The one that got away? Ivory Coast’s Zaha prepares for England reunion

Even now, with Wilfried Zaha deep into an international career with Ivory Coast during which he has appeared at three Africa Cup of Nations finals, it is a question to tantalise. Was he the one that got away from England?

It will surely run through a few minds on Tuesday night when the 29-year-old Crystal Palace winger lines up at Wembley for Ivory Coast against England – the country for whom he won two caps in friendlies.

It will be a piece of history because no player has ever switched his allegiance from England and then returned to face them. Around the turn of the 20th century, there were two that transferred to England – Jack Reynolds from Ireland and Bobby Evans from Wales. Both had played matches against England and they would then win caps for them against Ireland and Wales, respectively.

Five others have been capped by England and another country and only one of those is from the modern era – Declan Rice, who appeared in three friendlies for Ireland before going to England. Rice was an unused substitute for England against Ireland in 2020.

Zaha, who was born in Abidjan and moved to south London as a four-year-old, made his decision to switch on 27 November 2016 because, frankly, he was sick of being overlooked by England.

Capped at youth levels, Zaha was given his senior bow by Roy Hodgson against Sweden in November 2012. Playing in the Championship for Palace, Zaha was introduced in the 85th minute of a 4-2 defeat which was made famous by Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s fourth and final goal in stoppage-time – the outrageous 30-yard overhead kick.

It was the following season that things became complicated. Zaha started the campaign at Manchester United and Hodgson would give him his second cap in August 2013; as a