5/15/2004
Truly the world's game
As I was watching my Metros earn a 1-1 draw against the Chicago Fire, I wondered to myself: between the four top-flight teams I support (I didn't feel like looking up Brentford), how many countries would be represented among them?
Well, let's find out (only going with people who have appeared or have a chance to appear this season...I'm not trawling through the Under-18s or anything).
North America/Central America:
Honduras: Amado Guevara
Jamaica: Craig Ziadie, Fabian Taylor
Trinidad and Tobago: Cornell Glen
United States: Jonny Walker, Zach Wells, Eddie Pope, Chris Leitch, Jeff Parke, Kenny Arena, Tim Regan, Seth Stammler, Mark Lisi, Mike Magee, Mike Nugent, Mike Bradley, Joey DiGiamarino, Eddie Gaven, John Wolyniec, Frankie Simek, John O'Brien, Bob Bradley (manager)
Europe
Belgium: Joos Valgaeren, Wesley Sonck
Bulgaria: Stilian Petrov
Czech Republic: Michal Papadopulos, Tomas Galasek, Zdenek Grygera,
Denmark: Ulrik Laursen
England: Sol Campbell, Ashley Cole, Martin Keown, Stuart Taylor, Graham Stack, Ray Parlour, David Bentley, Justin Hoyte, John Spicer, Alan Thompson, Chris Sutton
Finland: Jari Litmanen
France: Patrick Vieira (by way of Senegal), Robert Pires, Thierry Henry, Jeremie Aliadiere, Sylvain Wiltord, Pascal Cygan, Gael Clichy, Didier Agathe, Julien Escude, Arsene Wenger (manager)
Germany: Jens Lehmann
Greece: Janis Anastasiou
Holland: Dennis Bergkamp, Bobby Petta, Nigel de Jong, Sander Boschker, Ryan Babel, Tom De Mul, Daniel De Ridder, John Heitinga, Victor Sikora, Wesley Sneijder, Tom Soetaers, Maarten Stekelenburg, Rafael van der Vaart, Jelle van Damme, Thomas Vermaelen, Ronald Koeman (manager)
Northern Ireland: Neil Lennon, Martin O'Neill (manager)
Republic of Ireland: Liam Miller, Aiden McGready
Romania: Bogdan Lobont, Nicolae Mitea
Scotland: Craig Beattie, Robert Douglas, John Kennedy, Paul Lambert, Shaun Maloney (was also eligible to play for Malaysia), David Marshall, Stephen McManus, Jackie McNamara, Stephen Pearson, Jamie Smith, Ross Wallace
Slovakia: Stanislav Varga
Spain: Jose Antonio Reyes, Cesc Fabregas, David Fernandez
Sweden: Fredrik Ljungberg, Rami Shaaban, Henrik Larsson, Magnus Hedman, Johan Mjallby, Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Switzerland: Philippe Senderos
Wales: John Hartson
South America
Bolivia: Joselito Vaca
Argentina: Sergio Galvan Rey
Brazil: Gilberto Flores, Edu, Gilberto Silva, Maxwell,
Guinea: Dianbobo Balde
Guyana: Mohammed Sylla
Africa:
Uganda: Tenwya Bonseu
Cameroon: Lauren Bisan-Etane
Nigeria: Nwankwo Kanu
Ivory Coast: Kolo Abib Toure
Ghana: Anthony Obodai, Abubakari Yakubu
South Africa: Steven Pienaar
Tunisia: Hatem Trabelsi
Oceania:
Australia: Jason Culina
So, on just four teams, that's players from 35 countries on five continents...would have had all six if Junichi Inamoto had been able to stick around on the Arsenal squad. All in all, that's pretty damn impressive.
Well, let's find out (only going with people who have appeared or have a chance to appear this season...I'm not trawling through the Under-18s or anything).
North America/Central America:
Honduras: Amado Guevara
Jamaica: Craig Ziadie, Fabian Taylor
Trinidad and Tobago: Cornell Glen
United States: Jonny Walker, Zach Wells, Eddie Pope, Chris Leitch, Jeff Parke, Kenny Arena, Tim Regan, Seth Stammler, Mark Lisi, Mike Magee, Mike Nugent, Mike Bradley, Joey DiGiamarino, Eddie Gaven, John Wolyniec, Frankie Simek, John O'Brien, Bob Bradley (manager)
Europe
Belgium: Joos Valgaeren, Wesley Sonck
Bulgaria: Stilian Petrov
Czech Republic: Michal Papadopulos, Tomas Galasek, Zdenek Grygera,
Denmark: Ulrik Laursen
England: Sol Campbell, Ashley Cole, Martin Keown, Stuart Taylor, Graham Stack, Ray Parlour, David Bentley, Justin Hoyte, John Spicer, Alan Thompson, Chris Sutton
Finland: Jari Litmanen
France: Patrick Vieira (by way of Senegal), Robert Pires, Thierry Henry, Jeremie Aliadiere, Sylvain Wiltord, Pascal Cygan, Gael Clichy, Didier Agathe, Julien Escude, Arsene Wenger (manager)
Germany: Jens Lehmann
Greece: Janis Anastasiou
Holland: Dennis Bergkamp, Bobby Petta, Nigel de Jong, Sander Boschker, Ryan Babel, Tom De Mul, Daniel De Ridder, John Heitinga, Victor Sikora, Wesley Sneijder, Tom Soetaers, Maarten Stekelenburg, Rafael van der Vaart, Jelle van Damme, Thomas Vermaelen, Ronald Koeman (manager)
Northern Ireland: Neil Lennon, Martin O'Neill (manager)
Republic of Ireland: Liam Miller, Aiden McGready
Romania: Bogdan Lobont, Nicolae Mitea
Scotland: Craig Beattie, Robert Douglas, John Kennedy, Paul Lambert, Shaun Maloney (was also eligible to play for Malaysia), David Marshall, Stephen McManus, Jackie McNamara, Stephen Pearson, Jamie Smith, Ross Wallace
Slovakia: Stanislav Varga
Spain: Jose Antonio Reyes, Cesc Fabregas, David Fernandez
Sweden: Fredrik Ljungberg, Rami Shaaban, Henrik Larsson, Magnus Hedman, Johan Mjallby, Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Switzerland: Philippe Senderos
Wales: John Hartson
South America
Bolivia: Joselito Vaca
Argentina: Sergio Galvan Rey
Brazil: Gilberto Flores, Edu, Gilberto Silva, Maxwell,
Guinea: Dianbobo Balde
Guyana: Mohammed Sylla
Africa:
Uganda: Tenwya Bonseu
Cameroon: Lauren Bisan-Etane
Nigeria: Nwankwo Kanu
Ivory Coast: Kolo Abib Toure
Ghana: Anthony Obodai, Abubakari Yakubu
South Africa: Steven Pienaar
Tunisia: Hatem Trabelsi
Oceania:
Australia: Jason Culina
So, on just four teams, that's players from 35 countries on five continents...would have had all six if Junichi Inamoto had been able to stick around on the Arsenal squad. All in all, that's pretty damn impressive.
