Gareth Barry has expressed his belief that former Everton teammate Ross Barkley can be England's "wild card" at the World Cup.
Barkley enjoyed a break-out season for the Toffees which Barry saw first hand during his loan spell at Goodison Park, and he is confident that the 20-year-old can succeed if he replicates his club form in Brazil.
Barry told The People: "He is going to be a great wild card to have when coming on or starting a game – there aren't going to be too many people knowing what to expect.
"That's perfect for England. If he produces the ability he has got in one of the games, doing some magic stuff as we've seen in the Premier League this year, then Ross certainly could surprise a lot of people."
Barkley came on as a substitute in England's 0-0 draw against Honduras in their final game before the start of the tournament.
Written by
Simon Sinclair
Simon Sinclair
