THERE’S a new bromance at St George’s Park and it’s one that’s been brewing for some time.
Angel Gomes and Morgan Gibbs-White are two best mates who have both earned their first senior England call-up together.
It’s a midfield partnership that seems like it might have just as much chemistry on the pitch as it does off it.
The pair, both 24, have been friends since childhood and now they could step out and represent their nation together this week.
Gomes, currently playing in France with Lille, recalled how he got the call from interim boss Lee Carsley telling him he would be part of the squad for the Nations League clashes with Ireland and Finland.
And despite all the emotions he was feeling, the only thing he wanted to do was find out if his best mate Gibbs-White had been called up too.
He explained: “We didn’t get our call until just before the squad got announced so you have no idea whether you’re going to get selected or not.
“I got a message from Lee [Carsley] asking me to call him. So I rang him and he let me know I was in the squad, and you can obviously imagine my reaction.
“The first thing I was thinking was ‘I wonder if Morgan has been called’ because obviously we’re very close.”
So that’s exactly what Gomes did, he called his best mate to see if he was about to join him at St George’s Park to ring in a new era of the England national team.
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He added: “When he answered we just both looked at each other and started smiling before either of us said anything.”
Without even swapping so much as a question the pair had clocked on that both of them had been called up and they were both “jumping up and down” celebrating their achievement.
Fans will be hoping the pair can bring that telepathic relationship to the pitch, something which they’ve already proven they can do with the weight of the Three Lions on their chest.
Gomes and Gibbs-White won both the U17 World Cup and the U21 European Championships together in the England youth ranks.
The latter they achieved under the management of Carsley, who will be hoping he can get them both ticking the same way they did last year.
For many, Gomes and Gibbs-White were surprise inclusions who weren’t really on the radar.
For the players themselves, it was something they had been discussing since they were young and an opportunity that was necessary if they were to play together on the international stage once again.
Gomes explained: “It’s something that we have spoken about for the longest [time].
“Obviously we’ve played with each other growing up in the age groups, we won the World Cup together and this last tournament, the Euros, was very special for us.
“In our case it was the last time we would play with each other unless we would got a call up to the seniors. So in our heads we had to win it and end it as high as possible.
“We’ve managed to do that and obviously we’ve managed to get called up at the same time, which is special.”
Gomes has cemented himself as a top player at Lille since making the brave decision to leave Manchester United for the Ligue 1 outfit in 2020.
Since then he’s gone on to make over 100 appearances for the club, scoring eight times and registering 18 assists.
Gibbs-White has spearheaded Nottingham Forest‘s relegation battles for two seasons in a row.
The former Wolves midfielder is an established Premier League midfielder who has attracted interest from top clubs in recent transfer windows thanks to his electric performances.
Gibbs-White managed 15 goal contributions in 37 Premier League appearances last season.
