Former England winger Chris Waddle has urged Rio Ngumoha not to have his exciting style of play coached out of him, insisting he can be a difference-maker at international level.
Liverpool's Ngumoha could feature for Thomas Tuchel's Three Lions when they host Croatia at Wembley on Thursday night in the Nations League, having been called up just weeks after becoming the third youngest England player of all time, behind Jude Bellingham and Wayne Rooney.
Rapid Rise at Anfield
The teenager has shot to prominence since the start of last season at Anfield thanks to his direct dribbling style, and he has been an important player for Andoni Iraola this season, featuring in eight of the 10 Premier League matches so far.
Waddle, who collected 62 caps for the national side, hopes the 18-year-old should not 'overthink' the game as he seeks to take the next step of his career.
Waddle's Advice
"Well, he's exciting, he's young, and he's probably not overthinking the game," Waddle told iGaming.com. "He's probably just going out and playing how he plays; enjoying it."
"Unfortunately, what happens with players like that is some coaches get a hold of them and tell them to stop doing what they're doing, and then he becomes a normal player."
"If you've got a talent where you can run with the ball, you've got pace, you can dribble, and you can do things - let the players do it. Let them do it! Because 95% of the game now is just: 'Get it and pass it.'"
Waddle added: "All these players who can dribble and want to make things happen - don't take it away from them. I'm not saying Liverpool are going to but let him just grow and let him play."
Tournament Hopes
"We need players like that if we're going to win tournaments. We need players who can beat people, create, and maybe get a goal himself."
"You need players who are different from the bread-and-butter players, and unfortunately, we tend to find them in this country and then coach it out of them."
"I just don't see the sense in that. You've got a guy who can do things, let him do it! Yes, he can be frustrating, but these players win football matches, and we don't have enough creative players anymore."
Ngumoha signed for the Reds from Chelsea in 2024 and has since made 44 senior appearances.
