Gareth Southgate “completely understands” Wilfried Zaha’s decision to snub England and represent Ivory Coast instead.
The Crystal Palace winger will come up against the Three Lions at Wembley on Tuesday night as the two nations meet for the first time.
Zaha, 29, was capped twice by England – making his debut in the same match as Raheem Sterling in 2012 – but as both appearances were in friendly fixtures he was still eligible to switch allegiance to the country of his birth.
