Some of the very best players in English football history spent time playing in the EFL Championship – arguably the best second-tier league in world football.

There are some huge names who have made names for themselves on the world stage despite a somewhat forgettable Championship spell. That’s the case for Harry Kane, who didn’t reach the heights of his Bayern Munich exploits while at Millwall and Leicester City.

Others made their mark in the second division, including Jack Grealish, who starred for Aston Villa throughout his time with his boyhood club. Those are just two of the best players in history to have played their football in the Championship and here we rank the 17 who have carved out incredible careers. West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen will soon be adding his name to the list.

Ranking Factors

• Overall Career Success
• Individual Achievements
• Fame
• Longevity

17. Jordan Henderson

Action Images / Peter Ford

The former Liverpool captain spent a brief spell on loan at Coventry City in the EFL Championship in 2009. During his time with the Sky Blues, he gained valuable first-team experience which led to him breaking into the Sunderland team and eventually becoming one of the most successful midfielders in Anfield history.

Jordan Henderson, now seeing out his career at Chelsea, won the Premier League title and captained Liverpool to the UEFA Champions League. He has also earned over 90 caps for England, participating in World Cups and European Championships.

16. Jack Grealish

Sometimes a player comes along in the Championship and puts their team on thier back and that’s exactly what Jack Grealish did at Aston Villa. He almost single-handedly carried his boyhood club back to the Premier League with a play-off victory in 2019.

Grealish’s exploits at Villa earned him an £100 million move to Manchester City in 2021. While he didn’t quite live up to expectations at the Etihad, he still played a key role in their continental treble triumph and became a regular with England.

15. Jamie Vardy

Action Images / Paul Currie

The rise of Jamie Vardy is one that most young English footballers use as inspiration, given he climbed from non-league to the Championship and fired Leicester City to the title in 2013-14. His 16 goals helped the Foxes reach the big time and he cemented his legacy as one of English football’s greatest frontmen.

Two years later, Vardy was getting his hands on the Premier League title against all odds and even winning the Golden Boot in 2020. When you think of a player rising through the English footballing pyramid, the former England international comes to mind.

14. Diogo Jota

Action Images/Craig Brough

Before Diogo Jota was showcasing his clinical finishing abilities in the Premier League, the late Portuguese attacking ace shone at Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Championship. He spent one season on loan in the second-flight and caught the eye with impressive performances that took Wolves to the title with 99 points.

Jota went on to star in Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool team, winning the top-flight title, FA Cup and two Carabao Cups. His resume speaks for itself, and he is recognised as one of the best foreign stars in Championship history.

13. John Stones

Action Images / Paul Redding

It didn’t take long for John Stones to make an impression in the Championship after making the step up from boyhood club Barnsley’s academy. His defensive displays as a teenager in the second-tier earned him a move to Everton before he eventually became a world-class centre-back under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

Not only did Stones evolve into one of the best ball-playing defenders this country has ever seen, he starred for England at multiple major tournaments. He remains a key member of the Three Lions’ squad and once he does call time on his career, will surely be mentioned in the same breath as the likes of John Terry and Rio Ferdinand.

12. Riyad Mahrez

Action Images / Carl Recine

Signed from French outfit Le Havre for just £400,000 in January 2024, not much was known about Riyad Mahrez when he joined Leicester City. The Algerian winger quickly put English football on notice with inspired displays at the King Power, winning the Championship in 2013-14.

The Foxes’ miracle Premier League triumph truly put Mahrez’s name up in lights and Manchester City swooped for his signature. He wowed at the Etihad, writing his name in the club’s history books and becoming a European champion.

11. Michael Carrick

Michael Carrick‘s time in the Championship didn’t last long, but it helped him grow into the brilliant playmaker who helped Manchester United dominate English football. A product of West Ham United’s academy, his passing abilities blew fans away right from the very start of his career.

The height of Carrick’s career came in the Premier League with the Red Devils, winning the title on five occasions along with many other major trophies. He returned to the second-tier as a manager with Middlesbrough before landing the Old Trafford job permanently in 2026.

10. Teddy Sheringham

It would be interesting to see where Teddy Sheringham places on a list solely based on players’ exploits in the second-tier. He’d started his career at Milwall, where he won the Division Two title in 1988. In between two eras in the second division, he enjoyed incredible success at Manchester United, part of the side that won the treble in 1999.

Sheringham returned to Championship football with West Ham United and helped them earn promotion via the play-offs in 2004-05. He saw out his career at Colchester United in that very division.

9. Kyle Walker

Action Images / Craig Brough

It’s hard to argue against Kyle Walker being one of, if not, the best right-backs in England’s history. And it all started at hometown club Sheffield United in the Championship, where he also spent a brief loan spell at Queens Park Rangers.

The Englishman’s pace frightened any attacker he came up against and also led to a move to Tottenham Hotspur. But it was at Manchester City where he fulfilled his potential, flourishing under Pep Guardiola and getting the better of many top European attackers including Vinicius Junior.

8. Andy Robertson

Reuters / Ed Sykes

While Andy Robertson‘s career began in Scotland, he made Celtic live to regret releasing him during his youth days. He got his break in English football at Hull City, growing his stock with superb performances in the Championship.

Liverpool swooped in July 2017 after Robertson helped Hull secure promotion via the play-offs. History awaited him at Anfield, winning every major trophy on offer and achieving a record amount of assists for a full-back in Premier League history.

7. Michael Olise

A contender for this year’s Ballon d’Or, by the time he calls time on his career, there’s every chance Michael Olise at the top of this list. The French winger, born in London, spent time at Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City’s youth academies before starting his senior career at Reading.

The talent was obvious during his spell in the Championship, shining during the 2020-21 campaign. He has since moved on to Crystal Palace before jetting off to Bayern Munich where he has delivered unbelievable numbers and won two Bundesliga titles.

6. Ashley Cole

It’s easy to forget Ashley Cole‘s brief spell at Derby County, where he ended his legendary playing career. He certainly didn’t move mountains at Pride Park, but he’d already achieved pretty much everything there is to in English football.

Keeping Cristiano Ronaldo quiet, a controversial move from Arsenal to Chelsea and becoming Invincible make for quite the resume. Many forget just how influential he was in the Blues’ Champions League win in 2012 and there might not be a better left-back to have pulled on an England shirt.

5. John Terry

Reuters/Ed Sykes

Age was just a number for John Terry who remained at the top of his game at Aston Villa in the Championship. While he didn’t get the chance to end his career at Chelsea, where he is immortalized, he proved just why many regard him as the best centre-back in English football history during a swansong at Villa Park.

The achievements speak for themselves, including captaining the Blues to five Premier League titles. Had Villa earned promotion to the top-flight in 2018, who knows whether he’d have been keen to continue his trophy-laden career.

4. Jude Bellingham

When Birmingham City decided to retire the number 22 shirt in July 2022, most fans were bemused. It’s a move clubs make when icons have retired rather than departed for another club still in their teenage years.

Every England supporter now understands why that decision was made because Jude Bellingham has become a world beater. At the age of 16, he had the world talking and Borussia Dortmund pounced for his signature.

Bellingham followed in the footsteps of David Beckham and Michael Owen when he moved to Real Madrid in 2023. He has since won the La Liga title and the Champions League and become a talisman for England, scoring a remarkable seven goals at this summer’s World Cup.

3. Harry Kane

Action Images / Steven Paston

There was little to suggest Harry Kane would explode into the world-class centre-forward during his two loan spells in the Championship. They proved to be tough asks for the then-young Englishman but he evolved into an all-time great.

Kane became Tottenham Hotspur’s all-time top goalscorer before moving to Bayern Munich where he’s broken records. He’s also got his hands on silverware and eclipsed Wayne Rooney as England’s greatest goalscorer.

The Three Lions skipper’s story goes to show just how difficult Championship football can be. That said, if he were to be playing at that level now you can guarantee he’d be setting records with ease.

2. Wayne Rooney

Action Images/Andrew Couldridge

While Kane is probably the best striker in England’s history, Wayne Rooney‘s legacy in English football is incomparable. Not only did he win five Premier League titles and the Champions League at Manchester United, he starred in any role asked of him, including in midfield.

After becoming United’s all-time top goalscorer, Rooney returned to boyhood club Everton, where he mostly continued his midfield role. He saw out his illustrious career at Derby County in the Championship before turning to management with the Rams.

1. Gareth Bale

The name Gareth Bale started to gain traction amid stellar displays in the Championship with Southampton. He only played one full season in the second-tier and that was enough to garner interest from nearly every top English club.

Tottenham Hotspur won the race for Bale, and he transformed from a young left-back prospect into an unstoppable winger. A move to Real Madrid saw him lining up alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in a fearsome front three and he held his own, producing magical moments including a remarkable overhead kick in the 2018 Champions League final.

Bale’s extraordinary career saw him become the most decorated British footballer in European competition history. On the pitch, there may never be a better Brit with the ball at his feet.

The health of Donald Trump has come under scrutiny after recent photos emerged of the US President playing golf.

An avid golfer, Trump hasn’t been shy when it comes to celebrating his on-course successes. The 80-year-old recently went viral after announcing that he had won the Senior and Super Senior Men’s Club Championship at his Bedminster golf course in New Jersey.

However, his claims regarding his golfing ability have since been called into question, with some sources outright accusing Trump of ‘cheating’ to win tournaments.

Latest Pictures of Donald Trump Cause Concern

REUTERS/Mark J Rebilas

The latest images to make the rounds on social media, though, focus more on the controversial politician’s appearance and health than his actual play.

A trio of photos have emerged showing Trump playing a round at his course and they’ve sparked significant concern. In response to one of the images which appears to show the president moving awkwardly as he made his way around the course, a comment on X read: “This is not the gait of a well man.”

Others expressed their shock at the photos, with one reply reading: “Gosh, he looks terrible,” to which another agreed: “He does not look well at all.”

A separate photo from the round generated particular concern for one user, who pointed out that something looked to be wrong with Trump’s left arm, asking: “Is nobody gonna talk about that left wrist and arm?”

Trump ‘Barely Able To Move’ From Golf Cart

Bonnie Cash / SIPA USA via Reuters Connect

Among those to comment on Trump’s apparently declining health was political commentator David Pakman, who has been a long-time critic of the president.

During a video on his YouTube channel, Pakman declared: “Incredibly disturbing images of Donald Trump have surfaced from this weekend. Trump appears to be having serious difficulty getting around. His posture is awkward, his gait is laboured.

“He seems barely able to move from the golf cart when he is trying to get to the ball, or even going back and talking to people. Now, of course, we can speculate, and we’ve been having to speculate for years, but we don’t really need to.”

Trump’s personal doctor, Capt. Sean Barbabella, has previously gone on record to dismiss suggestions that the president’s health is failing. He stated in May that Trump was in “excellent health”, insisting that he had “strong cardiac, pulmonary, neurological and overall physical function.”

Despite those reassurances, speculation continues to rage over Trump’s health. In addition to the physical symptoms cited by some, he has also been criticized for his rambling speeches and has also been accused of struggling to stay awake during meetings.

Brennan Johnson has hit back at talkSPORT duo Jamie O’Hara and Gabby Agbonlahor after he was described as “crap” live on air.

Johnson has signed a four-year deal with Everton, just eight months after joining Crystal Palace for a reported club-record £35 million fee.

Dwight McNeil, 26, has moved in the opposite direction after the Premier League clubs agreed a rare swap deal.

Johnson’s spell to Selhurst Park was a major disappointment. In 26 appearances, the Wales international failed to score a single goal following his move from Tottenham.

McNeil, once touted as a potential future superstar during his time at Burnley, also failed to score a single goal last season in 25 appearances for Everton.

O’Hara and Agbonlahor React to Johnson-McNeil Swap Deal

Reuters

Reacting to the swap deal, former Tottenham midfielder O’Hara said on talkSPORT: “I like Dwight McNeil. Brennan Johnson has been a myth for a few seasons. He didn’t do it at Spurs. He hides in games.”

Agbonlahor then said: “You look at their output last season. Sixteen Premier League appearances for Spurs, two goals, zero assists. Then at Palace, zero goals, one assist, four yellows, in 18 Premier League appearances.

“Then Dwight McNeil last season… 22 Premier League appearances, zero goals, one assist. So he’s not doing enough as well. It’s a bit like ‘you give us him and we’ll give you him!’”

The pair laughed as O’Hara said: “‘We’ll give you crap, we’ll give you crap back!’” Watch the clip in full below:

Johnson Reacts – O’Hara Then Tweets

REUTERS/Hannah Mckay

After the clip was posted on Instagram, Johnson reacted with a cutting eight-word response:

O’Hara took to X (Twitter) on Wednesday morning, insisting the clip didn’t tell the full story. The former England Under-21 international wrote:

“This [is] the [problem] when you only listen to a clip and not full story. We were talking about Brennan and McNeil’s stats from last season which were CRAP not that they were bad players. I’m a fan of McNeill and also said Brennan has all the attributes but he would admit his season was crap.”

Johnson, 25, will now be focused on silencing his doubters following his move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium – ranked as one of the five best stadiums in the Premier League this season. McNeil will attempt to do the same at Selhurst Park.

Coincidentally, Johnson and McNeil could make their first competitive appearances for their new clubs against each other. Everton and Crystal Palace go head-to-head on the opening weekend of the season.