Twelve footballers who switched allegiances including Declan Rice, Jack Grealish and Matty Cash

MATTY CASH is one of several players to switch international allegiance after picking the country of his maternal grandparents, Poland.

The Aston Villa defender’s move is emblematic of a significant trend in the game, with the world’s population now more global than ever.

Slough-born defender Matty Cash has played for Poland twiceCredit: Getty

Some moves have been controversial as stars gain multiple caps for multiple nations, while other more surprising switches have led to lesser-known players becoming household names in far-flung lands.

Here, SunSport details twelve significant changes of allegiance.

Declan Rice

The West Ham midfielder was an integral part of the England side that reached the Euro 2020 final last summer, but had been playing for the Republic of Ireland only three years earlier.

Born in Kingston-upon-Thames, Rice represented the Boys in Green in several youth teams but took time away from the international scene after three caps for the senior side, before officially swapping to England in March 2019.

Declan Rice made three senior Ireland appearancesCredit: Sportsfile

Jack Grealish

Like Rice, Grealish was born in England but earned his first chance with the Republic thanks to his Irish roots.

However, after winning the Under-21 Player of the Year award in 2015, he turned down a senior call-up and committed to the Three Lions.

England fought hard to secure the services of Jack GrealishCredit: Reuters

.css-qu9fel{border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-b9nmbi{margin-bottom:16px;border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}

.css-1qsre5o{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;}

.css-q8gelu{margin-bottom:24px;}.css-7ysxcx{padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-7ysxcx:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}

.css-1x7hydu{font-family:The Sun;font-size:24px;line-height:1.1666666666666667;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:semi-condensed;padding:1px 0px;}.css-1x7hydu::before{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-bottom:calc(-0.24520833333333342em + -0.5px);}.css-1x7hydu::after{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-top:-0.2333333333333334em;}

.css-1lobn43{display:inline;font:inherit;margin:0;color:rgba(0,0,0,1);}.css-1lobn43 svg{fill:rgba(0,0,0,1);}

Most read in Football

.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}

.css-zdjvqv{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:space-around;-ms-flex-pack:space-around;-webkit-justify-content:space-around;justify-content:space-around;margin-top:calc(-12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(-12px/2);}.css-zdjvqv:before,.css-zdjvqv:after{content:”;display:block;}

.css-1meuhfk{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;margin-top:calc(12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(12px/2);}

FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN NEW CUSTOMER DEALS

Wilfried Zaha

Crystal Palace star Zaha rebuffed England’s approach to keep him in the Three Lions’ fold after several seasons out of the squad to link up with the Ivory Coast in 2017.

Having broken out at Selhurst Park and moved to Manchester United, the winger earned two England caps but was persuaded to commit to the country of his birth to try and lead the team back to the World Cup.

Wilfried Zaha was dropped by England after only two gamesCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Michail Antonio

Although England are not short of striking options, it was exactly as Antonio found the form of his life that he declared for Jamaica.

Both Sam Allardyce and Gareth Southgate called up the striker but he did not make an appearance, before joining other English-born Jamaicans Liam Moore, Kemar Roofe, Ravel Morrison and more in signing up to the Reggae Boyz cause earlier this year.

Jamaica have snapped up Michail Antonio to lead their lineCredit: Getty

Taulant Xhaka

After Ragip Xhaka moved his young family from Yugoslavia to Switzerland having served time as a political prisoner, his two sons discovered their ability on the football field.

But Granit and Taulant took different routes in picking the country they wanted to represent, with the older brother opting for the nation of their heritage, Albania, while Arsenal star Granit chose to play for the Swiss.

Xhaka brothers Granit and Taulant have squared off on the international stageCredit: Reuters

Jamal Musiala

In perhaps the most recent example of an international tug-of-war, 18-year-old winger Musiala agreed to play for Germany over England.

The Bayern Munich winger starred for the Three Lions’ Under-21 team only last year but was fast-tracked by the country of his birth to earn a call-up to Germany’s Euro 2020 squad.

Jamal Musiala has been quickly integrated into the Germany foldCredit: Reuters

Ben Brereton

Some players field accusations of picking the ‘easy’ option or of shunning the smaller nations when they change their allegiance.

But it is hard to argue with the decision of Ben Brereton Diaz, as he is known when playing for Chile, to leave his distant England hopes to represent the South Americans – for whom he became an overnight fan favourite.

Blackburn forward Ben Brereton has been a hit for Chile

Diego Costa

It is hard to say what might have become of Diego Costa the Brazilian, had he not switched to Spain in 2013.

The then-world champions subsequently flopped with the striker leading the line while getting booed at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, and he failed to deliver a major trophy for his adopted nation.

Diego Costa’s Spain career did not get off to the best of startsCredit: Getty – Contributor

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

France are hardly struggling for attackers having taken Karim Benzema, Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe and more to the last Euros.

But Aubameyang did make an appearance for Les Bleus’ Under-21 team and was also eligible for Spain before committing to Gabon.

French-born star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hopes to lead Gabon to the World CupCredit: Corbis – Getty

Folarin Balogun

The youngster has a bright future ahead of him but it will not benefit England with the out on loan Arsenal starlet set to declare for the USA.

The 20-year-old most recently appeared for England-under-21’sbbut he has also represented the USA at under-18’s level.

Balogun was born in New York before moving to England when he was two-years-old and he is also eligible to play for Nigeria.

Folarin Balogun is eligible for three different countriesCredit: Getty

Alejandro Garnacho

The Manchester United wonderkid has been called up to the latest Argentina squad.

Garnacho is set to team up with Lionel Messi and Paulo Dybala despite being born in Madrid and representing Spain at youth level.

The 17-year-old qualifies for Argentina through his mother and manager Lionel Scaloni is eager to secure his future before Spain call him up first.

Alejandro Garnacho highlighted his potential with a brilliant solo goal against Everton under-18s last month

Karamoko Dembele

Countries around the world are constantly tracking the next generation to help build their squad, and several sagas are still ongoing.

One example is Celtic star Dembele, 18, who has played for Scotland’s U16 and U17 squads, as well as England’s U15, U17 and U18s – with the Three Lions currently boasting the up-and-coming winger.

Karamoko Dembele has chosen to play for England after outings with Scotland

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk