10 Players Who Switched National Teams .

Switching national teams is a contentious and distinctive feature of international soccer. Some players take advantage of FIFA's eligibility criteria, while others make the switch for personal reasons or better possibilities. Given that we're in the midst of the International Break, here's a list of ten significant players who switched.

Dean Huijsen

From: Netherlands. To: Spain. Dean was born in Amsterdam to Dutch parents, but his family relocated to Spain when he was five years old. He became a Spanish citizen in 2024, despite having previously played with Dutch youth teams. Dean was booed by the crowd every time he touched the ball during Thursday's UEFA Nations League quarterfinals in Rotterdam (seen above).

Diego Costa

From: Brazil. To: Spain. Costa went to Spain in 2013, after appearing in two friendly matches for Brazil. He was already a naturalized Spanish citizen and favored the Spanish soccer system. He went on to compete in key competitions for Spain, including the 2014 and 2018 World Cups.

Declan Rice

From: Republic of Ireland. To: England. Rice played for Ireland's junior teams as well as three senior friendly. However, in 2019, he committed to England, citing his background and job opportunities. He became a key player for the Three Lions.

Wilfried Zaha

From: England. To: Ivory Coast. Zaha, who was born in Ivory Coast but reared in England, has played friendly matches for the English senior side. Frustrated by restricted possibilities, he moved to Ivory Coast in 2016 and has since become an important player for his team.

Jermaine Jones

From: Germany. To: United States. Reason: Jones, who was born to an American father and a German mother, began his career representing Germany at the youth and senior level. In 2010, he moved to the United States, where he played an important role in the 2014 World Cup campaign.

Aymeric Laporte

From: France. To: Spain. Reason: Despite being a highly regarded center-back, Laporte never received a senior cap for France. He moved to Spain in 2021, emphasizing his Basque roots, and represented the country in Euro 2020.

Kevin-Prince Boateng

From: Germany. To: Ghana. Reason: Boateng represented Germany at the young level before switching to Ghana in 2010, citing his Ghanaian background. He competed in the World Cup that same year, helping Ghana reach the quarterfinals.

Kalidou Koulibaly

From: France (youth). To: Senegal. Reason: Despite playing for France's U20 team, Koulibaly moved to Senegal in 2015. As captain, he guided Senegal to their first Africa Cup of Nations victory in 2022.

Jack Grealish

From: Republic of Ireland. To: England. Grealish played for Ireland's youth teams before moving to England in 2015 to pursue his professional goals. He became a fan favorite for England at events such as Euro 2020.

Mario Fernandes

From: Brazil. To: Russia. Reason: The Brazilian-born defender moved to Russia after getting citizenship in 2016. He competed for Russia in the 2018 World Cup, scoring a critical goal in the quarterfinals.

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