Rob is senior football editor at GiveMeSport, with over 15 years experience covering sport in various capacities since graduating from the University of Gloucestershire in 2008 with a degree in journalism. A childhood obsession for all things football developed into a career writing about the beautiful game, initially producing content for clients including Luton Town Football Club and the PGMOL. His first big interviews were with Premier League referees Howard Webb and Michael Oliver in 2009. He then spent four years producing written content for a betting website, mainly focusing on football, and was there to cover various games and tournaments including the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012. Rob joined GiveMeSport in 2013 (initially as a sub-editor before becoming a senior writer and then senior editor in 2020) and has covered countless football matches and other sporting events, interviewed various high-profile figures including Rio Ferdinand, Peter Crouch and Theo Walcott, and written well over 10,000 articles during that time. Rob has played a key role in GiveMeSport's coverage of the World Cups in 2014, 2018 and 2022, plus Euro 2016, Euro 2020 and Euro 2024, along with many Champions League finals. While football is Rob's area of expertise, he has also covered a wide range of other sports during his time at GiveMeSport including boxing, tennis and darts, as well as the 2016, 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games.
Twenty-four players who were born in England , making them eligible to play for the Three Lions, have represented other nations at the 2026 World Cup finals.
A study posted on Reddit found that 289 players in 2026 World Cup squads do not represent their country of birth. Only France (76 players) and the Netherlands (44 players) had more players competing for other World Cup nations than England.
Only one player in Thomas Tuchel’s 26-man squad wasn’t born in England. Manchester City defender Marc Guehi was born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, but moved to London at the age of one.
Here are the 24 players born in England but represented other World Cup nations. Just imagine how strong Tuchel’s starting line-up would have been this summer if these players had chosen to play for England instead.
DR Congo (Two Players)
DR Congo have two players who were born in England: West Ham defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Kilmarnock midfielder Aaron Tshibola.
Both players represented England at youth level before opting to play for DR Congo as senior professionals. On his decision to play for DR Congo, Wan-Bissaka said: “It’s my country, where my parents come from. I grew up in a Congolese household, and I’m proud to represent it.”
Wan-Bissaka played in the 2-1 defeat to the Three Lions in the Round of 32. Many pointed out that, in hindsight, he could have fixed Tuchel's right-back problem.
Iraq (One Player)
Manchester United fans will be familiar with the name Zidane Iqbal. The Manchester-born midfielder was once touted as a potential first-team star but ended up making just one senior appearance for the Red Devils before moving to Dutch outfit Utrecht.
Iqbal had the choice to represent England, Iraq or Pakistan. Since 2022, the 23-year-old has played 28 times for Iraq, scoring two goals.
Ghana (Three Players)
England’s stars were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Ghana in the World Cup group stages and faced two players who were born in the same country as them.
Manchester City’s Antoine Semenyo was born in London, as was Jerome Opoku, who started at Fulham but now plies his trade with Istanbul Basaksehir. Meanwhile, Milton Keynes-born Brandon Thomas-Asante, who will be a Premier League player with Coventry City next season, remained on the bench.
England's 20 best players right now have been ranked, including Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka.
New Zealand (Three Players)
Veteran centre-back Tommy Smith was born in Macclesfield and played for England U17s and U18s before switching to New Zealand, while defensive midfielder Joe Bell was born in Bristol.
Matthew Garbett was born in London but moved to New Zealand at a young age. He’s now back in England playing for Peterborough United.
GiveMeSport's Special World Cup Guide! MESSI vs RONALDO: The final battle of the GOATS! Who will come out on top? Plus, exclusive interviews, features and more from our top journalists, who have joined forces with America's iconic TV Guide Magazine to bring fans a unique Collector’s Issue for World Cup 2026.
Scotland (Five Players)
Scott McTominay is Scotland’s star player but was actually born in Lancaster, England. Tyler Fletcher, son of Darren, was born in Manchester and plays for the Red Devils alongside his twin brother Jack, who plays for England’s Under-19s.
Goalkeeper Angus Gunn played for England’s youth teams before switching his international allegiances to Scotland, while Leicester-born Che Adams and Sheffield-born George Hirst also began life south of the border.
Canada (Three Players)
Goalkeeper Owen Goodman was born in London but moved to Canada aged five. Although he represented Canada at Under-20 level, he also made two appearances after that for England’s U20s. The Crystal Palace shot-stopper didn't appear during the co-hosts' campaign despite being named in Canada’s 26-man World Cup squad.
Fulham defender Luc de Fougerolles was also born in London, while Middlesbrough’s Alfie Jones has spent his entire life living in England but is eligible to represent Canada through his grandmother.
USA (Three Players)
Fulham left-back Antonee Robinson was born in Milton Keynes, while Giovanni Reyna was born in Sunderland. Reyna’s father, former USA star Claudio, was playing for Sunderland at the time of his birth.
Their international teammate Sebastian Berhalter, who plays for Major League Soccer side Vancouver Whitecaps, was born in London but grew up in Columbus, Ohio.
The trio were unable to help prevent the USA from crashing out of the World Cup in the Round of 32.
France (One Player)
Michael Olise has cemented his status as one of the world’s best players since leaving Crystal Palace for Bayern Munich in 2024. The 2026 Ballon d'Or award contender was born and raised in London to a British-Nigerian father and Franco-Algerian mother.
"I actually come from four countries: France, Algeria, Nigeria and England.” Olise said. “I consider myself very lucky to possess these four parts, which all enrich me. I feel each individual part in me, I've developed attachments in all my countries.”
Olise has played a crucial role in firing France through the World Cup knockout rounds. He's been one of the best players during the competition and reminded England what they are missing out on.
How a modern-day Yugoslavia squad would look - including a scary starting line-up
Switzerland (One Player)
Marvin Keller, one of Switzerland’s three 2026 World Cup goalkeepers, was born in London and only became a ‘keeper because his father bought him goalie gloves as a joke.
The 23-year-old, who also represented Switzerland at Under-19 and Under-21 level, has been on the books of Young Boys since 2023.
Norway (Two Players)
Like the USA’s Giovanni Reyna, Erling Haaland was born in England because his dad played professionally in the Premier League. However, there was never any doubt that Erling would follow in the footsteps of his dad, Alf-Inge, by representing Norway.
Former Liverpool youth player Thelo Aasgaard was also born in England but, like Erling, has only ever pulled on the Norway shirt.
Can you imagine England's starting line-up with the likes of Haaland, Olise, McTominay and Semenyo added to it? They'd surely be the red-hot favourites to lift the World Cup trophy.
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