Ireland’s footballing heritage extends far beyond its borders. Throughout the history of the Premier League, many players have been eligible to represent the Irish national team through ancestry or even if they were born and raised elsewhere in the world. While not all chose to wear the green jersey, their ancestral ties highlight the global footprint of Irish infinity in the football scene.
Unsurprisingly, a large number of current England internationals and Premier League players could have lined out for Ireland thanks to their heritage despite eventually choosing a different path.
Declan Rice
Born in London, Declan Rice played for the Republic of Ireland throughout his youth, with his calm composure, impressive passing range, and versatility in the midfield making him a standout talent. Through his grandparents, this is where Rice’s Irish eligibility came from, and upon making an impression in the West Ham first team, he would go on to earn himself an appearance in a senior friendly for the Irish national team. Some League of Ireland betting sites were even touting him to be a future captain for the national side following his comments after the 2-1 win over the USA he participated in.
However, controversially, he decided to switch allegiance to England in 2019 following his first team call-up to the Ireland side. Unsurprisingly, fans were outraged, especially after taking to the pitch in the green jersey, something which still remains a major talking point in modern Irish football today. Since his dubious switch, Rice has become a core part of the English side and one of the most impressive midfielders in the Premier League in recent years. So much so, after captaining West Ham to victory in the Conference League final, he earned himself a £100 million move to Arsenal, where he has become one of their best players in recent years.
Jack Grealish
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Like Rice, Jack Grealish also came through Ireland’s youth ranks, winning the FAI U21 Player of the Year in 2015. Born in Birmingham with Irish grandparents, he was a fan favourite amongst Irish fans due to his flair on the ball and running ability at such a young age when on the books at Aston Villa. However, in the same year, after winning the previously mentioned youth award, Grealish also switched his allegiance to England, another decision that outraged fans of the Irish national team.
Despite being lauded due to many claiming he would never be able to break into the ranks of the English first team, he would prove all doubters wrong, becoming a star with the Birmingham-based outfit before Manchester City paid an English record fee for the attacking playmaker in 2021. Since then, Grealish has gone on to claim over 30 caps for the English national team, despite the majority of his youth career seeing him wear the iconic green strip of Ireland.
Harry Kane
Eligible for Ireland through his father, England captain Harry Kane has Irish roots through his paternal grandfather, who is from Galway. Though he never represented Ireland at any level like the players we have already discussed, his eligibility was confirmed early in his career, something which sparked hopeful speculation at the time that he was an up-and-coming young striker with top-level finishing abilities.
However, as we all know, Kane would go on to become a modern Premier League icon. He has won multiple Golden Boots in the English top flight, becoming Tottenham’s leading goalscorer, netting the second most goals in Premier League history, and even becoming England’s all-time leading scorer, something any Irish fan would be glad to take for their national side.
Kalvin Phillips
One player with heritage in multiple nations is Leeds-born midfielder Kalvin Phillips. Through his father, he is eligible for the Jamaican national side; however, through his maternal grandparents, he also has eligibility for Ireland. While he would go on to represent England, Phillips has spoken openly about his Irish roots.
Phillips was a pivotal component in the first Leeds side to return to the Premier League after 16 years apart, which saw him earn a move to Manchester City who were champions then. However, as game time has been limited, poor loan moves to West Ham and Ipswich have seen him drop out of England contention, surprising considering he was a vital cog in the 2020 European Championships run.
James Maddison
Thanks to his elegant playmaking and standout performances in the Championship for Norwich in 2018, James Maddison would go on to catch the eye at Leicester City. However, before England would eventually cap him, the FAI had explored his eligibility for the Irish national team before he got his breakthrough.
Qualifying through his grandparents, the now Tottenham Hotspur attacking midfielder didn’t earn his first England call-up until 2019, and as a result, many were hoping there was a chance he would declare for Ireland instead.