‘Great possibility’: Antonio Conte makes bold 2022 prediction about ‘very hard-working’ Tottenham player

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Tottenham boss Antonio Conte has predicted that Eric Dier will make the England squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Gareth Southgate announced his squad for the upcoming friendlies against Switzerland and Ivory Coast. Arsenal star Ben White and Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi got the nod instead of Dier and that has not gone down well among Spurs supporters.

Many Tottenham fans feel that Dier has been incredible in the Premier League over the last few weeks. Some can’t understand how Manchester United star Harry Maguire has made the squad over the Spurs defender, and we must say, we don’t get that decision either.

The recent snub has led many people to question if Dier will be in Southgate’s World Cup squad later this year. Conte has predicted that his ‘very hard-working’ defender make it if he continues to perform as well as he has recently.

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Antonio Conte: I’m sure Eric Dier will go to the World Cup

Speaking in his press conference yesterday, Conte said, as per Football London: “Honestly, I hope for the players to receive this call-up. He’s working very hard and at this moment he’s one of the best defenders in the league.

“He has also a big space to improve his performance and his quality and to become a stronger and stronger player. At the moment, Southgate is preparing and he has a plan to prepare a squad for the World Cup in December.

“He knows Eric very well and he has not to discover Eric because he was previously in the national team.

“I’m sure if Eric continues to play this way, he has a great possibility to go to the World Cup because I repeat, he’s one of the best defenders in this league.”

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The competition for places to get into the England squad is now stronger than it has ever been. Southgate had to make a few difficult choices this week and one of them was to snub Dier.

The England boss went with Conor Coady, Marc Guehi, Harry Maguire, Tyrone Mings, John Stones and Ben White in central defence.

Along with Dier, the likes of Fikayo Tomori, Chris Smalling, Joe Gomez and Max Kilman were also ignored, but that doesn’t mean they cannot get into the World Cup squad.

Dier and the rest have over six months to prove their class to Gareth Southgate. If they do, they might get the call up, but if the players who are currently in the squad continue their good form, it will be difficult for the Tottenham man to make the cut.

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