Fabio Capello: Arsenal's Jack Wilshere Is 'Next Claude Makelele'

In a recent article published on ESPN's Soccernet.com, Fabio Capello claimed Arsenal's 19 year-old defensive midfielder Jack Wilshere to be the "future of English football".

Capello also claims Wilshere is "better technically than Makelele. He's slower than Makelele but when he receives the ball he is more dangerous than Makelele. Wilshere is the best young player. He now plays all the time with Arsenal. If you play with Arsenal, you are a really good player because Arsene Wenger likes good players. I think he's mature enough to play this role. He's a really interesting player."

When asked about English team training Capello said, "The players will arrive really tired. They play a lot of games before this...but it will be important for Wilshere to understand he will be the future.'' 

Now remember, this is the same Fabio Capello that left Wilshere off his World Cup squad just six months ago.  What changed? Wilshere has appeared in 20 matches this year with one goal and two assists.  But it is not Wilshere's statistics that has prompted Capello to christen him the "next Makelele" because they are not that impressive, it is his defensive technical prowess.  Wilshere possesses the technique of a player 10 years his senior.

With that said, Wilshere is not at the level of Claude Makelele, who currently plays for Paris Saint-Germain.  The position of defensive midfield is called the “Makelele role” for a reason.  That reason being Makelele is the best player to ever play the position.  That is why the role is called the “Makelele role”.  Makelele anchored the French midfield as well as the midfield of Real Madrid and Chelsea.

Wilshere is a very talented player and will be the future of the English national team, but to call him the next Makelele is very presumptuous.