Mason Greenwood has supporters. This week, several of them publicly backed the Englishman, who has been a controversial figure since the domestic violence scandal that erupted in 2022. Roberto De Zerbi defended his player to the media on Monday. "I don't get involved in anyone's private life, not even my children's. He's a good guy, he paid a heavy price for what happened. A very heavy price. He found the right environment for him, he was given a helping hand. He behaved well, he has an introverted personality. When I look at him as a person, it saddens me what happened in his life, because I know a different person than the one portrayed in England ." On the Canal+ Champions Club program Tuesday evening after the 2-1 victory against Newcastle in the Champions League , Samir Nasri also had a few words for the former Manchester United player.
“If she forgave him… who are we to judge? (…) That’s the point… If his wife forgave him, we can forgive him. If she hadn’t forgiven him and he had been found guilty and received that sentence in England, I would have said it was normal.” A statement described as “shameful” by several foreign media outlets. For his part, Timothy Weah didn’t address this dark affair. But the American wants to help his teammate regain his place in the England squad. “When I talk about Mason, it’s a special feeling because it’s very rare in a lifetime to have the opportunity to share the pitch with such an exceptional player and such an extraordinary person. We’ve grown closer since I joined the team and have been here. I hope he’ll be selected soon. I’m extremely proud of him. He’s having an incredible season and I hope I can help him reach the heights he’s aiming for.” A very difficult task.
Greenwood awaits England
Since his legal troubles, the former Getafe player has been persona non grata with the Three Lions . He has only played one match for the national team, in September 2020 against Iceland in the Nations League. Subsequently, then-manager Gareth Southgate sent him and Phil Foden home for breaching Covid-19 lockdown rules. The two players had brought two young women to their hotel room while on international duty. Since then, the Marseille native has not worn the England jersey. According to The Athletic , it's a dream he still cherishes . This Thursday, the British publication claims that Greenwood has privately hinted that he is ready to wait for a call from Tuchel and believes he can be selected for the Three Lions. He thinks his performances at Marseille can help him return to his country. Currently the top scorer in Ligue 1 with 10 goals , he has a total of 11 goals and 4 assists in 17 matches across all competitions this season.
His performance on Tuesday night at the Orange V̩lodrome against Newcastle United was watched across the Channel. Former England manager Glenn Hoddle, who was providing commentary for TNT Sports , said: "Greenwood was outstanding, some of his passes... He's dangerous every time he touches the ball." The Athletic also praised his performance: "Mason Greenwood made his return to the forefront of British football this week, playing his fifth Champions League match of the season for Marseille , this time against Newcastle United. He created four chances in a superb performance that delighted fans." The Sun echoed this sentiment: "By shining for Marseille in their 2-1 Champions League victory against Newcastle on Tuesday night, Mason Greenwood reminded the English public of just how exceptional he is on the pitch. His footballing talent has never been in doubt Рhe is probably the second-best English striker after Harry Kane."
Jamaica still dreams of the Marseillais
But the English tabloid reminds us of the reasons why a return to the England national team seems unlikely. "The off-field issues that plague him mean he's not in the England squad for the World Cup. Publicly, England manager Thomas Tuchel hasn't ruled out the possibility of Mason Greenwood returning to the senior national team. But let's be realistic, there's currently no chance of Greenwood playing for the Three Lions again and adding another cap to his single previous appearance. Whatever he does at Marseille in the coming months, he won't be trying to narrowly qualify for next summer's World Cup, even if he is the second-best striker in the country behind Harry Kane." When questioned about the player a few weeks ago, Thomas Tuchel quickly dismissed the subject. "I haven't spoken to him yet. I haven't spoken to him or anyone close to him. I thought he was trying to play for Jamaica , so we didn't think about it anymore." He wasn't in our plans at the moment and we're not considering him for our team. I'm not ruling anything out, but he's not a priority right now.
The Sun suggests a possible Euro 2028 option, given the time that has passed, but this seems equally complicated since his country doesn't appear willing to forgive him. The FA, wanting to avoid problems, is therefore closing the door on him for the time being. Greenwood could also choose to play for Jamaica, the country of his grandparents. Steps have been taken in this direction in recent months to change his sporting nationality. Last August, he obtained his Jamaican passport. Everyone, both there and in England, assumed he would be donning the Reggae Boyz jersey. But that hasn't happened yet. Greenwood is stalling, having still not asked the FA to transfer his affiliation to the Jamaican Football Federation (JFF). The JFF is not giving up. Especially since she would like to count on him next March during the intercontinental play-off tournament for the 2026 World Cup. Jamaica will face New Caledonia and could, in case of victory, challenge the Democratic Republic of Congo.
A controversial selection
Having Greenwood in their ranks would therefore be a plus. It's a possibility, as admitted by Michael Ricketts, the president of the Jamaican Football Federation (JFF), to The Athletic . "I think so. Because, initially, he seemed mostly pleased that his paperwork was finally in order. When we sent it to him and I asked for his opinion, he told me it was a family decision on his part not to make himself available at the moment." Despite the legal troubles he may have faced, the Jamaican federation believes he has been exonerated and that he has the right to continue his career without any problems. However, this potential arrival of the Marseille player with the national team is far from being unanimously supported. Several Jamaican players are against it. In addition to his legal issues, they believe he would arrive to take advantage of a possible World Cup qualification after having missed the entire qualifying phase. They think it's unfair, like Isaac Hayden, who was selected for the first time in 2024.
“I’ve only been playing for Jamaica for a year, and I faced some resistance at the beginning, but I’ve played 12 matches and everyone can see my passion and commitment on the pitch. I give my all and I wanted to be here to help Jamaica qualify for the World Cup. They (the federation) are obsessed with names and are always looking to recruit more players. They want to field the best possible team, but I told them, ‘If a player isn’t ready to commit for the final round of qualifying, except in the case of injury, I don’t see why he should join the squad in March or at the end of the season if we qualify.’ It’s simply unacceptable. I’ve spoken with players who have been on the Jamaican national team for years. Some might play eight matches to qualify for the World Cup, only to find themselves overtaken by players who take over once qualification is secured.” I don't think that would suit me, or the other players for that matter. I don't want to be part of that.
An injustice, according to several Jamaican players.
He continued regarding Greenwood: “The player’s quality, his statistics, his performance—all of that is exceptional, but ultimately, it all comes down to principles and integrity. If players could only show up for a World Cup, it would be a complete farce. It would say a lot about the player, and about the organization that would allow it. My recommendation to the JFF was that any new player wishing to join the team after the recent September recruitment period should be able to do so for 2026 (after the World Cup playoffs and the potential World Cup campaign), for a whole new cycle.” Amari’i Bell (28 caps) agrees. “For years, many of us gave everything to represent our country, despite the difficulties we faced behind the scenes. We had to deal with all of that. It would be unfair to those who went through that experience and will never have the opportunity to play in a World Cup again. It’s a topic that’s up for debate. We need a good atmosphere and good energy within the team.” There must not be any distance between the players.
The Jamaican media are also baffled. Kathya Davis of Love 101 FM commented : “Most of us are convinced England won’t call him up again. So we don’t understand why he didn’t come to play for Jamaica, after all the effort we put into attracting him. I’d rather the team suffer a heavy defeat than see a player who wasn’t there struggling to qualify for the World Cup.” Daniel Blake, a journalist at the Jamaica Observer , added: “Knowing he still harbors this dream of playing in England… I’ve heard some members of the federation aren’t happy. They did everything they could to get him here. It’s difficult. He’s an excellent player, but I don’t think this is a decision that will be 100% accepted.” Courted by the JFF since 2023, Mason Greenwood knows he is not on easy ground and that support is scarce, even if some journalists and supporters are campaigning for his arrival.
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