The future of Mason Greenwood's international football career remains uncertain as he has been absent from the England squad for several years now. Despite enjoying a remarkable run at the club level, particularly since his transfer to Marseille in 2024, where he has emerged as one of the top strikers in Ligue 1, his achievements have not translated onto the international stage.
At just 24 years old, Greenwood has made quite an impact in France. He shared the prestigious Golden Boot award last season with Ousmane Dembélé, both scoring 21 goals. His impressive scoring streak continues this season, leading the league with 12 goals and tallying a total of 20 across all competitions so far.
However, it’s crucial to note that before moving to France for £23 million, Greenwood faced serious legal troubles; he was charged with rape, assault, and controlling behavior in 2022, although these charges were ultimately dropped. Greenwood has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
During his tenure at Manchester United, many anticipated that he would be a key player for both his club and the national team, especially after earning his first England cap in 2020. Unfortunately, his legal issues effectively halted his international career, leaving him out of consideration for the national team. Ahead of the Euro 2024 tournament, former England manager Gareth Southgate clearly stated that Greenwood would not be part of his plans, and the current manager, Thomas Tuchel, has echoed similar sentiments, noting that Greenwood has not been on his radar.
Tuchel remarked last year: "I have not had any discussions with him or his representatives. My understanding was that he was looking to represent Jamaica, so we didn't consider him further. At this moment, he is not in our plans for the team."
Despite Greenwood filing the necessary paperwork to change his international allegiance to Jamaica, he has yet to make his debut for the Jamaican national team. Although he was expected to be available for selection during Jamaica's World Cup 2026 qualifiers against Bermuda and Trinidad and Tobago last September, he did not appear.
With an impressive record of 42 goals in just 62 appearances for Marseille, Greenwood has proven to be a valuable asset for the French club, which paid an additional £5 million to Manchester United last season due to their qualification for the Champions League. Furthermore, Manchester United stands to benefit financially from his continued success, as they included a remarkable 40% sell-on clause in his contract with Marseille. This means that should the French club decide to sell him, United would receive nearly half of the profit from that sale.
Recently, Greenwood contributed to his team's 2-1 victory over Newcastle United in November. Now, another English club, Liverpool, is set to face him as they travel to Stade Velodrome this Wednesday. Interestingly, Greenwood has only managed to score once against Liverpool in five encounters; his sole goal came during an FA Cup match in 2021 when United triumphed 3-2.
In conclusion, while Mason Greenwood's club performance has been outstanding, the shadow of his past and the decisions of national team coaches continue to leave his international career in a state of uncertainty. What do you think? Should he be given another chance to play for England, or is it time for him to focus solely on his club career? Share your thoughts in the comments!
