International break – ten players who could’ve played for different countries!
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A look at ten international stars who could’ve played for different nations, featuring big names at Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea…
1) Diego Costa
Booed by Brazilian fans for deserting the country of his birth to instead play for Spain, Diego Costa is one of the biggest names to swap allegiances at international level, even earning some Brazil caps in non-competitive games.
2) Danny Welbeck
Now an established regular for England, Danny Welbeck almost chose to play for Ghana as a youngster, when a Three Lions spot looked in doubt.
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3) Ryan Giggs
Despite playing for England at youth level, Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs made the heartbreaking choice to instead play for Wales, and as such never made it to an international tournament.
4) Adnan Januzaj
After offers from a whole host of different nations, Adnan Januzaj eventually picked Belgium, but could also have been eligible for England, Croatia, and a few others.
5) Kevin Prince Boateng
His brother may play for Germany, but Kevin Prince Boateng couldn’t break into the team and is now a Ghana international.
6) Miroslav Klose
Polish by birth, Miroslav Klose ended up becoming an all-time great for his adopted nation Germany, winning the 2014 World Cup and becoming the competition’s all-time top scorer.
7) David Trezeguet
A legend for France, David Trezeguet also had the option of playing for Argentina, though with the success he enjoyed for Les Bleus, he won’t be too concerned.
8) Gonzalo Higuain
The complete opposite, Gonzalo Higuain turned down France to instead play for Argentina.
9) Deco
Brazilian by birth, Deco spent plenty of time in Portugal with Porto and then opted to represent his adopted nation at international level.
10) Patrick Vieira
“He comes from Senegal…he plays for Arsenal” went the chant, and despite coming from Senegal, Patrick Vieira opted instead to play for France, becoming their captain and an all-time great in their midfield.
