Whilst the English Premier League is filtered with tremendous talent from outside of the UK, British players themselves are not known to be particularly adventurous when it comes to playing football overseas.
However, this footballing myth is being debunked with the current generation, as Gareth Southgate appears to have quite the task on his hands keeping tabs on all the young English talent currently developing their trade on foreign soil.
With that in mind, leading sports travel experts Sportsbreaks.com have carried out some extensive research to found out who statistically is the best British player to ever pack their bags and attempt to take the world of football by storm.
National treasure David Beckham is widely regarded as one of the best English players to ever play abroad, as unlike his England teammates at the time he spent the majority of his career away from the Premier League. With an impressive seven trophies, including a La Liga title with Real Madrid, and Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint Germain, only one player has secured more trophies away from Britain than the former England captain.
Beating Becks to the top spot is Welsh Icon Gareth Bale. After almost a decade of dominance at the Santiago Bernabéu. Bale won a record breaking five Champions League medals during his time in Madrid, an accolade which no other British player past or present has achieved. Currently playing for Los Angeles FC in the MLS, the Welshman still has time to add to his illustrious trophy cabinet.
Interestingly, current England internationals Jude Bellingham and Jadon Sancho were ranked in the travel brand’s top-10, despite both players still being in the early years of their footballing careers. Bellingham may only be 19-years-old, but the Birmingham-born midfielder has already racked up over 100 appearances for Borussia Dortmund, and has showcased his outrageous talent and maturity against European giants such as Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League.
Additionally, solely focusing on Sancho’s time in Germany, his resume cannot be ignored. The 22-year-old was widely regarded as one of the best wingers in world football, and was one of the main reasons that Dortmund lifted the DFP Pokal in 2021, as he scored a famous brace in the final against rivals RB Leipzig.
See the full results, below:
Amanda Brandariz, Head of Sportsbreaks.com, said: “Britain has been a superpower in football for many years, with the Premier League without doubt being one of the most decorated leagues in the world. So, you can understand why most Brits opt to play domestically, however it seems the likes of David Beckham, and Gareth Bale has spurred on a new generation of footballers to take their careers overseas.
“From a fans’ perspective, more British players playing abroad gives us a great excuse to travel abroad and go watch some live football in Spain, Italy and France and sportsbreaks.com can provide a fantastic full package experience.”
For your chance to watch players England Internationals such as Jadon Sancho, and Kieran Trippier live in action, check out Sportsbreaks.com’s unique Premier League, Serie A, and Ligue 1 ticket and hotel packages, here: https://www.sportsbreaks.com/Football/Premier-League