Ireland and Meath native Evan Ferguson has once again stated that he will not be declaring for the England national team.
Ferguson (18) is one of the brightest talents in English football and has just signed a new deal that will keep him at Brighton & Hove Albion until 2027.
Brighton's new deal comes after Ferguson exploded onto the scene for club and country in 2022, scoring 15 goals for Brighton and 3 for Ireland to date. His performances have piqued everyone's interest regarding which country he would eventually declare for.
Ferguson's mother is English, but his father is Irish. He has also played for League of Ireland side Bohemians and is as Irish as they come.
Even if he wanted to, Ferguson could not make the switch from green to white due to FIFA rules. Under FIFA regulations, a player cannot switch nations if they have made three appearances for a country, making a move to England impossible since last summer.
Despite this, reporters in England continue to ask about a potential switch to Gareth Southgate's England side.
Ladies and Gentlemen the winner of the stupid question of 2023 goes to …… TALKSPORT
He’s not even eligible for England anymore, do your research !!🤡pic.twitter.com/wby72vUpbL— Rep of Ireland Player Tracker (@reptracker) November 10, 2023
When asked by a TalkSPORT reporter if a switch could ever happen, Ferguson once again dismissed the idea. "There's a lot of England fans that would love to see you pull on the white shirt. Is that ever going to happen, was that ever going to happen?" asked the reporter.
Ferguson responded firmly, saying, "No, no, no, I don't think that would... that's never going to happen, that's not a question."
The reporter persisted, asking why he was so committed to Ireland. Ferguson responded with laughter, saying, "I'm Irish. There's nothing else to say. I've been asked that question a few times but no, I'm Irish."
The reaction to the question has also sparked interest from fans on social media.
One user on X said, "What’s the reason you’re so committed to Ireland?” Imagine having to tell someone you want to play for Ireland because you’re Irish? Christ almighty. The Brits are at it again." While another said, "He'll be 35 and one over 100 Ireland caps and these guys will still be asking if he's ever going to play for England."
Ferguson and Brighton play Sheffield United on Sunday.
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