Mason Greenwood’s Resurgence at Marseille and Potential England Return

Mason Greenwood joined Marseille in July of the previous year, departing Manchester United after facing charges of attempted rape, assault, and controlling behavior. These charges were ultimately dropped when key witnesses withdrew, leading to new evidence that indicated there was “no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.” Following a successful loan stint at Getafe, Marseille acquired him permanently for an estimated £26.7 million ($35.3 million), where he quickly established himself as a key player under coach Roberto De Zerbi.

Greenwood has experienced a remarkable career resurgence, emerging as Marseille’s top scorer last season and maintaining impressive form in the current campaign. In a recent Champions League match against Newcastle, he showcased his abilities with a stellar performance, consistently threatening from the right wing. He created four chances and provided the assist for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s first goal, contributing to Marseille’s vital 2-1 victory.

USMNT star Timothy Weah, son of renowned former footballer George Weah, expressed his commitment to helping Greenwood secure a return to the England national team. After the match against Newcastle, Weah remarked to The Sun: “When I speak about Mason, it’s a special feeling because it’s very rare in a lifetime that you get to share the pitch with such an amazing player and amazing character. We’ve grown closer since I joined the team. Hopefully, he gets that call-up soon. I’m super proud of him. He’s having an amazing season, and hopefully, I can help him reach the heights he aims for.”

To date, Greenwood has made only one senior appearance for the England national team, which occurred when he was substituted into a Nations League match against Iceland in September 2020. This match, however, was shrouded in controversy, as he and teammate Phil Foden were sent home for violating COVID-19 quarantine protocols by bringing female companions to the team hotel. Since then, he has not received another call-up to the national squad.

Although Greenwood is eligible to represent Jamaica, he remains hopeful of returning to the England setup. However, England’s coach Thomas Tuchel stated earlier this year that Greenwood is currently not being considered for selection. Tuchel explained in September, “I have not spoken to him or his camp. My understanding was that he tries to play for Jamaica, so we didn’t give it another thought. He was not in the mix at the moment, and he is not in our thoughts for our team.”

Speculation has arisen regarding Greenwood’s potential allegiance switch to Jamaica after he obtained his passport earlier this year. The departure of Steve McClaren as Jamaica’s head coach followed the team’s failure to secure automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup, but there remains a chance for qualification through inter-confederation play-offs. Nevertheless, former Arsenal player Isaac Hayden criticized the idea of Greenwood joining Jamaica solely for World Cup ambitions, stating, “If players can just rock up because of a World Cup, it would make the whole thing a farce. That would say a lot about the player and the organization for allowing that to happen.”