To be honest, you rarely see English footballers playing abroad. They feel more comfortable playing at home and, in some cases, for clubs that they have supported since childhood. However, we are seeing more and more Brits going abroad and trying to make it outside England.
Perhaps the first and most high-profile player to do it was David Beckham back in the day when he transferred to Real Madrid. Since then, there have been many English footballers abroad, some playing with more while others with less success.
Since there are more of them after every transfer window, we decided to name a few of the current successful ones playing outside the UK.
Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
England’s captain is probably the best and most known out of all current English football players playing abroad. After failing to capture the Premier League after spending 13 years with the Spurs, Kane decided to try his luck in Germany. He chose the best club in the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich.
While he scored 36 goals during his first year there, the Harry Kane curse followed him there as well. He failed to win the Bundesliga title with Bayern, which the team had held for 12 consecutive years before his arrival. But this year could be the one.
Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
After Kane, Bellingham is probably one of the best English football players outside England. Compared to Kane, he never made his name in the Premier League, playing only for Birmingham City in the lower leagues. He made his name at Borussia Dortmund, becoming one of the best midfield players in the league.
People doubted his decision to leave for Real Madrid at first. But his incredible season where he produced 19 goals showed why he took the famed number 5 shirt that Zinedine Zidan wore. He is off to a slow start this season but will surely pick up the pace.
Angel Gomes (Lille)
Angel Gomes is the newest addition to the Three Lions midfield, at least while Lee Carsley is around. But the Edmonton native and the former Man Utd youth prospect has been slowly carving out his name away from England. He made 30 appearances for Boavista on loan, after which he joined the Ligue 1 outfit LOSC Lille.
He has been a standard player for Les Dogues for four years now and has earned his spot as an English international. At 24 years of age, there is still a lot more that we can expect to see from Gomes. But for now, he is on a steady path.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek (AC Milan)
After mostly acting as a substitute role at Chelsea, Ruben Loftus-Cheek decided to depart for Italy during the 2023/24 season. What first sounded like a failed move turned out to be just what Loftus-Cheek needed. He took to Serie A like a fish to water and became a standard member of the Rossoneri.
Last season he even scored 6 goals in 29 appearances for the club. He received free rein in the midfield which was exactly what he needed. Becoming one of the most prolific British footballers playing abroad.
