There is much excitement with the 2026 World Cup nearly upon us. One of the greatest things about football is it's abilty to unite. Just look at the way Arsenal's Premier League triumph was celebrated just as joyously in north London as it was in New York and Kampala.
While the world can be a difficult place, sport provides an escape for many. Take, for example, Alphonso Davies. The left-back was born in Buduburam, a Ghanaian refugee camp, after his parents had fled the civil war in Liberia, but is now the face of Canadian football.
He will no doubt represent one of the three host-nations with great pride this summer, but Davies isn't the only footballer who will play for a World Cup nation different to the one of his birth. The 20 best have been named and ranked below.
Players Who Will Represent World Cup Nation Different From Their Birth
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Mateo Kovacic - Croatia (Born in Austria)
Croatia's Mateo Kovacic sings during the national anthem
Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic has enjoyed a stellar career, playing for many of the best clubs in Europe. He started Dinamo Zagreb before joining Inter Milan, and then spent four years with Real Madrid – winning La Liga and three Champions League titles – before moving to Chelsea, where he won another Champions League trophy.
Now 32, Kovacic plays for Manchester City and won the Premier League under Pep Guardiola in 2024. With Croatia, his best moment came in 2018, as he was part of the side that went all the way to the World Cup final in Russia, before losing to France. However, the midfielder was actually born in Linz, Austria, although represented Croatia at multiple youth levels before making his debut for the senior national team in 2013.
Hakan Calhanoglu - Turkiye (Born in Germany)
Hakan Calhanoglu celebrating for Turkiye
Hakan Calhanoglu celebrating for Turkiye
He may be 32 now, but Hakan Calhanoglu remains one of the best central midfielders on the planet, and proved that this season as he helped Inter Milan with Serie A, making 22 appearances and scoring nine goals. It's the second time he won the league with Inter, while he's also lost two Champions League finals with the club, in 2023 and 2025.
Although representing Turkiye, Calhanoglu was born in the German city of Mannheim. His parents were both Turkish, however, and he's played for the country at international level from the under-16s onwards.
Kenan Yildiz - Turkiye (Born in Germany)
Kenan Yildiz
As is the case with Calhanoglu, Kenan Yildiz was also born in Germany but now will play for Turkiye at the 2026 World Cup. Unlike his international teammate, though, only one of his parents, his father, is Turkish, with his mother a German native.
The Regensburg-born star now plays for Juventus and is widely seen as one of the most exciting young attacking players on the planet. Already linked with big Premier League clubs like Manchester United and Liverpool, he could make a real name for himself this summer if all goes to plan.
Alphonso Davies - Canada (Ghana)
Alphonso Davies in action for Canada
As mentioned in the intro, Alphonso Davies has gone on to establish himself as one of the finest left-backs in the world at Bayern Munich, having been born in a Ghanaian refugee camp. When he was five years old, his family moved to Canada, and this helped set him on a path to future Bundesliga and Champions League glory. Speaking about his parents' decision to flee Liberia, he said:
"From what my parents told me, it was a tough road. It wasn't easy for them to leave a war-torn country in Liberia and then go to a refugee camp. There were struggles to find food, find water, and then having a kid as well, but they fought through it."
Scott McTominay - Scotland (Born in England)
Napoli's Scott McTominay during the warm up before a 2026 game vs Parma
It's interesting that Scott McTominay's ability to get away from England has helped his reputation within the game explode. Indeed, he struggled to shine for a number of years at Manchester United, but has blossomed into a brilliant midfielder since joining Napoli in 2024, leading them to a Serie A title in his debut season.
He was born in Lancaster and first played in the Man Utd development centre in Preston aged five before rising through the academy ranks into the senior set up. Although from England, he qualifies to play for Scotland through his father and has proven to be vital for his nation since making his debut in 2018.
Marc Guehi - England (Born in Cote d’Ivoire)
Marc Guehi and Jude Bellingham in action for England
At Euro 2024, Marc Guehi truly proved himself capable of delivering big performances at the highest level, helping England make the final as a started cente-back alognside John Stones. Since then, his reputation has only improved, winning the FA Cup with Crystal Palace and then securing a big-money move to Manchester City last January.
He'll have to be at his best if the Three Lions are to have any success this summer, but Thomas Tuchel will certainly be glad Guehi chose to represent England. After all, he was born in Cote d’Ivoire and moved with his family to Lewisham, London, England, at the age of one.
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Antoine Semenyo - Ghana (Born in England)
Ghana's Antoine Semenyo
Another Premier League star who joined Manchester City in the winter, Antoine Semenyo could have been playing for England at the 2026 World Cup, but has instead decided to represent a different nation. Despite being born in London, the winger's father is from Ghana and even played as a midfielder for Okwawu United in the Ghana Premier League.
Semenyo may have been able to play for France as well, as he holds French citizenship via his mother, but opted to commit to the Black Stars in 2022 while still on the books at Bristol City. As fate would have it, the Man City ace will come up against England in the group stages this summer.
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Achraf Hakimi - Morocco (Born in Spain)
Achraf Hakimi
At Paris Saint-Germain, Achraf Hakimi has confirmed his status as one of the best attacking fullbacks of the modern era with back-to-back Champions League triumphs. It won't hurt that he also made it to the 2022 semi-finals with Morocco.
That said, he wasn't born in Africa, but instead in Madrid, as he grew up in Spain. He was signed up for Real Madrid's youth academy in 2006 and played with the club until 2020 (although spent two seasons on loan at Borussia Dortmund), when he joined Inter Milan before signing for PSG a season later. His parents are Moroccan, and Hakimi was raised in a household shaped by Arab and Muslim culture, which later influenced his decision to represent Morocco at international level.
Michael Olise - France (Born in England)
Michael Olise
Michael Olise
Michael Olise is a real case of 'the one that got away' for England. Indeed, he was born in London and spent time in Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City academies before joining Reading. This led to a move to Crystal Palace in 2021, and after three years, he signed for German giants Bayern Munich.
Olise is now one of the best wingers on the planet, and if he has a good World Cup, he could even be in with a shout of winning the Ballon d'Or. Sadly, though, that won't be with the Three Lions. His father is British-Nigerian, and his mother is Franco-Algerian, but Olise has represented France since the U18 level. When asked why he chose to represent them over England, he explained:
"I have always had a connection with the France national team, that is why I play for France. It's been my dream since I was a kid."
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Erling Haaland - Norway (Born in England)
Norway's Erling Haaland
With his immense physicality and long blond hair, Erling Haaland is about as Nordic as they come and makes no effort to shy away from his Viking-like qualities. However, the Norwegian was actually born in Leeds, England. This is because his footballer father, Alfie, was playing for Leeds United in the Premier League at the time.
That said, Haaland started in the academy of his hometown club Bryne at the age of five and would play for Molde, Red Bull Salzburg, and Borussia Dortmund before returning to England. In 2022, he signed for Manchester City and has since gone on to win numorus trophies, including both the Premier League and the Champions League. With 55 goals for Norway in 49 games, there isn't a country in the world that would turn down the chance to have him on board.