“It’s too early for him” - Arsenal legend expects current Gunners star to miss out on FIFA World Cup selection

The FIFA World Cup finals in Qatar kick off in just over one month and it’s getting closer and closer to decision time for international bosses naming their squads.

Several Arsenal players are looking like shoe-ins to be taking part in Qatar after their excellent start to the season including Bukayo Saka, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Thomas Partey. Meanwhile, other players remain in the uncertain category, mainly due to the competition for places in their positions for their countries, such as Aaron Ramsdale and Gabriel Jesus with the latter having missed out on selection to the previous Brazil squad.

Indeed, Brazil are currently stacked with attacking options and there will be a host of big name players who are left at home by the five time world champions and one man who knows all about lifting the World Cup believes one of those players could very well be a current Gunners’ stand out.

Speaking to Genting Casino, Emmanuel Petit - a World Cup winner with France in 1998 and a Premier League winner with Arsenal in the same year, says he does not expect Gabriel Martinelli to be selected for next month’s finals despite the excellent season he is having at the Emirates Stadium. The 21-year old has scored four goals so far and did feature for his country in the summer in a friendly win over Japan but Petit believes it is too early in his career for such a significant call up.

He said: “Brazil played against Tunisia and Ghana and won both games and of course Martinelli wasn’t in the squad. I think it’s too early for him as there are players with more experience who are more efficient than him. We’re in the middle of October and the list will be done in early November. He’s having a great season, but is it enough to go to the World Cup? This is Brazil. If he keeps on going in the form he’s in, he will be part of it but I think it’s too early.”

The 2022 FIFA World Cup finals kick off on November 20 with host nation Qatar facing Ecuador.