England face San Marino and Albania this week. How about some players who are one of few to represent their country in the Premier League?
England start their qualifying campaign for the 2022 World Cup with a match against perennial whipping boys San Marino before facing Albania on Sunday. No player from San Marino has ever made it to the Premier League and only two Albanians have featured in the top flight. Here’s an XI made up of those who were capped by UEFA-based countries that have only ever had a few players feature in the Premier League.
Goalkeeper: Mart Poom
A familiar face in the nets for Derby County in the late ’90s and early ’00s, Mart Poom was the first Estonian to grace the Premier League. A country most famous on these shores for not showing up for a match against Scotland 25 years ago, Estonia have yet to qualify for a major tournament but did make the play-offs for Euro 2012. If you fancy a goalkeeper challenge, try naming a keeper from the Faroe Islands who has played Premier League football.
Right-back: Florent Hadergjonaj
A country that declared its independence from Serbia just over ten years ago, Kosovo have only had one crack at qualifying for a World Cup thus far and this time around they’ll be looking to improve on their sixth-placed finish in UEFA Group I from their maiden campaign. Versatile defender Florent Hadergjonaj was born in Switzerland but has featured for Kosovo and had a two-year spell at Huddersfield Town during the Terriers’ stint in the Premier League.
Centre-back: Stefan Savic
Another relatively new country competing under UEFA’s governance, Montenegro have yet to feature at a major tournament but they do possess the talents of former Manchester City defender Stefan Savic. Currently playing for Atletico Madrid, Savic won a Premier League title after City’s dramatic triumph in the 2011/12 season.
Centre-back: Danny Higginbotham
Danny Higginbotham never featured for England and wouldn’t start in a Greater Manchester-born XI either, but he was eligible to lineup for Gibraltar after they became an official member of UEFA in 2013. The former Derby County, Southampton, Sunderland and Stoke City defender was already in his mid-30s by the time he made his international debut; he featured just three times.
Left-back: Ezgjan Alioski
Gjorgji Hristov was the first player from North Macedonia to appear in the Premier League, lining up for Barnsley in the 1997/98 campaign and perhaps his bizarre disdain for English women put off his fellow countrymen from following him to England. Ezgjan Alioski is filling his boots and currently flying the red and yellow flag at Leeds United for now, although perhaps not much longer.
Defensive midfield: Lorik Cana
This Sunday will mark the first time the Three Lions have faced Albania in World Cup qualifying since their road to Japan and South Korea in 2002. Andy Cole scored his only England goal in a 3-1 win against the Eagles, who finished rock-bottom of the group. Lorik Cana was just a teenager at PSG at the time but the former Sunderland player went on to lead his country to the Euros in 2016 and remains Albania’s most-capped international.
Winger: Alexander Hleb
Yet to appear at a major tournament, Belarus came closest when finishing third in their 2002 World Cup qualifying group. Alexander Hleb was just starting his international career at the time and impressed enough at Stuttgart to earn a move to Arsenal in 2005. He spent three seasons with the Gunners, helping them reach the Champions League final in 2006. Only one other Belarusian has featured in the Premier League but Sergei Kornilenko’s stint at Blackpool was short and not very sweet.
Winger: Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s move to Manchester United in 2016 seemed like a good one from the Red Devils after his form for Borussia Dortmund. However, the subsequent few years at Old Trafford and the Emirates ultimately proved to be disappointing for the first Armenian to feature in the Premier League. Mkhitaryan does at least remain the poster boy for football in his homeland.
Attacking midfield: Georgi Kinkladze
Mkhitaryan may be the modern day talent from Caucasia, but back in the 90s Georgi Kinkladze was the biggest hit from the region. The Georgian star lit up Maine Road in a bleak era for Manchester City and remains a favourite among fans despite the stars seen on display at the Etihad over the last decade. Four other Georgians have played in the Premier League but Temuri Ketsbaia booting advertising boards aside, none have come close to matching the impact of Kinkladze.
Striker: Marians Pahars
The very first Latvian to feature in the Premier League, Marians Pahars joined Southampton towards the end of the 1998/99 season and went on to spend eight years on the south coast. Four of his fellow countrymen have played in the top flight since but Igors Stepanovs and friends didn’t make the same impression as Pahars.
Striker: Edin Dzeko
A two-time Premier League winner with Manchester City, Edin Dzeko flew the flag for Bosnia and Herzegovina during his five-year stay in England. Former Newcastle United forward and Cyprus international Nicos Papavasiliou is also eligible for this side, as is Tomas Danilevicius of Lithuania.
James Wiles – whose Instagram has a whole load more XIs
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