A list of 20 best soccer players who switched national teams

National allegiance is hardly up for question for athletes around the world. However, a select number of association football players are privileged to represent two nations in their lifetime. Dig in for a deep dive into the lives and careers of soccer players who switched national teams.

Can soccer players switch national teams? The Fédération Internationale de Football Association allows players with dual citizenship to play for multiple national teams. This article comprehensively analyses 20 famous soccer players who changed their nationalities.

How can a player play for another country in the World Cup?

FIFA rules on switching national teams stipulate that a change of association can occur if a player is eligible to play for the association of another country he holds the nationality. For some footballers, switching national soccer teams is an expression of commitment to their countries of origin or a connection with their parent's places of birth.

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The top 20 soccer players who switched national teams

Sports Brief has used credible sources such as SuperSport, Goal, and Transfermarkt to give this detailed account of the best players who switched national teams. Some excelled in their new challenges, while others struggled to leave a mark.

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20. Dejan Kulusevski

Is Dejan Kulusevski Macedonian? According to Juventus' website, the Tottenham Hotspur star was born in Stockholm, Sweden, to Macedonian parents. The winger and midfielder has predominantly played for the Swedish national football team. However, he recorded six goals in five caps for the North Macedonian national Under-16 team.

• Full name: Dejan Kulusevski
• Date of birth: April 25, 2000
• Age: 23 (as of March 2024)
• Birthplace: Stockholm, Sweden

19. Faouzi Ghoulam

Ghoulam is a left-back who plays for Hatayspor Kulübü in the Turkish Süper Lig. He was born in France to Algerian parents. Faouzi played two matches for the French Under-21 national team before switching nationalities to represent his roots.

• Full name: Faouzi Ghoulam
• Date of birth: February 1, 1991
• Age: 33 (as of March 2024)
• Birthplace: St-Priest-en-Jarez, France

18. Michail Antonio

Premier League forward Michail Antonio was born to Jamaican parents in London, England. Sky Sports reported that the Jamaican Football Federation approached Antonio in February 2021 to represent in international competitions. He made his first appearance for Jamaica under Theodore Whitmore. Antonio has three goals in 12 caps for Jamaica as of March 2024.

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• Full name: Michail Gregory Antonio
• Date of birth: March 28, 1990
• Age: 32 (as of March 2024)
• Birthplace: Wandsworth, London, United Kingdom

17. Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting

Eric-Maxim is a German national born in Hamburg to a German mother and a Cameroonian father. Between November 2006 and March 2010, he played for Germany's Under-18, Under-19, Under-20, and Under-21 national football teams.

When did Choupo-Moting start playing for Cameroon? After making a switch, he debuted for Cameroon on June 1, 2010, in a friendly match against Portugal. Choupo-Moting also served as Cameroonian captain.

• Full name: Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting
• Date of birth: March 23, 1989
• Age: 34 ((as of March 2024)
• Birthplace: Altona, Hamburg, Germany

16. Hakim Ziyech

Hakim Ziyech is a half-Dutch football star born in the Dronten municipality in Flevoland, Netherlands. Between 2012 and 2014, he made eight appearances for the Netherlands youth teams (Under 19, Under-20, and Under-21) before switching to the Moroccan national football team.

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• Full name: Hakim Ziyech
• Date of birth: March 19, 1993
• Age: 30 (as of March 2024)
• Birthplace: Dronten, Netherlands

15. Sofiane Feghouli

Sofiane Feghouli is a number eight defensive midfielder for Fatih Karagümrük in the Süper Lig. He was born in France to Algerian immigrants. The midfielder began his international career with the French Under-18 and the Under-21 squads. On February 29, 2012, he debuted for the Algerian national team.

• Full name: Sofiane Feghouli
• Date of birth: December 26, 1989
• Age: (as of March 2024)
• Birthplace: Levallois-Perret, France

14. James McClean

Third-tier English Champion James McClean is a left midfielder who plays for Wrexham AFC and the Republic of Ireland, according to his Transfermarkt stats. McClean retired from international football in November 2023 after playing 103 games for the Republic of Ireland.

His last cap for the Republic of Ireland was a friendly match against New Zealand. McClean also played for Northern Ireland's Under-21 team.

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• Full name: James Joseph McClean
• Date of birth: April 22, 1989 (34)
• Age: 34 (as of March 2024)
• Birthplace: Londonderry, United Kingdom

13. Ivan Rakitić

Rakitić is a Swiss national born in Möhlin, a city in Rheinfelden, Switzerland. Between August 26, 2003 and November 15, 2006, he played for his home country's Under-16, Under-17, Under-19 and Under-21 teams. In November 2009, he received his first call to Croatia, his parents’ country of birth.

The former Barcelona and Sevilla midfielder retired from international football in 2019 after making 106 appearances for Croatia.

• Full name: Ivan Rakitić
• Date of birth: March 10, 1988
• Age: 36 (as of March 2024)
• Birthplace: Rheinfelden, Switzerland

12. Mário Fernandes

Fernandes was born in São Caetano do Sul, Brazil. In 2002, he moved to Russia, where he played for CSKA Moscow. On July 13, 2016, a presidential decree from the Russian Federation granted him citizenship rights. A year later, the Brazilian international received his first call-up to Russia’s national football team.

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• Full name: Mário Figueira Fernandes
• Date of birth: September 19, 1990
• Age: 33 (as of March 2024)
• Birthplace: São Caetano do Sul, State of São Paulo, Brazil

11. Munir El Haddadi

Three-time Spanish Champion Munir El Haddadi is a Moroccan right winger who plays for UD Las Palmas, according to his Transfermarkt stats. Born in El Escorial, Spain, Haddadi represented his country of birth in twenty matches before joining the Moroccan national team in 2021.

• Full name: Munir El Haddadi Mohamed
• Date of birth: September 1, 1995
• Age: 28 (as of March 2024)
• Birthplace: El Escorial, Spain

10. Folarin Balogun

Balogun is an American football player who plays for AS Monaco in Ligue 1 and the USMNT. He was born to Nigerian parents but eligible to play for two more nations, England and Nigeria. In June 2023, he switched from representing England to the United States Men's national football team.

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• Full name: Folarin Jolaoluwa Jerry Balogun
• Date of birth: July 3, 2001
• Age: 22 (as of March 2024)
• Birthplace: New York, United States

9. Declan Rice

Arsenal’s defensive midfielder, Declan Rice, was born in Kingston-upon-Thames, London. His Irish descent through his parents, Séan and Stephanie Rice inspired his choice to play for Ireland for the first few years of his international career. In March 2019, he switched sports nationalities and began playing for England.

• Full name: Declan Rice
• Date of birth: January 14, 1999
• Age: 25 (as of March 2024)
• Birthplace: Kingston upon Thames, United Kingdom

8. Iñaki Williams

Like many soccer players who changed nationality, Iñaki’s nationality falls in three countries. The right winger was born and raised in Bilbao, Spain, which earned him the privilege of playing for a Basque-only football club, Athletico Bilbao.

Williams is also of Ghanaian and Liberian descent through his father and mother, respectively, as published by La Liga's website. Although he is eligible to play for three nations, he has represented Spain and Ghana in competitions such as the World Cup, AFCON and international friendlies.

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• Full name: Iñaki Williams Arthuer
• Date of birth: June 15, 1994
• Age: 29 (as of March 2024)
• Birthplace: Barakaldo, Bilbao, Spain

7. Victor Moses

Former Chelsea star Victor Moses was born and raised in Kaduna, Nigeria. At eleven, the winger, who plays for Spartak Moscow in Russia’s Premier Liga and the Nigerian national football team, moved to England, where his playing career began.

On November 25, 2005, Moses began his international career with England’s Under-16. He played in England's youth ranks until February 29, 2012, when he received his first call-up from the Nigerian national football team.

• Full name: Victor Moses
• Date of birth: December 12, 1990
• Age: 33 years as of March 2024
• Birthplace: Kaduna, Nigeria

6. Kevin-Prince Boateng

Kevin-Prince Boateng is a retired professional football player turned manager. At the time of his retirement, he played for Hertha BSC in the Bundesliga and the Ghanaian national team. He received his first call-ups with Germany’s Under-15 and rose through the national youth systems until June 2010.

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• Full name: Kevin-Prince Boateng
• Date of birth: March 6, 1987
• Age: 37 (as of March 2024)
• Birthplace: West Berlin, Germany

5. Wilfried Zaha

Zaha is a left-winger who plays for Galatasaray in the Süper Lig. He was born in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, before moving to England at four. Between 2011 and 2012, Wilfried Zaha received two caps from England’s national football team.

He also made 13 appearances for England's Under-21 side and two for the Under-19 team. Zaha debuted for Côte d'Ivoire in 2017.

• Full name: Dazet Wilfried Armel Zaha
• Date of birth: November 10, 1992
• Age: 31 (as of March 2024)
• Birthplace: Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

4. Kalidou Koulibaly

Al Ahli’s Kalidou Koulibaly was born in France and made eleven appearances for the Under-20 national team, according to his Transfermarkt stats. He transitioned to Senegal in 2015, captaining them to their first Africa Cup of Nations title in 2021. Koulibaly has 79 Caps with the Les Lions de la Teranga as of March 2024.

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• Full name: Kalidou Koulibaly
• Date of birth: June 20, 1991
• Age: 32 (as of March 2024)
• Birthplace: Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, France

3. Diego Costa

Costa is a Spanish-Brazilian football star born in Lagarto in Sergipe, Brazil. Named after Argentinian football legend Diego Maradona, Costa would later change his sporting nationality and play for Spain's national football team.

Why did Diego Costa change from Brazil to Spain? In July 2013, he became a naturalised Spanish citizen. Reactions to his switch took a turn, with the Brazilian Football Confederation threatening to strip him of his nationality. As reported by NBCSports, the confederation’s juridic director, Carlos Eugenio Lopes, said,

“The CBF chairman [Jose Maria Marin] authorised me to open a legal action requesting that he lose his Brazilian citizenship. He has asked me to study the situation to keep him from ever playing for Spain. He told me that Costa is 'persona non grata' in the national team.”

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• Full name: Diego da Silva Costa
• Date of birth: October 7, 1988
• Age: 35 (as of March 2024)
• Birthplace: Lagarto, State of Sergipe, Brazil

2. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is a French-born Gabonese football player. According to Transfermarkt, the centre-forward made his first international appearance for the French under-21 national football team. However, from March 2009, Aubameyang’s sporting nationality would represent his father's country of birth.

He made 77 appearances and scored 31 goals for Gabon’s senior national and Olympic teams. In 2022, he announced his retirement on Instagram, ending his thirteen-year career with the Panthers.

• Full name: Pierre-Emerick Emiliano François Aubameyang
• Date of birth: June 18, 1989
• Age: 34 (as of March 2024)
• Birthplace: Laval, France

1. Alfredo di Stéfano

Before his retirement, Stéfano was a second striker for RCD Espanyol Barcelona and the Spanish national football team. The two-time Ballon d'Or winner was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Alfredo Sr., an Argentine-Italian immigrant and Eulalia Laulhé Gilmont, of French and Irish descent.

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Following a football strike in 1949, he defected to Columbia, where he played briefly before rejoining the Argentinian squad. In January 1957, the second striker began a 31-match journey with the Spanish national football team, as reported by the Guardian.

• Full name: Alfredo di Stéfano
• Date of birth: July 4, 1926
• Date of death: July 7, 2014
• Birthplace: Barracas, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Frequently asked questions

Other famous soccer players who switched national teams worldwide include Geoffrey Kondogbia, Nacer Chadli, Taulant Xhaka, Fernando Amorebieta and Neven Subotica. Here are some facts about how a footballer can switch national teams.

1. Can a soccer player play for two national teams?

According to FIFA eligibility rules for national teams, a player can not play for two squads. Players with more than one nationality choose which nation to represent.

2. When can soccer players change national teams?

Once a player formally requests a change of association, their eligibility is assessed, allowing them to play for another country. The request can only be made once but can be appealed.

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3. How often can soccer players change international teams?

The change of association can only be granted once for a player. However, the decision can be reversed under certain conditions.

Final word

While some of the best soccer players who switched national teams originate from shared nationality territories, others share links to different countries through birth, residence or parental nationality. Despite this, each player on the list has displayed a devotion to each country.

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