The World Cup stars who could have played for England
Norway squad
- Full squad
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1 Orjan NYLAND Goalkeeper
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2 Morten Thorsby Midfielder
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3 Kristoffer AJER Defender
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4 Leo OSTIGARD Defender
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5 David MOLLER WOLFE Defender
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6 Patrick BERG Midfielder
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7 Alexander SORLOTH Forward
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8 Sander BERGE Midfielder
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9 Erling HAALAND Forward
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10 Martin ODEGAARD Midfielder
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11 Jorgen STRAND LARSEN Forward
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12 Sander TANGVIK Goalkeeper
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13 Egil SELVIK Goalkeeper
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14 Fredrik AURSNES Midfielder
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15 Fredrik Andre BJORKAN Defender
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16 Marcus HOLMGREN PEDERSEN Defender
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17 Torbjorn HEGGEM Defender
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18 Kristian Thorstvedt Midfielder
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19 Thelo AASGAARD Midfielder
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20 Antonio NUSA Forward
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21 Andreas SCHJELDERUP Midfielder
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22 Oscar BOBB Midfielder
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23 Jens Petter HAUGE Midfielder
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24 Sondre LANGAS Defender
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25 Henrik FALCHENER Defender
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26 Julian RYERSON Forward
England squad
- Full squad
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1 Jordan PICKFORD Goalkeeper
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2 Ezri KONSA Defender
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3 Nico OREILLY Defender
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4 Declan RICE Midfielder
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5 John STONES Defender
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6 Marc GUEHI Defender
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7 Bukayo SAKA Forward
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8 Elliot ANDERSON Midfielder
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9 Harry KANE Forward
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10 Jude BELLINGHAM Midfielder
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11 Marcus RASHFORD Forward
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12 Trevoh CHALOBAH Defender
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13 Dean Henderson Goalkeeper
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14 Jordan HENDERSON Midfielder
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15 Dan BURN Defender
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16 Kobbie MAINOO Midfielder
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17 Morgan ROGERS Midfielder
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18 Anthony GORDON Forward
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19 Ollie WATKINS Forward
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20 Noni MADUEKE Forward
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21 Eberechi EZE Midfielder
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22 Ivan TONEY Forward
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23 James TRAFFORD Goalkeeper
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24 Reece JAMES Defender
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25 Djed SPENCE Defender
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26 Jarell QUANSAH Defender
Ahead of England's World Cup 2026 quarter-final against Norway on Saturday, BBC Sport has highlighted the many tournament stars who were eligible to represent England but chose to play for other nations. Chief among them is Norway's Erling Haaland, the striker England fear most, who was born in Leeds but opted for his parents' homeland. The piece underlines how fine the margins of international eligibility can be, noting that 20 of the 26 players in Thomas Tuchel's England squad were themselves eligible for other countries yet committed to the Three Lions.
The article assembles a full XI of players who "slipped through the net", spanning birthplace, heritage and youth-career links to England. These include goalkeeper Marvin Keller (Switzerland), Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Axel Tuanzebe (DR Congo), Antonee Robinson and Folarin Balogun (USA), Scott McTominay (Scotland), Felix Nmecha and Jamal Musiala (Germany), Antoine Semenyo (Ghana) and Michael Olise (France). Several, such as Musiala and Balogun, previously represented England at youth level before switching, while others qualified through parentage or place of birth.
- Leeds-born Haaland leads a XI of players eligible for England.
- Musiala, Balogun and others played for England's youth teams before switching.
- 20 of England's 26 squad members could also have played elsewhere.