Highlights

• Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham are current British stars who are plying their trade abroad, but both currently fall outside the top 10 of the best Brits to play in a foreign country.
• Gareth Bale, with his success at Real Madrid, is considered one of the greatest British footballers to play abroad, while Kevin Keegan's achievements at Hamburger SV, including two Ballon d'Or gongs, solidify his place in the ranking.
• Although Jadon Sancho failed to shine at Manchester United, he was an excellent player while at Borussia Dortmund. He has now returned to the club on loan, hoping to revive his career.

British players playing abroad is a topic that is often not spoken about as it tends to not happen that often. And when it does happen – once in a blue moon – it doesn’t typically go to plan. That said, swapping the cold and blustery air of Britain for the typically basking sun abroad has become more commonplace in the beautiful game with more British players in search of new opportunities lately, and the latest duo to move to a new country are Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, who joined Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, respectively.

Two of England’s brightest stars are exploring pastures new, and while some assumed the Premier League would be Bellingham's eventual destination and that Kane would remain in his native England, the Spanish and German top dogs came calling – and when they knock, you go. And both are flying for their new clubs in 2023/24, with neither man wasting any time in making their mark.

With that in mind, the question that has to be asked is; who is the greatest British footballer to play abroad? Well, we've decided to provide our answers by ranking who we feel are the 16 British players who've thrived the most on foreign shores. Without further ado, let’s get stuck in.

Ranking factors

To work out GIVEMESPORT's ranking, the following factors have been taken into account:

• Longevity of career abroad
• Goals/Assists
• How they are viewed in the world of football
• The impact they had
• Silverware haul
• How well they played in comparison to time in Britain

1 Gareth Bale

Real Madrid, Los Angeles FC

Who else could it be at number one, eh? Before his attention span switched to swinging a long stick and a small white ball, the Welshman was quietly incredible for Real Madrid. The dying stages of Gareth Bale's stay at Los Blancos turned a bit sour, but what he achieved at the club is still extraordinary.

He won five Champions Leagues, scored 106 goals, including several stunners, assisted a further 67 and dropped a plethora of masterclasses in the famous white jersey. In his absolute prime at Real Madrid, Bale was arguably the greatest British footballer in history - and that's saying something. Just take a look at the other names on this star-studded list.

2 Kevin Keegan

Hamburger SV

Kevin Keegan's three-year spell at Hamburger SV after leaving Liverpool in 1977 is the stuff of legend. Following a spell winning everything under the sun with the Merseysiders, a stint overseas was next on the agenda. And while initial worries were had, they proved to be highly unnecessary. A rocky start – stemming from not being able to find his favourite cereal – was quickly swept aside when he laced his boots and took to the turf.

The Englishman won two Ballon d'Or gongs and a league title with the German outfit. Oh, not to mention, he was named in Kicker's Bundesliga Team of the Season in all three of the campaigns in which he represented Hamburg. Unreal stuff.

3 John Charles

Juventus, Roma

John Charles' five-year stint with Juventus after scoring goals like it was going out of fashion at Leeds United was simply stunning. His time may have come before the rest of the pack, but overlooking it would be a fault on our part. The Welshman first arrived at the Old Lady back in 1957 and finished as the Serie A top scorer in his inaugural season.

Charles went on to bag 108 goals in total for Juve, winning five trophies and finishing third in the 1959 Ballon d'Or race. Returning to Juventus’ domestic rivals Roma in 1963, his finest days in Serie A will be remembered as he donned the fabled black and white of Turin.

4 Chris Waddle

Marseille

Forgetting his absurdly impressive mop, Chris Waddle was a supreme footballer. A terrific winger in his pomp, he achieved enormous success during a three-year stay in France at Marseille. The mullet-sporting star won three consecutive league titles, reached the final of the 1991 European Cup and tormented defenders on a weekly basis. In 2010, Waddle was named in Marseille's '110-year Dream Team', which says it all really.

His moniker ‘Magic Chris’ stuck with him and, in hindsight, it makes ample sense – he was practically unplayable in his heyday. Having to fight tooth and nail to earn his status as a professional footballer, Waddle did so with such poise and style as he pulled the curtains on his career with a reputation as one of Europe’s classiest midfield operators.

5 Steve McManaman

Real Madrid

He might not be everyone's cup of tea as a pundit, but let's take a moment to admire what a footballer the Liverpool-born midfielder was. Steve McManaman was great on the red half of Merseyside – but became an entirely different beast upon his arrival in the Spanish capital, and is still regarded as one of the best British footballers to play for Madrid.

The tall, skillful winger was regularly mesmerizing on the wing for Real Madrid and memorably scored a brilliant volley in the club's 1999/2000 Champions League final win. His progression at Los Blancos plateaued as the club entered their Galacticos era, though similarly to another man on this list, McManaman's playing days aren't praised as much as they should be in the present. Considering he cost Madrid absolutely nothing, it’s a transfer you simply cannot turn your nose up at. Phenomenal business.

6 Paul Lambert

Borussia Dortmund

After strutting his stuff supberly on Scottish soil, Paul Lambert took a career-defining gamble in 1996 and opted for a move to Borussia Dortmund. He actually only spent one season abroad, so you may be asking; why is he sitting pretty in sixth? Well, during the 1996/97 campaign in Germany, the Scotsman became a key player almost instantaneously and helped the club win their first - and only - Champions League.

During the 3-1 final victory over Juventus, Lambert kept a young Zidane remarkably quiet and was deservedly named Man of the Match. Short, perhaps, but his overseas stint was most certainly sweeter than most.

7 David Platt

Sampdoria, SSC Bari, Juventus

David Platt may have only enjoyed a four-year stint in Italy but, during that time, represented three different clubs: SSC Bari, Juventus and Sampdoria. The midfield gem was a rare bright spark in the former's relegation-worthy campaign in 1991/92 - and hence why Juventus came sniffing for his signature.

Having been capped 62 times by England, Platt was known as an underrated player of his generation and won the UEFA Cup with the Bianconeri before making his second - and final - Italian switch to Sampdoria, a club which he went on to spend two seasons at. In that time, however, he reigned triumphant in the Coppa Italia and was a key part of that victory.

8 David Beckham

Real Madrid, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, LA Galaxy

The poster boy for British footballers killing it abroad. David Beckham smashed it at Real Madrid for a number of years after signing from Manchester United in 2003, fitting in seamlessly alongside the likes of Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo Nazario, although he did admit that the latter embarrassed him during his first training session.

The global superstar also enjoyed successful stints at AC Milan and LA Galaxy, before bringing an end to his time in football at Paris Saint-Germain. Thanks to his journeyman-like nature and array of debatable hairstyles, his celebrity status hit the highest of heights – but it’s important to remember what a wonderful footballer Becks was.

9 Owen Hargreaves

Bayern Munich

Born in Canada to English and Welsh parents, he is perhaps the most underrated English player of his generation. Owen Hargreaves signed for Bayern Munich in 1997 at the age of 16, progressed through the ranks and then became one of the team's most important players for a number of years.

He won four Bundesliga titles, three DFB-Pokals and a Champions League prior to joining Manchester United in 2007, where injuries sadly brought his career to a premature end. Albeit successful, his time in England was nowhere near as fruitful – on a personal level, at least – having often been considered as a fringe player, thanks to the club’s host of midfield talent.

10 Glenn Hoddle

AS Monaco

In the twilight years of his terrific career, Glenn Hoddle swapped Tottenham Hotspur for AS Monaco - and he was an absolute sensation at the principality club. In his first season under the rule of Arsene Wenger, the midfield magician helped the team win the league title – their first in seven years - and was duly named Foreign Player of the Year.

For more than a decade, the former England custodian plied his trade for Spurs, though he really shone in France and his Diego Maradona-esque ability piqued interest from the Argentine’s employers Napoli, though a deal never came to fruition. A special, special footballer.

11 Gary Lineker

Barcelona, Nagoya Grampus

There aren't many British people who can say they've scored a hat-trick in El Clasico, but Gary Lineker did just that. Joining Barcelona from Everton (crazy, we know) following his exploits at the 1986 World Cup, the present day Match of the Day host hit the ground running, netting 21 goals in his first season.

Lineker won a plethora of honours, including the Copa del Rey and a European Cup Winners' Cup during his three years in Catalonia, before returning to his native country with Tottenham Hotspur. Joining Japanese outfit Nagoya Grampus in the latter stages of his illustrious playing days, the lovable footballer-turned-presenter really made the most of earning his corn in all corners of the globe.

12 Jude Bellingham

Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund

At the tender age of 20, Jude Bellingham has been a transformative figure for Carlo Ancelotti and his entourage since swapping the yellow of Borussia Dortmund for Real Madrid threads. So much so that his exploits in the Bundesliga are easily forgotten. The 27-cap England international, now the first name of Gareth Southgate’s team sheet, has plundered 18 goals and eight assists in his first 28 outings for the perennial European champions, including some stunners such as his magical solo goal against Napoli.

Those are just unfathomable numbers for someone in a midfield role and his output has helped him to become, inarguably, the best young player in world football. There’s little doubt in the minds of the football circle that Bellingham will storm up this list in the forthcoming seasons, but that all depends on whether his outrageous form persists.

13 Laurie Cunningham

Real Madrid, Lyon, Sporting Gijon, RSC Charleroi, Rayo Vallecano

Laurie Cunningham was something of a trailblazer, as in 1979 he became the first British footballer to represent Real Madrid. He scored a brace on his Los Blancos debut and then helped the team win a La Liga and Copa del Rey double in his first season. Cunningham was also very good during his one and only season with Marseille in 1994/95.

Often likened to a ballerina due to the ease shown while gliding past opposition, Cunningham flew the British flag very high and set a precedent for those wishing to follow suit. Despite enduring a career plagued by injury, the Englishman’s exploits on the biggest stage cannot be overlooked.

14 Trevor Francis

Sampdoria, Atalanta

It cost Sampdoria just £700,000 to sign Trevor Francis from Manchester City way back in 1982. In his four-year stint with the Italian outfit, the forward won the Coppa Italia in 1985 and later spent a season at Atalanta.

Former Sampdoria team-mate Gianluca Vialli waxed lyrical about Francis back 2012, despite admitting that English strikers were not known to be 'mobile'. The Plymouth-born ace was that, however. Quick, strong and a good finisher, too. Vialli said:

"We thought English strikers were not very mobile but he came and showed us we were very wrong. Trevor was my inspiration."

15 Harry Kane

Bayern Munich

After becoming both England and Tottenham Hotspur's top goalscorer, Harry Kane was well-poised to be a revelation abroad. It was perennial Bundesliga winners Bayern Munich who managed to fend off the likes of Manchester United for his signature in the summer of 2023. And despite spending big, it has - as expected - paid off.

An instant and reliable source of goals for the Bavaria outfit, the London-born marksman has an eye-catching 28 goals and eight assists in his first 27 outings for the club, all while his 24th domestic strike equalled a Bayern record set by Luca Toni for the best goalscoring debut season for the club. A man with an eye for goal, he'll be looking to tick off other records one by one as he continues to flourish under Thomas Tuchel's watchful eye.

16 Jadon Sancho

Borussia Dortmund

His stint at Manchester United has been one to forget, but let's not forget just how good Jadon Sancho was in Germany playing for Borussia Dortmund. Leaving Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City was perhaps looked down upon when he upped and left in 2017; though, in hindsight, Sancho made the right move. The golden opportunity to put his name on the map arose, and it’s not unfair to say that the London-born ace ran with it.

In his first stint in the Bundesliga, he scored 50 goals, assisted 64 more and won the 2020/21 DFB-Pokal - netting two of Dortmund's goals in the 4-1 final win against RB Leipzig. After his public statement which hit out at Erik ten Hag, a temporary loan move back to die Schwarzgelben was rubber-stamped in January 2024 - and he grabbed an assist in his first outing, highlighting that his talent had never been the issue.