Talented players who have never played for their country (Part I)
Here’s a look at a few undoubtedly talented players who have surprisingly never donned their country’s shirt:
1. Paolo Di Canio (Italy)
Considered one of the greatest players to play for the Hammers, Di Canio is one of the most well-known Italians to have never played for the Azzurri. From pushing a referee to winning a fair-play award, Di Canio has done it all. He began his career with Lazio, and then went on to play for Juventus, Napoli and AC Milan before joining Celtic, which is said to have been the turning point in his career, as many consider it the sole reason why he never played for Italy. It is said that had he been at a club in Italy, he would have surely got the national call. Although he did not get his cap, his club career scaled new heights after joining West Ham in 1999. He even won ‘Hammer of the Year’ in 2001, but after suffering relegated in 2003 and a spat with his manager Glenn Roeder, he was sold to Charlton Athletic, where he stayed for a year before joining Lazio again. But age was catching up with him, and after two seasons at the Biancazzuri he moved to Cisca Roma where he ended his career.
2. Matthew Etherington (England)
The Stoke City winger came through the youth ranks at Peterborough United before joining Tottenham Hotspur. He however didn’t have a great time at White Hart Lane, and moved to West Ham in 2003. After a good first few years, he lost his place in the squad due to Gianfranco Zola’s preference for younger players. After being sold to Stoke in 2009, he has been their regular winger and even won the side’s ‘Player of the Season’ award for the 2009-10 season. Known for his accurate passing and dribbling skills, he played for the England U21s, but has not yet made his senior debut. One may say he was just at the wrong club at the wrong time.
3. Steve Bruce (England)
Many must know him as the manager sacked by Sunderland last year, but a few may not know that he was once the captain of the Red Devils, and was one of the few players to win the double with Manchester United. He was first given a trial by Gillingham in 1979 where he played five years before joining Norwich, and then United. Playing as a centre-back, he was considered one of the best during his era. He had a knack of scoring important goals too, and in the 1990-91 season scored an incredible 19 goals. Yet, he never got a chance to play for England, and after retiring in 1999, saw his dream remain unfulfilled.
4. Mikel Arteta (Spain)
Perhaps the best of the lot, Arteta has played in four major European leagues, and is a product of the famous Barcelona youth academy. Though he was selected in their B team, Arteta failed to break into the first team and was loaned out to PSG. After spells at Rangers and Real Sociedad, he went on to play for Everton where he flourished under David Moyes. He signed for Arsenal in 2011 after six seasons at Goodison Park, with Arsene Wenger paying £10 million for his services. He is known for his precise passing and intelligent play. Arteta has played for Spain at the u21 level, but has never represented the senior side due to the tough competition for spots in the La Roja side.
5. Leon Osman (England)
An Everton man since 1997, he is an another talented player who has never played for the Three Lions, or for the country at any level for that matter. The unsung hero for the Toffees, he has barely received recognition outside his club, with the likes of Tim Cahill, Leighton Baines and Mikel Arteta snatching the limelight. After Arteta left for Arsenal, Osman has done well to plug the gap, and despite being in his 30s, still believes he can get the call-up. Well, he better keep his fingers crossed.