If the Championship were considered an independent nation, it would have the most representatives playing for other countries at Euro 2024 of any league outside Europe’s big five.
The Premier League, Serie A, the German Bundesliga, La Liga and Ligue Un have unsurprisingly provided the most players to other countries at this summer’s tournament.
But the 18 players who were contracted to Championship clubs last season puts the English second tier next in the list, ahead of the big-money Saudi Pro League. Turkey and the Czech Republic are however both more represented at Euro 2024 if you include home-based international players.
Euro 2024: All You Need To Know
You could reasonably add another four players to the Championship’s tally if you include the sides who were relegated from the Premier League last season – though for fairness’ sake you’d have to exclude another seven who have simultaneously achieved promotion from the Championship. Either way, it does not affect the Championship’s standing in the rankings.
Southampton have sent Scotland pair Che Adams and Stuart Armstrong alongside Poland’s Jan Bednarek, while Leicester are represented by Danish duo Jannik Vestergaard and Mads Hermansen, Belgium’s Wout Faes, and Turkey’s Yunus Akgun.
Of the clubs who have not moved divisions, Norwich City fans have the most reason to keep an eye on this year’s tournament, with Angus Gunn, Grant Hanley and Kenny McLean all part of Steve Clarke’s travelling party out to Euro 2024.
The last edition of the tournament, held in 2021, included players from an even broader array of EFL clubs including some further down the pyramid like Barnsley, Bristol Rovers, Charlton Athletic, and Doncaster Rovers.
On that occasion, Wales and Scotland made up the bulk of England’s lower-league representation, with the Scots carrying that torch into this year’s tournament.
Championship players at Euro 2024
* indicates clubs who were relegated to or promoted from the Championship in 2023/24
- Bristol City: Tommy Conway, Ross McCrorie (both Scotland)
- Burnley*: Zeki Amdouni (Switzerland), Jacob Bruun Larsen (Denmark)
- Leeds United: Liam Cooper (Scotland)
- Leicester City*: Yunus Akgun (Turkey), Wout Faes (Belgium), Mads Hermansen, Jannik Vestergaard (both Denmark)
- Luton Town*: Thomas Kaminski (Belgium)
- Norwich City: Angus Gunn, Grant Hanley, Kenny McLean (all Scotland)
- Southampton*: Che Adams, Stuart Armstrong (both Scotland), Jan Bednarek (Poland)
- Sunderland: Callum Styles (Hungary)
- Watford: Giorgi Chakvetadze (Georgia), Ryan Porteous (Scotland)
- West Bromwich Albion: Andreas Weimann (Austria), Okay Yokuslu (Turkey)
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