Over the years, only a select few elite footballers have achieved the feat of winning Europe’s prestigious competition and earning senior recognition on the international stage. However, it is even rarer for players to have won the continental crown and not been selected to represent their country at some point.
One such player was a former striker known as ‘Supersub’ for his accomplishments at Anfield, who was capped by England’s under-21s in 1976 before his European triumphs. Despite helping his club win the PFA Young Player of the Year award and the First Division crown, injuries prevented him from earning a full cap and ultimately led to the end of his career, leaving him without a chance to represent England.
Similarly, a versatile midfielder who captained his team to European Cup victories also missed out on the opportunity to play at the international level. Despite his contributions to his club’s successes, he was never selected by England, South Africa (his birth country), or Australia (his parents’ country of origin).
Another player, who had an impressive record of five league titles and three European Cups in just six years under a renowned manager, also failed to receive international recognition despite his remarkable achievements on the domestic and European fronts. In all these cases, the players’ stellar performances at the club level did not translate to opportunities to represent their respective national teams, leaving them without the chance to showcase their talents on the international stage.
