Rodgers lauds James Maddison to outperform England stars at World Cup

Having made his only appearance for his country in November 2019, 

James Maddison

 was a surprising name to appear in England's 26-man shortlist for the World Cup. However, his 

 boss hails him as one of the best in the league.

"He was delighted. He had a missed call from Gareth just before we went out to training," 

Rodgers revealed. 

"I said to him to go into my office to make the call privately. He obviously spoke to Gareth and came out with all the joy of the world, so it was great for him.

"It's wonderful news for James and his family and everyone here in Leicester. I'm delighted for Gareth from a coaching perspective to have that talent available at a great tournament. His level of consistency, work ethic and talent over these last few years has swung that decision.

"He's a fantastic player, one of the best in the Premier League. I'm really delighted for him."

Talking about Maddison's best quality, 

Brendan Rodgers

 added:

 "Everyone talks about his favourite position, but James has played across the front line to a high level.

"He's plays for me on the right side. He still scores and creates goals. He makes runs like a top winger. One thing he can do above a lot of players is that he can see the forward pass. That's absolutely key.

"He plays forward quickly. A lot of midfield players can conserve the ball, but you need players to see the pass. He's a player whose view of the game is fantastic. England have players who have talent and James has a special talent that can unlock tight games and defences and he can score goals."

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