10 best Premier League players to never win an international cap | OneFootball

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For most sportspeople, winning trophies aside, representing their country is viewed as the real pinnacle of their respective careers. In football, it is no different, players regularly refer to them mimicking their country’s greats in the garden, down the park, or in the street as kids, and dreaming of pulling on their nation’s jersey. International football is quite like no other in that some of the world’s very best may rub shoulders with semi-professionals, and even those who don’t make a living from the sport at all.

Being capped for one’s country eludes the vast majority of professional footballers, with only a select few being considered by national team selectors. With the Premier League being one of, if not the most competitive division in the world, the league plays host to arguably more international players than anywhere else, however, for some highly thought-of players, despite playing in England’s top-flight, an appearance on the international stage has escaped them, and as such, they’ve been rendered cap-less. Let’s take a look at some of the best Premier League players not to have received a single cap for their country…

10 Sylvain Distin

The towering, 6 ft 3 centre-back made a mightily impressive 469 Premier League appearances over 15 years in England, where he had the crests of Newcastle, Everton, Manchester City, Bournemouth, and Portsmouth all adorned on his chest. An international cap always evaded the Frenchman, and in 2014, the player humorously announced his "retirement" from international football having never played for Les Bleus.

9 Jose Enrique

Jose Enrique will serve as an inspiration, not for his escapades on the pitch, but for his valiant, and defiant battle with cancer off it, seeing off the toughest challenge of them all. The left-back played for both Liverpool and Newcastle and enjoyed several exceptional campaigns for both clubs. Despite his form, the immense Jordi Alba, Joan Capdevila, and Nacho Monreal were enough to ensure that the Spaniard would never make an appearance for the Spanish national side.

8 Jermaine Pennant

When he wasn't abandoning cars or wreaking havoc with Ashley Cole, the self-confessed troublemaker, was attempting to navigate himself out of all manner of tricky situations. That said, the former Arsenal, Birmingham City, Liverpool, Portsmouth, and Stoke player had bags of talent and at his best was one of the trickiest wingers to play against. Having played 234 top-flight games, registering 40 G/A contributions, as well as appearing in the 2007 Champions League Final, whether it was his disciplinary record or simply down to the form of David Beckham, Aaron Lennon, and Ashley Young, Pennant was never considered worthy enough of an England call-up.

7 Kevin Nolan

The scouser wheeling away performing his famous chicken celebration was a common sight in the Premier League. Now a coach at his old club, West Ham, the former Newcastle, and Bolton Wanderers goalscoring midfielder must look at his playing days fondly, sitting safely in the knowledge that he did all he could to earn himself an England call-up.

With 111 senior goals under his belt, and 401 Premier League appearances, England under-21s was as close as Kevin Nolan got to having his first national cap presented to him in the Wembley dressing room. Coming through during a period that was well-known for its over-saturation of truly brilliant, generational midfield maestros, with the likes of Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes, Frank Lampard, and Gareth Barry all making their respective marks for the Three Lions, Nolan may well have got the nod during another time.

6 Carlo Cudicini

The former Chelsea and Tottenham shot-stopper fashioned a career out of pointlessly warming up at half-time, having spent most of his professional career as a second-choice goalkeeper. That said, even as the auxiliary man between the sticks, the Italian would go on to make over 160 Premier League appearances during his playing days, and would amass over 370 in his entire career. The acrobatic, 6'1 net-minder was sublime on his day, but due to Petr Cech's reputation as arguably, the best 'keeper in the world, Cudicini would spend nine years behind him in the Chelsea pecking order. The man from Milan never featured for his country and was perennially overlooked, even as a two-time Premier League champion with the West Londoners.

5 Steed Malbranque

There was an elegance and class to Steed Malbranque's footballing ability that simply couldn't be coached. The central midfielder displayed an effortless grace when stroking a ball, from picking out killer passes to smashing in unstoppable thunderbolts from range, the playmaker had it all. Malbranque's cap-less story is particularly tragic. Born in Belgium, but raised in France, the player had been ever-present during age group football for France, having played for the under-16, under-18s, and under-21s.

While playing for Fulham, the midfielder was offered international playing opportunities with Belgium but declined in the hope he would get a shot with the French national team, unfortunately for the player, that call-up to Les Bleus never came, and he was never to be rewarded with the honour of wearing the country's famous colours.

4 Mark Noble

Mark Noble is the embodiment of what it means to be an Iron. A club icon, the retired midfielder is very literally, Mr. West Ham United. One of a dwindling kind, "Nobes", as fans and ex-teammates affectionately call him, racked up 550 appearances for his boyhood club in over 18 years of professional service. Demonstrating his unwavering professionalism not just on the pitch, but also off it, the Hammers' ex-captain hung up his boots at the end of the 2021-2022 campaign having never played an international for England.

Representing his country at every age group up until the under-21s, the central midfielder was a youngster of particular pedigree and one that was tipped to have a gleaming future ahead of him. As one of football's greatest one-club men, Noble has every right to feel aggrieved at the lack of recognition he received from the powers that have been involved in the England setup over the years. While it was certainly a case of the right player at the wrong time, with England being richly endowed with an overabundance of world-class midfielders, the creative, no-nonsense player was somewhat of a throwback, which perhaps worked against him.

3 Mikel Arteta

Mikel Arteta can now be found frantically patrolling the touchline at the Emirates, kitted out from head-to-toe in all-black Zara menswear, and frequently scowling at the fourth official. The passionate Spaniard has led somewhat of a renaissance in North London in recent years, with his Arsenal restoration project beginning to take shape. As a player, Arteta's career took him from the cuisine capital of Spain, San-Sebastian to the Haggis and battered Mars bars of Glasgow, the scouse stew of Liverpool, and the pie and mash of London.

The Spanish midfielder's CV was impressive boasting the likes of Rangers, Everton, and Arsenal as employers. As a youngster, Arteta was well-regarded in Spain, representing his national side at every age group from the under-16s upwards. However, despite being somewhat of a footballing prodigy growing up, as well as a model professional, a call-up to the Spanish national side eluded him.

2 Paolo Di Canio

Has there been a more volatile enigma seen running around on English pitches since? One suspects not. The impassioned Italian was a law unto himself both on and off the pitch, yet his unpredictable nature was such that supporters were always guaranteed fireworks whether it was dazzling brilliance on the ball or slightly unnerving antics off it. If there was one superlative that could encapsulate his footballing ability it would be "maverick".

The former Sheffield Wednesday, West Ham, and Charlton Athletic player could turn a game on its head via moments of spellbinding magic, from an inspired scissor-kick to panenkas, the striker had every trick in the book encased within his locker. Having turned out for Italy's under-21s on nine occasions, Di Canio would never receive an international call-up, demonstrative of the sheer talent at the country's disposal, rather than the forward's ability.

1 Steve Bruce

Steve Bruce possesses an inherent, yet inexplicable power to evoke sympathy even from those who lack compassion. While Newcastle, Sunderland, and Aston Villa fans will attest otherwise, there's a helpless innocence about the former Manchester United star that automatically lures us into a default position of pity. That said, during his playing days Bruce was a big, lumbering no-nonsense centre-half whose ability to kick a football was about on par with his propensity to kick opposition players.

However, Bruce fused the old-school qualities of a traditional defender with the more contemporary outlook on those occupying the backline with a flair for scoring goals, with a staggering 47 to his name for the Red Devils. Despite being a pivotal member of several Premier League-winning sides, whether it was his troubled disciplinary record or another, more political reason that doesn't quite meet the eye, Bruce never pulled on the England jersey during his 20-year career despite his decorated trophy cabinet.