Boateng: Woodgate should have won 80 England caps

Matt Stead

Former Middlesbrough team-mate George Boateng thinks Jonathan Woodgate should have won 80 international caps and is one of the best English centre-backs he has ever seen.

Woodgate, who only made one appearance during Middlesbrough’s 2015/16 promotion season to the Premier League, was released by Boro at the end of the campaign.

And Dutch midfielder Boateng has nothing but praise for the proud Teesider.

“Jonathan has had two spells at the Riverside and his first time when I was there was fantastic,” said Boateng, who played with Woodgate between August 2006 to January 2008.

“What a defender, a gentleman, a guy. For me, he was one of the best English centre-backs I have seen.

“I would go as far as saying that if he hadn’t had so many injuries then he should have had 50-to-80 caps for England, he was that good.”