International Players Who Almost Represented England at the World Cup

The World Cup stars who could – When England take on Norway in the World Cup quarter-finals this Saturday at 22:00 BST, Erling Haaland will undoubtedly be among their most feared opponents. Yet the Manchester City striker’s path to international stardom could have unfolded quite differently. Born in Leeds, Haaland would have been wearing the Three Lions’ shirt had he chosen to represent his birth country instead of Norway. But he certainly isn’t the sole example of a World Cup participant who might have suited up for England.

A considerable number of tournament stars have opted for nations other than England despite being eligible. Interestingly, Thomas Tuchel’s 26-man squad reveals that 20 of his players could have represented other countries but ultimately committed to England. BBC Sport has compiled a selection of players from this tournament who slipped through the Three Lions’ recruitment net. Fans are encouraged to share their thoughts in the comments section regarding any omissions.

Goalkeepers and Defenders

Switzerland’s goalkeeper Marvin Keller, aged 23, presents an intriguing case. Despite being born in London, he progressed through the youth ranks at Grasshoppers before moving to FC Wil and subsequently Young Boys, where he has established himself as the starting keeper. His sole Switzerland appearance to date came in a pre-World Cup friendly match.

West Ham’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka, also a London native, represented England at under-20 and under-21 levels before switching his allegiance to DR Congo in 2025. The 28-year-old had been called up by England in September 2019 but unfortunately had to withdraw due to injury.

Antonee Robinson, born in Milton Keynes and raised on Merseyside, developed through Everton’s academy before spells at Wigan and Fulham. His father, born in England but raised in New York, obtained American citizenship. Robinson, now 28, committed to the USA in 2018.

Axel Tuanzebe was born in Bunia, DR Congo, but relocated to England during his childhood. The 28-year-old, who earned one England Under-21 cap, graduated from Manchester United’s academy and featured in Burnley’s relegation campaign last season.

Midfielders and Forwards

Scott McTominay, born in Lancashire, represents Scotland despite a relatively quiet World Cup campaign. At 29, he made 255 appearances for Manchester United following his academy days. His career truly flourished after joining Napoli in 2024, where he was named Serie A player of the year in a title-winning debut season. He has scored 15 goals in 73 appearances for Scotland.

Felix Nmecha, the son of a German mother and Nigerian father, was born in Hamburg but moved to England with his family in 2007. After joining Manchester City’s academy and making three appearances, he progressed to Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund. The 25-year-old represented both Germany and England at youth international level.

Antoine Semenyo, 26, was born in London and developed entirely within England’s football system. Raised by Ghanaian parents, with his mother also being half-French, he has long supported the Ghana national team. He made his debut for the Black Stars in 2022 while at Bristol City, well before achieving success at Bournemouth and Manchester City.

Jamal Musiala, born in Stuttgart to a Nigerian-British father and German mother with Polish heritage, moved to England at age seven and spent much of his childhood in the UK. The 23-year-old attacking midfielder played for England from under-15 through under-21 levels alongside Jude Bellingham. After joining Bayern Munich in 2020, he pledged allegiance to Germany in 2021.

Michael Olise, 24, had four international options with his British-Nigerian father and French-Algerian mother. Born in London and developed through Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Reading academies, he chose France. His first senior call-up for Les Bleus came just over a month after his £50m transfer from Crystal Palace to Bayern Munich in 2024.

Haaland has set all kinds of goalscoring records at Manchester City since moving to the Premier League in 2022, but has also been prolific on the European and international stage. The 25-year-old has scored 60 times in 53 games for Norway and has his sights set on the Golden Boot at this year’s World Cup, with seven goals so far.

Haaland was born in England when his father Alf-Inge Haaland was playing for Leeds in the Premier League, making his potential for England all the more compelling.