'Proud-to-be-British' Farah hits back at Wilshere
'I don’t know nothing but England. This is it,' says Olympic hero
Double Olympic and world distance-running champion Mo Farah hit back at Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere’s comment that only English people should play football for England.
The 5,000m and 10,000m champion, who was born in Somalia, told ITV’s The Agenda programme he was “very proud” to run for England and Britain, having arrived in the country as a schoolboy.
Farah, 30, moved to Hounslow, west London, when he was eight, as Somalia was struck by civil war and is a longstanding fan of north London football club Arsenal.
“It’s where I grew up, it’s where I went to school,” Farah said. “I don’t know nothing but England. This is it. And when I run for my country I’m very proud, and as long as you do that and make your country proud that’s what really matters.”
Rising Manchester United star Adnan Januzaj could play for England from 2018 under the five-year residency rule of football world governing body Fifa, although the 18-year-old, who is eligible for Belgium, Serbia, Albania and Turkey, has yet declare where his allegiance lies.
The only people who should play for England are English people. If I went to Spain and lived there for five years, I’m not going to play for Spain
Earlier this month Wilshere, the 21-year-old Arsenal and England midfielder said: “If you live in England for five years it doesn’t make you English.