-21 level, and debuted for DR Congo last September during the World Cup qualifiers.
"I wanted to join the national team when I felt ready. Only I know when I am ready, not when others decide for me,” he said at the time.
Wan-Bissaka has missed only two of the 17 matches the Congolese have played since.
DR Congo also have 31-year-old London-born Aaron Tshibola in the squad. The Kilmarnock defensive midfielder, who has also played for Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest, was a late call-up for injured Rocky Bushiri.
ENGLISH REPRESENTATION IN THE LAST 16
English representation is already secured in the last 16 after Canada beat South Africa 1-0 on Sunday.
Defender Luc de Fougerolles, a product of Fulham’s academy, Middlesbrough defender Alfie Jones and back-up goalkeeper Owen Goodman, on loan at Barnsley from Palace last season, are all English-born players in the co-hosts' squad.
The U.S. have Giovanni Reyna, born in Sunderland when his father Claudio played for the Black Cats, and Sebastian Berhalter, whose dad Greg was at Palace when he was born, plus Fulham fullback Antonee Robinson among their English-born contingent.
Norway’s Erling Haaland and France’s Michael Olise are among the more prominent English-born players competing at the World Cup, but the Norwegians also have Liverpool-born Thelo Aasgaard.
Jerome Opoku, who began his career at Accrington Stanley, and Manchester City’s Antoine Semenyo, both started against the country of their birth when Ghana drew 0-0 with England in Boston in the group phase, while Brandon Thomas-Asante was an unused substitute.
English-born players also competed for New Zealand and Scotland, and New Zealander Marvin Keller is the Swiss back-up goalkeeper, while the 23-year-old Manchester-born Zidane Iqbal played in all three of Iraq’s games at the tournament.
($1 = 0.7543 pounds)
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Atlanta; Editing by Ken Ferris)
