Ivan Toney has taken an unusual path to this summer's World Cup, but after betting bans and being frozen out by Thomas Tuchel, he is ready to make an impact.
Toney could become one of England’s main weapons at this World Cup. It will complete an incredible comeback story for one of English football’s most controversial figures. Toney, 30, served an eight-month betting ban, ditched the Premier League for the Saudi Pro League, and then completely blew his England chances a year ago.
Now, 12 months down the road, Toney is in the squad, is earmarked as one of England’s “finishers,” has gained a glowing reference from Harry Kane, and is one of their penalty specialists.
England boss Thomas Tuchel has it in his mind that if England are going to win the World Cup, they will more than likely have been in two penalty shoot-outs. And if England do go the whole way in North America this summer, then you can be sure that Toney will have played a big part.
Practice Match Hat-Trick
Toney underlined his World Cup potential by scoring a hat-trick in England’s behind-closed-doors practice match against Miami FC this week. That was organised against a second-tier local team, and the fact that Rio Ngumoha and Ethan Nwaneri were on target—they are both training players—underlines that it was not a full-on game but more of an exercise featuring set pieces and a mock-up penalty shoot-out at the end. However, Toney put himself in the frame with that hat-trick to show Tuchel that he is ready, determined, and willing to seize his chance.
Unusual Path to the Top
The backdrop to the story is that Toney worked his way up from Northampton, really showed his potential at Peterborough, and became a prolific Premier League striker with Brentford. But this is the striker who was charged by the FA in November 2022 for 232 breaches of betting rules—and it was Toney who took aim at the FA for undermining his chances of making the World Cup squad the following month.
His eight-month ban ended in January 2024, and by that summer, he had done enough to get himself a place in the squad for the Euros that summer. He played a role from the bench, made a difference, linked up well with Kane as a two-pronged attack, and helped set up Jude Bellingham for his last-minute equaliser against Slovakia. He scored in a shoot-out and underlined his value to England.
Yet when everything was going to plan, he tore up the script and joined Saudi Pro League club Al Ahli, which appeared to be the end of his England career. Tuchel did not go to see him once, even though his goalscoring record—42 in all competitions—was good.
Bridging the Gap
It was Tuchel’s assistant Justin Cochrane who persuaded the England boss that Toney was worth another look. Every person is different. Toney is his own man; he can come across as sullen when actually he is quietly driven, determined, and single-minded. When Tuchel was asked if Toney was excited when he got the World Cup call-up, he just said: “Not really, that’s not Ivan. He’s just cool.”
There was definitely a breakdown in communication there, and Cochrane bridged the gap. Tuchel thought Toney’s attitude was poor around the England camp a year ago, which is why he was left out in the cold. It was never because Toney did not want to play for England. He just expresses it differently. And if there is one player who has bought into this tournament, it is Toney.
Role as a Finisher
Toney knows his role, knows he is unlikely to start but is fine with that. He knows he is going to be the guy called on when England are chasing a game or someone to give Kane a breather. He is the player with incredible penalty stats and a no-look style that shows he has the mentality and ice in his veins for a high-pressure penalty shoot-out.
Toney will get minutes in this tournament, he will have a key role, and you can definitely expect him to be the story at one point. But he is not seeking the limelight this time. He is happy with his lot.
Tuchel has gone from thinking that Toney is not good for his England squad to believing that he actually epitomises what he wants: selfless, happy to be a bit-part player, and that is what England need this summer.
