Sport
Which international players play in the Championship?
To feature in a top international side, you ideally need to be playing top flight football. However, the EFL Championship is proving to be the exception to the rule. With its competitive nature and high quality, many national sides are looking to the second tier of English football to find players for their squads. So who are the best Championship players appearing for major international sides?
5 best international players in the Championship
Simon Sluga (Luton Town)
Luton Town have slowly worked themselves back from the lower leagues to the second tier and the arrival of stars such as Simon Sluga is a testament to that. Sluga joined The Hatters from Croatian side Rijeka in 2019 where is form earned him a call-up to the Croatian national side.
He made his debut for Croatia around the same time he debuted for Luton and he has proven his quality ever since. His confidence keeping has helped Luton establish a mid-table slot in the Championship and his good form has ensured that he has remained a regular in the national squad, claiming the third keeper slot for Euro 2020.
Tomas Kalas (Bristol City)
A veteran defender of English football, Kalas has always been searching for a big break into the top flight. Loans to sides in both England and Europe during his time with Chelsea limited his chances to become a regular fixture in the Premier League, however. With that in mind, Kalas moved to Bristol City and enjoyed the chance to shine that he has been looking for.
A regular threat down the left side of the pitch, Kalas has remained a crucial part of the Czech Republic set-up in recent years making him one of the highest profile international players in the Championship. Now captain at Ashton Gate and a regular for his country, Kalas is finally showing his worth and underlining the potential many thought he had when he first moved to England in 2012.
George Puscas (Reading)
Romania are slowly rebuilding themselves into a European powerhouse again, thanks to an influx of exciting new talents. One of those emerging from the shadows in Reading’s George Puscas. The striker can play on both the wing and in the central role with relative comfort. With that in mind, he has become a central figure in Romania’s national setup scoring 8 goals in 23 appearances since making his international debut in 2018. His moment in the spotlight seems ready to appear at any moment.
Ben Brereton (Blackburn Rovers)
Ben Brereton may not seem like a likely South American superstar but that is soon to be very much a case. The Blackburn striker was born and raised in Stoke-on-Trent and has been a regular starter for Rovers over the past couple of years. His consistent form has caught the eye of Chilean coaches and thanks to his Chilean mother – qualified for making their national team.
Taking the name Brereton Diaz in honour of his mother, the Blackburn striker has been electric for Chile in the 2021 Copa America with a record of 1 goal in 4 games. With a new avenue to further his talent, expect Brereton to be lighting up pitches across the world for years to come. He may not remian one of the international players in the Championship for all that long.
Ilias Chair (QPR)
Morocco have established themselves as a major force in African football once again thanks to fresh injection of talent from overseas. A great example of this is QPR midfielder Ilias Chair. Born in Belgium to a Moroccan family, Chair opted to represent Morocco when opportunities were limited in the Belgian set-up.
With a good mix of flair and creativity, Chair has all the chances to shine for Morocco with both the African Cup of Nations and the World Cup on the horizon where his country has a chance to let him shine on a global stage.
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