Players who perform for their National Team in major tournaments

[JSArsenal]

Well, the Euros are going on and hearing all the talk around Kane's performance against Scotland vs how good he's been for England overall. I then asked myself, who's actually played well in an England shirt?

For some reason I want to leave out friendly performances because why should 6 goals against Macedonia count?

Off the top of my head I can think of Owen, Beckham, Rooney, Shearer, Ashley Cole and Kane for England. Basically the entire French, German and Spanish teams since 2000. Ronaldo for Portugal. Neymar for Brazil

 

[JJ12]

Perisic

 

[duffer]

Jordan Pickford is miles better for England than Everton.

 

[Melbourne Red]

Lucas Neill was a defensive colossus for Australia

That's the sort of thing you're asking about, yeah?

Great players who were also great for their country?

 

[V.O.]

Guillermo Ochoa always seemed classs for Mexico but never made any waves in the club game in Europe (played for Ajaccio, Malaga and Standard).

 

[JSArsenal]

Lucas Neill was a defensive colossus for Australia

That's the sort of thing you're asking about, yeah?

Great players who were also great for their country?

Yeah, Iker Casillas is another.

 

[Hashira]

First name that came to my mind was Miroslav Klose. Highest goal scorer in the history of the World Cup. Also the all-time top scorer for Germany.

He was a decent striker throughout his club career, but never spectacular. Certainly not as outstanding as he was with the German NT.

Only scored 20 or more league goals once in his club career that spanned nearly two decades (Bremen in 2005-06).

 

[Pexbo]

Griezmann?

 

[Skills]

First name that came to my mind was Miroslav Klose. Highest goal scorer in the history of the World Cup. Also the all-time top scorer for Germany.

He was a decent striker throughout his club career, but never spectacular. Certainly not as outstanding as he was with the German NT.

Only scored 20 or more league goals once in his club career that spanned nearly two decades (Bremen in 2005-06).

Giroud is a bit like France's Klose. Actually scratch that - I didn't read the major tournaments part.

 

[SilentWitness]

Jordan Pickford is miles better for England than Everton.

Weirdly one of if not the most consistent player for England when he’s wildly inconsistent for us.

 

[Lay]

Guillermo Ochoa always seemed classs for Mexico but never made any waves in the club game in Europe (played for Ajaccio, Malaga and Standard).

I remember we were linked with him when he was about 20. He never cemented the number 1 spot for Mexico for as long as I thought he would have. Plus, his club career is mediocre. Not sure why as I’ve seen him have incredible games

 

[BootsyCollins]

Griezmann?

God shout.

Olsen for Sweden.

 

[BalanceUnAutreJoint]

Giroud is a bit like France's Klose. Actually scratch that - I didn't read the major tournaments part.

Klose is 10x the player due to his goals coming in actual comps but yea I think its a fitting comparison

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

Vargas for Chile

 

[WeePat]

Lampard's early England career was really good.

 

[SoCross]

Podolski

 

[JPRouve]

He writes after the national team embarrasses the country.

 

[Okocha119]

First name that came to my mind was Miroslav Klose. Highest goal scorer in the history of the World Cup. Also the all-time top scorer for Germany.

He was a decent striker throughout his club career, but never spectacular. Certainly not as outstanding as he was with the German NT.

Only scored 20 or more league goals once in his club career that spanned nearly two decades (Bremen in 2005-06).

Should probably mention Lukas Podolski as well. Won Best Young Player over Ronaldo and Messi in 2006. Also the third highest scorer in the NT's history behind Klose and Muller. Not a terrible club carreer, but decidedly mediocre.

 

[predator]

Should probably mention Lukas Podolski as well. Won Best Young Player over Ronaldo and Messi in 2006. Also the third highest scorer in the NT's history behind Klose and Muller. Not a terrible club carreer, but decidedly mediocre.

Was just about to mention him. Quality and always turned up. Has a beast of a left foot on him.

 

[GazTheLegend]

Who's played well in an England shirt - Unironically Jesse Lingard. Always looked 2x as good for England as for us.

Alternatively for England of the past, Danny Welbeck scored more goals for England (16), than Paul Scholes, Robbie Fowler, Paul Gascoigne, Peter Beardsley, Ian Wright among many others.

I am struggling to think of non Man-Utd England players that performed to their level for their country, Gary Lineker maybe, but David Beckham just screams to me as one of those players who really rose to playing for England. It's surprisingly hard because England are always so disappointing

As to players from other countries, well, there's a lot of obvious choices in the German and French teams of the past, pick any of those. For Italy - Pirlo was a GOD. Ridiculously good player at international level. And for Brazil, similarly you're spoiled for choice.

 

[fergies coat]

Gary Lineker was brilliant. Alan Shearer had a really good euros goal record i believe.

Wayne Rooney Euro 2004. Unfortunately it was downhill after that for England. That was probably the most exciting England player I've ever seen in that tournament. When he got the ball you believed anything could happen.

 

[Maluco]

David Healy!

All time top scorer for Northern Ireland and he did it against the big teams. The joint highest goal scorer of all time in a Euro qualification campaign (along with Lewandowski no less)

Included goals against Denmark, Sweden, Germany, a winner against England and a hat trick against Spain.

After a decent start at Preston, he couldn’t really get going in the club game and never made a mark anywhere.

 

[JJ12]

Bale

 

[Salwan]

CZE: Milan Baros and Jan Koller
NEL: Arjen Robben
POR: Ricardo

 

[VorZakone]

Zidane? Turned up in 1998, 2000 and was good in 2006 until the headbutt moment.

 

[Schneckerl]

James Rodriguez

 

[GatoLoco]

Morata

 

[jesperjaap]

First name that came to my mind was Miroslav Klose. Highest goal scorer in the history of the World Cup. Also the all-time top scorer for Germany.

He was a decent striker throughout his club career, but never spectacular. Certainly not as outstanding as he was with the German NT.

Only scored 20 or more league goals once in his club career that spanned nearly two decades (Bremen in 2005-06).

Klose, Perisic and Podolski are the three instantly spring to mind who have always done well in major finals and for here clubs have never been anytign special for me

 

[jesperjaap]

Jordan Pickford is miles better for England than Everton.

Yes, he has actually been world class so far in major finals for us (bound to do something bad now put kiss of death on it). That last minute save versus COlumbia was an absolute world class save and he has so far been fautless this tournament as well.

SInce he Italia 90 and Euro 96 sides, I cant think of that many ENglish players that have performed in major finals. Rooney did it in his breakthrough tournament and then was garbage every finals since. Lampard and Gerrard were always poor and many other big names were little more than average.

Only ones I can think of are Ashley Cole, Beckham, Sol Campbell. Nobody has shone for us for over a decade really. Kane may have won the top scorer at the last world cup, but minaly penalties and so far has been awful this. We have also ad many highly rated youngsters such as Wiltshire and Barkley fade away.

Regardless of the rest of this tournament, lets hope some of this current crop that are very young can learn a lot from this experience and go on to be big international players

 

[led_scholes]

Kleberson for Brazil in 2002 and 2004.

 

[paraguayo]

Eduardo Vargas, Caniggia were classic examples of mediocre club players who played ten times better in NT