The 2006 World Cup star has been an outsider as Fabio Capello’s England moved towards Euro 2012.
But, having moved to French champions Lille from Liverpool on a season-long loan, the 29-year-old has hit the ground running.
He is the first England international to play in the French top flight for two decades and has earned rave reviews for his skill and trickery.
Although Capello’s squad for the finals in Poland and the Ukraine next summer is busy picking itself, Cole could yet gate-crash the party after seemingly finding his spiritual home in northern France.
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