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10 Worst England Players of All Time [Ranked]
Playing for the England national team is an honour that is bestowed for some of the best footballers from the country. The likes of Steven Gerrard, Alan Shearer and Harry Kane have represented the Three Lions over the years and done the badge justice. The alumni of former England players is as good as any country has to offer.
Not necessarily every player that played for England has been impressive, though. In fact, some were downright poor and the fact they ever even managed to earn a cap looks more bizarre with every passing year. Whether it was due to their poor performances in a Three Lions jersey or the fact that they should have never been called up to represent the country in the first place, these are the 10 worst footballers to ever play for the England national team.
10 Best England Strikers in Football History (Ranked)
Considering their contribution to the England national team, here are the best ever English strikers.
10
Keith Curle
England caps: 3
It’s almost harsh to criticise Keith Curle too much for his time in the England side. His international career never really stood a chance. The former Manchester City man was a natural centre-back, but was never afforded the chance to play in the position in any of his three appearances with the Three Lions. Instead, he was forced out wide and deployed as a right-back.
It wasn’t a position he was comfortable in and that was apparent for all to see through his performances for England. Graham Taylor first called him up in 1992 and played him on three occasions, but he failed to make an impression in any of the games. After that trio of caps, he was never selected to play for the national team again.
9
Carlton Palmer
England caps: 18
By far the most capped player on this list, the fact Carlton Palmer was selected on 18 occasions for the Three Lions is something that continues to baffle football fans to this day. It was Graham Taylor again who decided to call the former midfielder up to the national team and he managed to score just one goal during his stint in the side and that came against San Marino.
More often than not, he left fans disappointed and it was surprising to see him included time after time. He featured regularly through 1992 and 1993 and was involved in the side that failed to qualify for the 1994 World Cup. Afterwards, he was never called up again and is a name that many current fans won’t even be familiar with right now.
8
Michael Ricketts
England caps: 1
The first, but certainly not the last one-cap wonder included on this list, Michael Ricketts was having a solid season with Bolton Wanderers when he was called up to the England national team in February 2002. He scored 12 Premier League goals for the Trotters that season, but couldn’t replicate that form with his country.
His single appearance with the Three Lions came against the Netherlands and after starting the contest, he was dragged off at half time and never came close to a call-up again. The striker never reached double figures in league goals in a season throughout the rest of his career too, ensuring his place in the history books as an England international has aged like milk.
7
Zat Knight
England caps: 2
Zat Knight’s rise from non-league football to international player is quite astounding. The former centre-back started his career with Rushall Olympic, but moved swiftly up the football pyramid and made a name for himself at Fulham. It was during his eight-year stint with the Cottagers that Knight earned two caps with his country.
The late, great Sven-Goran Eriksson called him up to the Three Lions team, but things didn’t go quite as Knight will have hoped. His national debut came against the United States in a friendly back in May 2005. His second match came just days later in another friendly against Colombia. Neither performance left much of an impression and he was never called up again. In fairness, he did remain in the Premier League for the majority of his career, so things weren’t too bad for him.
6
Gavin McCann
England caps: 1
Another player handed his first England cap by Eriksson, Gavin McCann spent the majority of his career playing in the Premier League for the likes of Aston Villa and Bolton Wanderers. He was a solid player for the level and always did a job for his clubs when called upon. After being brought into the national team set-up, though, it was very apparent that the former midfielder just wasn’t quite on that elite level.
His only appearance for England came in a friendly match against Spain in 2001 and it was uninspiring to say the least. Eriksson was still finding his feet as the Three Lions boss and he never picked McCann again.
5
David Nugent
England caps: 1
After Darren Bent picked up an injury in 2007, Steve McClaren decided to call David Nugent up to the England national team. It was an astonishing turn of events considering the striker was plying his trade in the Championship at the time. He was nowhere near the level of the talent surrounding him at the time and while he was a solid player in the second tier of English football, he was always out of his depth when he tried his luck in the Premier League.
The same can be said for his very brief stint in the England national team. His debut, and only appearance, came in a Euro 2008 qualifying match against Andorra. He played just 11 minutes and got on the end of a Jermaine Defoe strike that was goal-bound anyway. He never played for his country again and McClaren was sacked later that year.
10 Players You Forgot Played for England
GIVEMESPORT has taken a look at ten of the most forgettable players to have earned an England cap.
4
Francis Jeffers
England caps: 1
Initially, Francis Jeffers was looked upon as someone who had an incredible amount of talent and plenty of promise. He even earned a big move to Arsenal as a young star. Unfortunately, things didn’t play out quite as many expected for the striker and failed to ever really become the elite forward that he seemed destined to be. Still, he managed to get an England cap under his belt, which is quite remarkable, all things considered.
The former forward played his only game for the Three Lions in a 3-1 defeat to Australia, but actually managed to get on the scoresheet. Still, that was the highlight of a career that ultimately disappointed and looking back, it’s still shocking to think Jeffers ever played for the Three Lions. He’s considered one of the worst strikers in Premier League history for a reason.
3
Michael Ball
England caps: 1
In the same match that McCann was handed his only England appearance, so too was Everton’s Michael Ball. The defender was also brought off the bench, but like McCann, it was a lacklustre outing from him and he was never afforded the opportunity to represent his country again. With the calibre of player being brought into the game, it’s shocking that the Three Lions actually won 3-0.
Spells at Rangers, PSV Eindhoven and Manchester City followed his time with the Toffees, but Ball never came close to even threatening a return to the national team and his one appearance is one that fans probably don’t even remember.
2
Andy Gray
England caps: 1
What makes Andy Gray’s England call-up all the more surprising was that he wasn’t particularly playing too well for his club, Crystal Palace, at the time. After a couple of strong seasons at Selhurst Park, the club had taken a step back by the time he was actually selected to play for the Three Lions in late 1991.
The striker played just one half of football for England and it came in a crucial Euro 1992 qualifier against Poland. Unfortunately, he had the chance to really write his name in the stars, but missed an incredible opportunity to score from just four yards out. After squandering that chance, he was never picked again.
1
Jay Bothroyd
England caps: 1
Another England striker called up while playing in the Championship was Jay Bothroyd. The former forward was turning out for Cardiff City in 2010 when Fabio Capello decided to bring him into the national team fold. He was having a fine season for the Bluebirds, scoring 20 goals in all competitions that campaign, but his call-up to the national team was a surprising one.
Bothroyd played just once for the Three Lions, coming off the bench in the second half as England suffered a 2-1 friendly defeat to France and he never came close to making it into the side throughout the remainder of his career. Just a bizarre inclusion.
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt and accurate as of 13th November 2025
Everton have made contact with Premier League rivals over a move for a striker, according to Football Insider, as the club aim to give some fresh options to David Moyes.
It comes as the Toffees look to improve on last season’s 13th-placed finish, which saw the team in the conversation for European football, but falling away late in the campaign.
Several areas could be addressed in the market to help give Everton a fighting chance of landing a return to Europe next time, but the forward ranks remain the most prominent in the club’s focus for this summer.
According to the report from Football Insider, Everton have made contact with Chelsea in an effort to sign Liam Delap, as work for a deal accelerates.
The 23-year-old is expected to leave Stamford Bridge in the coming weeks, following a difficult debut campaign with the club last time around.
A mixture of injuries and poor form meant the striker looked a shadow of the player he was in his time with Ipswich Town the season before, having been described as a “beast” when at top form.
Everton are looking to take advantage of Chelsea’s decision to try and get Delap back to his very best, with plenty of potential clearly there.
The forward could offer a presence at the top end of the pitch, which would suit Moyes’s style of play, where the strikers often have to fight for the right service towards them.
It’s unclear exactly how much Everton value the striker at, with other reports claiming that £40 million could be enough to persuade the Blues to part ways this summer for the star who has been described as a “beast”.
That switch could prove to be the first deal of many for the Toffees, which could bring about some change in the forward departments.
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Everton’s Forward Changes
Everton are expecting a few ins and outs when it comes to the forward areas, with some possible deals being lined up in both directions this summer.
RB Leipzig have made contact over a deal to sign Thierno Barry, which may open up the possibility of Delap making the switch to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Everton In Advanced Talks To Sign ‘World-Class’ England Star
Everton are closing in on a new potential signing for this summer, with an England star eyeing a possible return.
Beyond the French striker potentially leaving, reports have stated that Everton are interested in Jarrod Bowen following West Ham’s relegation to the Championship.
It would see Moyes reunite with the forward following their time together in the capital, which had plenty of success for the forward and the head coach.
Lionel Messi has a strong understanding of what separates the very best players from the rest, and his eight Ballon d’Or titles underline that better than most. Across more than two decades as a professional, he has faced plenty of England’s biggest football names. However, it is not Wayne Rooney, Harry Kane or Ashley Cole who the Argentine regards as the country’s finest ever talent.
Instead, Messi – one of the greatest footballers in the history of the game – chose Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard as England’s “greatest ever player.”
Back in 2016, the Argentine superstar was discussing the Liverpool legend shortly after his retirement. He made it clear just how much he admired the midfielder, wishing him “a happy retirement” and saying:
“Personally, I think [Steven] Gerrard is England’s greatest-ever player.”
Although he was not specifically weighing in on the famous Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Paul Scholes debate involving three of England’s most celebrated midfielders, Messi’s comments still make his preference for the Liverpool star over his former international teammates pretty clear.
The former Reds captain has a glittering list of individual honours to his name, having been selected in the PFA Team of the Year a record eight times and included in the FIFPRO World 11 on three separate occasions. That is the second-highest tally of any Englishman, behind only Chelsea great John Terry, who made the side five times. Gerrard was also named alongside Messi in UEFA’s “Team of the Century”, standing as the only English player included and one of just two members of the XI not to have represented either Real Madrid or Barcelona.
Gerrard Feared Messi
Gerrard, meanwhile, named Messi alongside Cristiano Ronaldo as the only two players he was ever “afraid” to play against. The pair met just twice during their long careers, facing one another in both legs of the 2006/07 Champions League last-16 tie. Liverpool progressed on that occasion, eliminating the Catalan giants on away goals after a 2-1 victory at the Camp Nou and a 1-0 defeat at Anfield. Messi did not find the net in either match.
Messi endured a similar outcome on his only other visit to Anfield, when Liverpool memorably wiped out a three-goal first-leg deficit in the 2019 Champions League semifinal to send Barcelona crashing out. The Merseyside outfit appeared to be among the few clubs capable of getting the better of Messi’s star-packed Barca sides.
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Messi yet to Face England
Against English clubs outside of Liverpool, the Inter Miami star generally had little trouble leaving his mark, producing 27 goals and seven assists in 36 matches against Premier League opposition. What stands out is that, even with relatively few direct meetings against Gerrard, Messi still selected the Liverpool man as England’s greatest. He shared a pitch with Frank Lampard on nine occasions and came up against Paul Scholes four times.
For all his admiration of Gerrard, Messi has surprisingly never faced England on the international stage. Argentina have not played the Three Lions at senior level since David Beckham’s penalty earned Sven Goran Erikson’s team a 1-0 victory at the 2002 World Cup. That match came three full years before Messi made his international debut. Their paths may yet finally cross at the 2026 World Cup in North America. “`
Manchester United are set to miss out on a deal for a midfielder this summer, as Mundo Deportivo claims that one target has rejected an exit from his club.
It comes as the Red Devils are considering their options in the central areas, with as many as three signings expected in the middle of the park in the coming weeks of the transfer window.
Ederson is set to join from Atalanta as the first signing in that position, but the other two options remain open, as Man United position themselves for some impressive players.
Mateus Fernandes has been a key target, along with Sandro Tonali, but there is a battle for the pair as Premier League rivals Tottenham have muscled their way into discussions for the midfield duo.
However, there are other options being assessed, though one of those now appears to be off the cards.
Marc Bernal Rejects Barcelona Exit
Manchester United have been among a whole group of teams monitoring a potential move for Barcelona midfielder Marc Bernal, according to Mundo Deportivo.
The 19-year-old, who has been described as a “special” talent, has impressed since making his breakthrough into the senior team from La Masia.
The midfielder has shown plenty of potential, making 33 appearances over the past season for the Blaugrana, which has caught the attention of the Red Devils.
That said, a deal looks almost impossible now, as the report claims that Bernal has fully committed his future to Barcelona and has rejected the motion of an exit.
The youngster has a €500 million release clause in his deal, which runs until 2029, meaning any move is unlikely to be completed for him in the near future.
It may leave Man United rocked, with another midfield option taken away from them, albeit one who is likely to be a long-term option for the club.
It shows how tough the market is for the stars in the central areas, as the merry-go-round continues.
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Man United’s Future-Proofing Plan
In the past, Man United have been caught in awkward situations by landing players who are in the latter part of their career. It has tied them down to expensive options without the longevity that comes with having a younger star.
This summer’s approach has certainly shifted away from that, with Fernandes still only 21 years old, while even Tonali is at the start of his peak at just 26 years old.
‘Outstanding’ Goalkeeper Set to Reject Man Utd For Deal With Premier League Rivals
Arsenal are set to miss out on a goalkeeper target this summer, with a deal on the horizon with a Premier League rival.
Throwing either alongside the likes of Kobbie Mainoo could create a pairing that will serve Man United for years to come. That strategy is clearly underlined in the club’s interest in a youngster like Bernal.
There is a long-term plan that the Red Devils have planned out. There is some hope that once all the pieces fall into place, there will be no need to change the central areas, and future windows can focus on adding quality elsewhere.
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