Pietersen takes ‘English only’ Wilshere to task
South African-born England batsman slams Arsenal midfielder for views that only home-grown players should play for national side
Kevin Pietersen took to Twitter to question England footballer Jack Wilshere’s belief that only English-born players should represent the national side.
Pietersen, born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa to an English mother and South African father, has become a mainstay of the England cricket team and is just one match away from appearing in 100 Tests.
He is one of a number of players across several sports, including Jamaica-born footballer John Barnes, who’ve represented England without being born in the country, a legacy of the country’s imperial past, ‘mixed’ marriages and, more recently, greater global migration.
The only people who should play for England are English people. If you live in England for five years it doesn’t make you English
But Wilshere said on Tuesday: “The only people who should play for England are English people. If you live in England for five years it doesn’t make you English.”
However, Pietersen pointing to his own case and that of several other South Africa-born England cricketers as well as Somali-born double Olympic champion Mo Farah, said: “Jack Wilshere - interested to know how you define foreigner...?
“Would that include me, [Andrew] Strauss [the ex-England cricket captain], [Jonathan] Trott [England batsman], [Matt] Prior [England wicketkeeper], Justin Rose [South Africa-born golfer], [Chris] Froome [Kenya-born Tour de France champion], Mo Farah?”
England international Wilshere, 21, insisted he’d only been talking about his own sport.
