The English Premier League has seen players from 121 nations around the world; a truly global net.
With droves coming in from France, Germany, Spain, and of course, England, there are some countries that don’t have many national icons to give their unwavering support to.
Some don’t have any.
And some only have one.
Sixteen to be exact.
Sixteen nations have had only one representative in the English Premier League, ranging from world beaters to ‘where are they now?’.
So who’s on their tod? Who’s Billy no mates? Who got the plane over with an empty seat next to them?
Who’s an army of one?
TANZANIA
Mbwana Samatta — 2020-present — Aston Villa
14 Apps / 1 Goal (and counting)
The most recent addition to this list, the striker was banging them in for Genk until January 2020 when Villa brought him in to bang ’em in for them. One has been banged in thus far in the league.
He’s a dangerous lad to have up top, but he’s yet to prove how sharp his fangs are, as at the moment, he’s just a step above toothless.
SEYCHELLES
Kevin Betsy — 2001–2002 — Fulham
1 App / 0 Goals
Ten minutes or so was all Kev would get in the top flight, coming on as a sub against the might of Manchester United. He would go on to be a standout for Wycombe Wanderers and Woking over several spells, but the lone rep of the Seychelles is hopefully a bar to be cleared.
PHILIPPINES
Neil Etheridge — 2008–2014, 2018–2019 — Fulham, Cardiff City
38 Apps / 10 Clean Sheets
Made himself a penalty-saving maestro after about three hours into his Premier League life with Cardiff after playing approximately zero minutes for Fulham. That’s two players for Fulham on this list, and they played a combined Prem total of ten minutes.
Etheridge gave a tremendous account of himself for The Bluebirds however, attaining their Player of the Season award despite relegation.
PAKISTAN
Zesh Rehman — 2003–2006 — Fulham
20 Apps / 0 Goals
The first British-Asian to play in the Premiership. And he was dang solid. He was primarily used as cover during his time in the top flight, but spells with the likes of QPR and Bradford displayed the class he had. He played with passion and that crossed over to his life outside of football where he is a fervent supporter of bringing more British Asians into the English game, and an ambassador for the Kick It Out campaign.
OMAN
Ali Al-Habsi — 2005–2013 — Bolton Wanderers, Wigan Athletic
111 Apps / 23 Clean Sheets
An Oman of bad luck for opposing attackers.
He rarely made it easy as he was capable of saves from any and all angles from all types of shots. Though not in the Premier League, fans of the English game got a look at this form against Bayern Munich while Ali was playing for The Trotters.
It is Wigan where he really shone though. The man from Oman was a fantastic presence for The Latics and should be going down as one of their finest ever ‘keepers.
MALTA
Dylan Kerr — 1992–1993 — Leeds United
5 Apps / 0 Goals
Kerr was certainly a player that existed in the Premier League and is probably most famous as a cracking answer on a pub quiz. His five Prem appearances for the Elland Road outfit didn’t provide many (if any) highlights, and after a month of starts, his top flight career was over.
KENYA
Victor Wanyama — 2013–2020 — Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur
154 Apps / 10 Goals
This lad could just turn it on. He worked hard, he played hard, and it seemed he knew when to do everything, his weakness being that he didn’t always know how. Whether it be a 50-yard pass or a 40-yard screamer, he’d take a solid second to check the wind, the rotation of the ball, and the position of everyone on the pitch before he let fly.
And he likes spaghetti, so he’s one of the good guys.
GUINEA-BISSAU
Mesca — 2011–2014 — Fulham
1 App / 0 Goals
Buomesca Tué Na Bangna got 20 minutes for The Cottagers against Chelsea in a 2–0 defeat in September 2013.
His time in Cyprus may have been highlight-ridden, and even his time at Crewe was praised, but the former Portugal U-19 international just couldn’t find his legs in the Premier League.
GIBRALTAR
Danny Higginbotham — 1997–2002, 2003–2005, 2007–2013 — Manchester United, Derby County, Southampton, Sunderland, Stoke City
210 Apps / 9 Goals
The man who nobody knew was Gibraltarian until he was weeks from retirement.
Higginbotham started off his career seeming like an absolutely boss Championship player who just needed experience in the Prem. When he got it, he looked like a really safe bet for a lot of mid-table sides. Capable of the spectacular, the dependable and solid defender is remembered very fondly by a lot of his clubs and though he never got a fair crack for Gibraltar, he can still tick international football off his list, as well as an international man of the match award. Big up.
GAMBIA
Modou Barrow — 2014–2017 — Swansea City
51 Apps / 1 Goal
The rapid and dynamic winger was one of many impressive talents to shine with Östersunds before a big move, Barrow’s to Swansea. Despite his pace, he could never hit top gear with The Swans and was loaned out three times, each time failing to solidly impress.
Each Swansea manager that came did seem to see something in Mo though, and he kept receiving chances, but it would never materialise into anything long-term.
The lone Gambian still makes waves though and seems to be about to hit his professional peak. He may yet be back in the English top flight.
FAROE ISLANDS
Gunnar Nielsen — 2007–2012 — Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City
1 App / 1 Clean Sheet
He didn’t concede a goal against Arsenal, but he did only play 20 minutes. Still, I’m gonna count it.
He didn’t have much to do in his time on the pitch in the top flight, though he did prove himself capable of picking up a ball, I guess.
Now shining in Iceland domestically, it is there and in his national team where he excels. In the latter, he has proven himself to be arguably their finest ever between the sticks.
CUBA
Onel Hernández — 2019–2020 — Norwich City
26 Apps / 1 Goal
The first Cuban looked fired up in the Premier League. It’s just a shame he was playing second fiddle for the basement side. All his heat and his dynamicism looked almost out of place for Norwich as he strived to make something happen, but any extended run in the team would come when The Canaries seemed to have lost all hope, and not even Onel’s heart could inspire them.
Goal against Man U though.
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
Frédéric Nimani — 2010 — Burnley
2 Apps / 0 Goals
The only loanee on this list, and also recipient of the shortest spell at just five months.
Nimani was a young sprite when he signed for Burnley, and his two appearances showed promise if not preparedness, totalling about 45 minutes of game time.
In the end though, it’s a case of what might have been for Freddy. With Burnley relegated they did not take the option to buy and Nimani would remain in France, never to grace the top flight again.
BURKINA FASO
Bertrand Traoré — 2014–2017, 2020-present — Chelsea, Aston Villa
23 Apps / 5 Goals
Bert will probably fall into the large pile of players mishandled by Chelsea, especially since he’s impressed everywhere else he’s played. Though he wasn’t always up to snuff for the London outfit.
His goals showed there was gold in his boots, but his positioning showed lead. With others ahead of him more dangerous, Bert was never going to wait and has forged his own path ever since, carving up French defences with Lyon before returning to the Prem to swagger into folks’ hearts with The Villans.
ARMENIA
Henrikh Mkhitaryan — 2016–2020 — Manchester United, Arsenal
78 Apps / 13 Goals
The nine-time Armenian Footballer of the Year finally got to grace the Premier League in 2016.
With Manchester United.
Oh no.
It was a club that was lashing out with signings and they only signed Henrikh because they had the money. They had little idea how to use him, and the same goes for Arsenal, just to a lesser extent.
The fact he was capable of showing his true skill and class is testament to how good he is, and though he’s been left really quite abandoned by his two Prem sides, he is undeniably great.
Also scored a belting scorpion kick goal before Giroud did. And it was better.
Oh, Mkhi, you’re so fine.
ANGOLA
Manucho — 2008–2009 — Manchester United, Hull City
14 Apps / 2 Goals
Impressing Sir Alex is probably already enough to put on your CV if you want a career in football. Manucho managed to do that, but seemingly only once. After earning his contract, Manny wouldn’t make many strides into becoming a first-teamer, and his numbers since have proved that maybe he wasn’t cut out for it.
A spell with Hull returned some goals, and they were probably goals that ended up saving Hull’s Premier League life, so he might always be a legend on The Humber.
Sixteen individuals who carved out a spell for themselves in England’s top tier. One of the best leagues in the world. No matter how long they were there, or what they managed to achieve or not achieve there, the undeniable fact is that they were there, and they were talented and good enough to be.
Will these sixteen countries have more icons to cheer on in the Premier League one day? Or will the likes of Nimani, Manucho and Etheridge remain alone in the history books? Condemned to the annals, alone, if distinct.
With today’s global game, I think we all hope that the game can be open to anyone from anywhere if they have the talent and the passion, without poisoning other domestic leagues, of course.
And long after we’re gone, there won’t be a nation that hasn’t had representation in the Prem, but until that day, these 16 souls hold a claim to fame as a nation-bearing army of one.
Keep it streets ahead,
C.L.R.
