If he had remained at Chelsea, Noni Madueke would be in the shadows of Cole Palmer. However, with his move to Arsenal last summer, he didn't just step out; he stepped into imminent glory, and with it, a level of recognition that would have otherwise evaded him.

Noni Madueke has been included in England's World Cup squad, as confirmed by Thomas Tuchel on Friday, following a successful season with Arsenal, where they have won the Premier League and are preparing for the UEFA Champions League final.

The 23-year-old was never a standout in the team, but he did not need to be. The core idea behind his move was to back up Bukayo Saka—a role that has now been extended to the England national team ahead of a tough tournament.

His selection directly led to Jarrod Bowen's omission. While the absence of Cole Palmer and Phil Foden could also be linked, both players struggled this year and could not maintain their usual high standards.

Noni Madueke was fortunate enough to get good playing time due to the injuries suffered by Saka during the season, coupled with Arsenal's deep runs in all four competitions. Ultimately, however, his ability to play second fiddle was the biggest reason for his selection.

Why Noni Madueke was picked for England's World Cup squad

As explained by England manager Thomas Tuchel while answering press questions after the squad announcement for this summer's World Cup, Noni Madueke's ability from the bench stands out.

Unlike Jarrod Bowen, who is the most productive English attacker in the ongoing Premier League season, Madueke fits in better in every aspect for England, given that anyone selected for this specific role will play backup to Bukayo Saka.

A potential candidate has to have what it takes to perform in a short window of time. Bowen is not well-suited to this, as he is always a locked-in starter for his club, West Ham United.

To not admit it was a direct competition between the two would be unfair, especially given the omission of Cole Palmer and Phil Foden. Both can also play on the right, but have endured underwhelming seasons at their respective clubs.

In addition, Noni Madueke has already proved himself for England under Tuchel, reportedly earning his World Cup spot during the September international break when he started both of England's games against Andorra and Serbia.

In the absence of Bukayo Saka, Madueke stepped up for England and scored his first goal for his country against Serbia. Thomas Tuchel was deeply impressed and placed him ahead of Bowen from that moment onward.

The England coach said after the Serbia win; “I’m very happy today because he played with hunger and with a directness and on top of that he needs to stay focused.

“I’m most happy about his attitude today. The reaction off the ball, the work he put in to help Reece (James) because we played a back four against a back five, so to help against the wing-backs and to push forward.

“The work rate is what I like the most in his performance today. He’s fast, he’s direct and he likes to dribble. That’s what we want from him.”

Madueke is a much younger option compared to Bowen, and one for the future, possessing an elite mentality that will only get better as he plays for teams where he constantly has to compete for playing time and major silverware.

Maybe playing for Arsenal helped his selection, but Madueke has simply been the better player for England under Tuchel. As the German tactician said about selecting his players, "We decided to stick with those who carried us through the storm."

Why Noni Madueke is the biggest winner of Arsenal's season

Just like the man himself said not long ago about his reason for joining Arsenal from Chelsea: "I believed Arsenal were going to win trophies. That's why I moved."

It would take a clueless observer not to see that it was only a matter of time before Arsenal finally got things over the line after three consecutive second-place finishes. The trophy, even if it hadn't come in the league, would have arrived in another competition.

The most difficult parts of the journey have been played by those who have been together much longer working on the project, meaning the England international's move was perfectly timed to cash in on that success.

He is now a Premier League winner, and should things go their way next weekend in Budapest, he'll add a Champions League winner's medal too, before heading to the FIFA World Cup with a highly competitive England squad.

At Chelsea, he may have started more games, but he would have done so in the shadows of Cole Palmer. If the star player of an underperforming team doesn't make the international cut, how can anyone below them in the club's pecking order expect to?

In addition, his move to Arsenal allowed him to fulfill exactly what England needed: a player who functions exceptionally well as a substitute. With his ability to take on his man and cause chaos, who better to consider than Noni Madueke?

By contrast, Bowen started in all 37 of his Premier League appearances this season for a team that literally faced zero pressure until the possibility of relegation became a reality—a battle they haven't done much to win.

Meanwhile, Noni Madueke has regularly come off the bench to deliver vital performances for Arsenal, including the winning goal against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, and the decisive goal that unlocked Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Conclusion

Noni Madueke made a massive career call when he decided to leave Chelsea last summer. With the Blues now battling internal instability while he thrives with their rivals, it is clear he made the right decision.

Playing in a World Cup is the dream of every player, and he will now have the chance to experience it ahead of players who were well above him in the pecking order when he was at Chelsea playing more minutes.

Many mocked him when he appeared desperate to leave Chelsea and join Arsenal last summer, but that decision has proved to be the best of his career so far. Whatever comes next, he will embrace it, knowing he is exactly where he wants to be.