16 Footballers Who Were Better For Country Than Club (Ranked)

Having done law at LSE, Vijievan transitioned into the world of sports journalism through a fast-track diploma course with the Press Association. After completing that, he did an internship at 90min, before joining the Snack Media team on a full-time basis.

Initially starting off as a writer for FootballFanCast, Vijievan became assistant editor of the site and weekend editor of This is Futbol. After a few years working across both sites, he took up the role of assistant editor to the exclusives project at GiveMeSport, speaking to a number of top journalists like Fabrizio Romano and Christian Falk on the latest transfer news across European football.

Now taking on the role of evergreen editor, Vijievan is responsible for longer-form content based on everything from the Premier League to international football. Outside of that, he's also passionate about cricket and the NBA.

Harry Maguire's performances for England have been impressive despite his struggles at Manchester United.

It's not uncommon for players to excel internationally but underperform at the club level. International breaks can be beneficial for some players who use them to find form or have a strong affinity for the international game.

The article highlights several examples of players who thrived for their country but struggled at the club level, including Sergio Romero, Asamoah Gyan and Hal Robson-Kanu.

There are a host of footballers - both past and present - who have struggled to replicate their excellent international form domestically. There are a number of reasons why this could be the case. Some are more suited to international football and adapt better to that environment, with club football often too strenuous due to the tightly-packed schedules and relentless nature of it all.

With the international game much less frequent, but also reliant on tournament-style formats rather than drawn-out seasons, it's difficult for managers to implement various different styles of football. Often, those who can get along with their players and keep things simple will thrive.

The likes of Harry Maguire spring to mind - but the status quo for major countries and big players is often that international breaks can be a hindrance to their domestic season, but there are actually just as many players who relish those international breaks and camps, be it as an escape to find form, or simply because they live for the international game.

Perhaps one of the strangest quirks in football is seeing a player frequently star on the international stage but consistently amount to very little when club football comes back around. Therefore, below are 16 of the best examples of players who thrived only for their country.

The difference in performances for their country compared to their clubs

Trophies/awards won on the international stage

GIVEMESPORT ranks the best 100 footballers involved in this summer's World Cup, from Neymar to Kylian Mbappe.

At points in his career, Maguire has played more minutes for England than he did for Manchester United. Indeed, there was a stage when Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez cemented themselves as former manager Erik ten Hag's preferred duo and while he was struggling for club form, ex-England boss Gareth Southgate continued to select and start the much-maligned centre-back for the Three Lions.

Despite his club troubles, Maguire has over 60 caps to his name. He also has seven goals, which is more than any England defender in history and is always at the top of his game when donning international colours. For his nation, he was named in the Team of the Tournament for both Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup. Injury ruled him out of Euro 2024 where he no doubt would have been a starter too. The Three Lions are under new management with Thomas Tuchel, and it finally seems like his international playing days are behind him.

Before his stint as Manchester United's number two behind David de Gea, Sergio Romero's club football highlights weren't all that special. He'd floated from AZ Alkmaar to Sampdoria without amounting to much but was always the man between the sticks for Argentina, where he would suddenly look world-class - even earning Man of the Match in the 2014 World Cup semi-final.

He sits on 96 caps, with Aston Villa’s Yashin Trophy-winning Emiliano Martinez the main man in net these days following his retirement. A cult hero, there has to be a part of him that hates the fact he never quite reached a century of appearances.

Remembered by most Premier League fans for his spell with Sunderland, Asamoah Gyan was very much a 'streets won't forget' calibre of forward. Despite his career for the Black Cats being overshadowed by that penalty miss at the 2010 World Cup after Luis Suarez’s handball, it was on the international stage where Gyan consistently looked like a talisman.

Whether it's goals from Michu or long throws from Rory Delap, these players are true cult heroes.

Having scored 49 goals in 107 games for Ghana and notably scoring twice at the 2014 World Cup, Gyan certified himself in his nation’s folklore, though - by that point - the striker had assumed journeyman status at club level, plying his trade for the likes of Stade Rennais and Udinese.

Failing to break through at Premier League giants Arsenal as a youngster, settling for Reading was as good as it got for Hal Robson-Kanu, and when he was released in 2016, you would've been forgiven for not batting an eyelid.

In the same summer, he became a free agent, was included in the Wales squad for Euro 2016 and proved instrumental by scoring against Slovakia and Belgium in their historic run to the semi-finals. His goal against the latter is enshrined in football mythology forever as he sent three defenders before slotting past Thibaut Courtois. The striker remained a regular for Wales but would remain a relatively quiet man at club level.

Fans in England will remember Wout Weghorst as the Burnley striker who somehow secured a loan move to Manchester United in January 2023. His time with the Red Devils didn't go well, as he scored just twice in 31 games - which is the same number of goals he managed with the Clarets.

That said, he's been a different beast when it comes to the international game. Often called upon as a super sub, the large striker's most memorable moment came in the 2022 Qatar World Cup as he struck twice from the bench vs Argentina, helping his team come from behind to take the match to penalties. He then stepped up once more as a substitute at the opening game of Euro 2024, netting the winner vs Poland.

Xherdan Shaqiri is one of those players who has always caught the eye. With his stocky frame and muscular calves, power is what springs to mind whenever he takes to the football pitch - especially in terms of striking the ball with that left foot of his.