Italy legend Alessandro Del Piero bizarrely thinks Shaun Wright-Phillips is playing for England while working as a pundit for the Nations League clash against the Azzurri… despite the ex-Man City star last playing for the Three Lions in 2010!
- England faced the Italians at the San Siro in the Nations League last night
- Alessandro Del Piero suggested Shaun Wright-Phillips played against Italy
- Wright-Phillips has not played for England since 2010 and retired in 2019
- The retired winger won two FA Cups and a Premier League during his career
Former Italy striker Alessandro Del Piero appeared to mistakenly think Shaun Wright-Phillips was playing for England during the defeat to Italy.
England were in action against the Italians at the San Siro in their fifth Nations League match, however, it ended with relegation after Giacomo Raspadori’s 68th-minute strike.
The Three Lions struggled to get going for much of the match, but Del Piero did think they showed some good moments when pressing high up the pitch, although he did think one of England’s best players was former Manchester City and Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips – who retired from the game in 2019.
Alessandro Del Piero mistakenly suggested that Shaun Wright-Phillips was playing for England
After the game, Del Piero said on Channel 4: ‘All the time that the England side pressed high very well, they had a couple of close attacks, especially when Wright-Phillips moved the ball.’
Football fans watching the coverage picked up on the gaff, with one saying ‘Did Del Piero just say something about Wright-Phillips??’
Del Piero said that Wright-Phillips ‘moved the ball well’ in the match against the Italians
Another said: ‘Yes he did, I had to rewind it! Obviously watching a game from 2006.’
Wright-Phillips has not played for England since the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, when he made two substitution appearances against the United States and Algeria.
The 40-year-old earned 36 caps for England, scoring six goals with his most memorable coming after an impressive solo run against the Ukraine in 2004.
England fans picked up on Alessandro Del Piero’s gaff to suggest Shaun Wright-Phillips played
Wright-Phillips last played for England at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, 12 years ago
He enjoyed a fruitful career at club level, winning the Premier League with Chelsea and two FA Cups, one with the Blues and one with Manchester City.
Wright-Phillips left Manchester City in 2011 after he sealed a move to QPR and then later moved to the MLS for spells with New York Red Bull and Phoenix Rising before hanging up his boots.
England will be back in action on Monday as they take on Germany in the Nations League. The match will be the side’s last until they kick off their World Cup campaign against Iran on November 21.
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