Representing your country at a major tournament like Euro 2024 is the pinnacle for professional footballers, though some have torn loyalties when deciding which nation to play for.
Whether through birth, ancestry or citizenship, several footballers have a choice to make when it comes to the chosen colours on the international stage.
This summer, there are a wealth of players who were once eligible for England representing other nations. We’ve profiled five stars who in different circumstances could have worn the Three Lions.
Euro 2024: England eligible stars representing other nations
Jamal Musiala (Germany)
Jamal Musiala is the one who got away for England. The midfielder was born in Stuttgart before moving to England as a child and came through the academy system at Chelsea.
Able to represent England, Germany or Nigeria internationally, he featured for the former in various age groups up to u-21 level, before committing his future to the nation of his birth.
โNot long ago, we were roommates in England, and now you are playing for Real Madrid, and Iโm playing for Bayern.โ
Jamal Musialaโs message to his former teammate and best friend, Jude Bellingham. ???? pic.twitter.com/381HnK9iFL
โ CBS Sports Golazo โฝ๏ธ (@CBSSportsGolazo) October 30, 2023
He became the youngest player to represent Germany in a major tournament at Euro 2020, before becoming the second-youngest goalscorerย for Die Mannschaft after opening his account against North Macedonia in 2021, aged 18 years and 227 days.
Arguably the brightest talent in German football, the 21-year-old has already won four Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich and has been named in the divisional Team of the Season in each of the last two campaigns. A fantastically fluid dribbler, Musiala has the potential to be one of his generation’s defining footballers.
Read – Five Premier League transfer targets in the Euro 2024 shop window
Jeremie Frimpong (Netherlands)
Jeremie Frimpong was another who moved to England as a child, leaving the Netherlands age seven. He joined the Manchester City academy and progressed through the ranks, before signing for Celtic in search of first-team football. The move north of the border accelerated his development and Frimpong signed for Bayer Leverkusen in 2021, where he has since established himself among the most effective wing-backs in world football.
Frimpong has scored 17 goals and laid on 14 assists across the last two Bundesliga campaigns, earning consecutive inclusions in the Team of the Season, and formed part of Leverkusen’s title-winning team in 2023-24. The right-back starred as Leverkusen won the first title in their history and became the first Bundesliga team to complete a campaign without losing.
Arrived ???????????? pic.twitter.com/x4CJwsJ4mB
โ Jeremie Frimpong (@JeremieFrimpong) June 1, 2024
He made his debut for the Netherlands in October 2023 and has since won two caps. Frimpong will be hoping to dislodge Denzel Dumfries in the Oranje side, having been an unused squad member at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Read – Four potential surprise packages at Euro 2024
Scott McTominay (Scotland)
Scott McTominay is one of several English-born players in the Scotland squad for this summer and perhaps the most high-profile.
McTominay, who was born in Lancaster, was a driving force in Scotland’s passage to a second successive European Championship, scoring seven goals from midfield during the qualification process. Only four players – Romelu Lukaku, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane – scored more goals in Euro 2024 qualifiers than the 28-year-old.
McTominay reaping the rewards of the high press ????โโ๏ธ#EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/XmTBg0QAHo
โ UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) March 27, 2023
The Manchester United midfielder is eligible to represent Scotland through his father, who was born in Helensburgh.
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Armando Broja (Albania)
The Slough-born striker will represent Albania at Euro 2024, who feature in the tournament’s Group of Death alongside Spain, Italy and Croatia.
Broja declined a call-up for England’s u-21 side in 2019 as he only wanted to represent Albania, the country of his parents, and has since scored four times in 19 international appearances.
Armando Broja ????????????
Made his return from injury at the weekend ????????#EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/PK3eptP2RW
โ UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) September 26, 2023
The Chelsea forward will hope to bounce back from a frustrating season at Euro 2024 for an Albania side under the management of ex-Arsenal defender Sylvinho.
Read – Four Premier League stars whose futures are up in the air
Callum Styles (Hungary)
Callum Styles might just be the unlikeliest Hungarian international, but the Bury-born midfielder will adorn the colours of the Magyars this summer.
The versatile midfielder was able to represent Ukraine or Hungary through his grandparents and chose the latter, making his debut in 2022. Styles has since won 20 caps, featuring in midfield alongside Liverpool star Dominik Szoboszlai.
???????? Callum Styles. Born and raised in Bury. Watched England as a fan at Euro 2020. Qualified for Hungary through his grandmother.
The Barnsley midfielder starred vs the Three Lions last week and will face them again tonight – this time, in the country of his birth. Amazing! ???? pic.twitter.com/VWzfK2g1HI
โ COPA90 (@Copa90) June 14, 2022
“There are loads of good players, we’ve got an unbelievable squad,” Styles said.
“Dominik is a standout player. He’s world class. All you can do is just take tips from what they do day to day, what differences they do to make it better. They’re role models, to be honest. As a player, you have to put yourselves amongst them because you’re in the same team. We’re achieving greatness together. The togetherness in our team between staff and players is unique.”
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