Spain revealed as a Premier League talent hotspot in new study
- Spain ranks fourth in the world, having produced 165 Premier League players since 1992
- France ranks number one, producing 234 players in total
- England and Wales have produced a combined 1,815 players since the foundation of the Premier League
As the anticipation builds for the kick-off of the new Premier League season, new research has discovered which countries outside of England and Wales have produced the most Premier League players, with Spain ranking fourth
Experts at Gambling 'N Go analysed the nationalities of every footballer who has played in the Premier League since its foundation in 1992, in order to determine which countries outside of England and Wales have produced the most top flight players.
Spain ranks fourth overall, having produced 165 players.
| Rank | Nation | Number of Players |
| 1 | France | 234 |
| 2 | Scotland | 217 |
| 3 | Republic of Ireland | 200 |
| 4 | Spain | 165 |
| 5 | Netherlands | 149 |
| 6 | Brazil | 115 |
| 7 | Portugal | 92 |
| 8 | Argentina | 84 |
| 9 | Italy | 83 |
| 10 | Denmark | 80 |
At the top of the list is France, with a remarkable 234 Premier League players, considerably higher than Scotland, who rank number two. Thierry Henry is among the most highly regarded French players, who played a pivotal role in Arsenal's success, including their historic unbeaten season in 2003-04.
In second place is Scotland, producing 217 players, including Darren Fletcher. Fletcher, who started his career as a Midfielder for Manchester United, made over 340 appearances for the team under Sir Alex Ferguson.
The Republic of Ireland is third, producing 200 Premier League players, with one being Roy Keane, who drove Manchester United to numerous successes, including seven Premier League titles and a historic treble in 1999.
Next on the list is Spain, with 165 players having graced the English top flight. Among these players is David Silva, a maestro in midfield and a key figure for Manchester City from 2010 to 2020.
In fifth place is the Netherlands, with 149 players, including Dennis Bergkamp, who played a part in winning three Premier League titles and four FA Cups, scoring 115 goals in 416 games with Arsenal.
With 115 players, Brazil ranks sixth, with Roberto Firmino being the highest scoring Brazilian player in Premier League history.
Portugal is next, with 92 players who have been in the Premier League. The nation has produced many well-respected players, including the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo.
In eighth place is Argentina, with 84 Premier League players, including Sergio Agüero, the highest-scoring foreign player in Premier League history.
Closely following Argentina is Italy, which has produced 83 players, including Gianfranco Zola, who played for Chelsea from 1996 to 2003.
Tenth is Denmark, with 80 Premier League players. One of the most famous Danish footballers is Peter Schmeichel, who played for Manchester United from 1991 to 1999.
George Williams, senior editor at Gambling 'N Go, has commented: “This research gives an insight into the remarkable diversity of talent in the Premier League, extending far beyond the borders of England and Wales. These nations have consistently produced top-quality footballers who have made their mark in one of the world's most competitive leagues.
“From France to Brazil, the Premier League has become a melting pot of talent. This highlights the universal appeal of the sport and how it brings people together. It will be exciting to see the football talent that these nations produce in the future.”
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Methodology
Player nationality data from https://www.premierleague.com/home was analysed to determine the ranking
The number of Premier League players originating from each country excluding England and Wales:
| Nation | Number of Players |
| France | 234 |
| Scotland | 217 |
| Rep of Ireland | 200 |
| Spain | 165 |
| Netherlands | 149 |
| Brazil | 115 |
| Portugal | 92 |
| Argentina | 84 |
| Italy | 83 |
| Denmark | 80 |
| Germany | 79 |
| Norway | 75 |
| Sweden | 72 |
| N Ireland | 71 |
| Belgium | 69 |
| Nigeria | 57 |
| Jamaica | 57 |
| USA | 57 |
| Senegal | 46 |
| Cote d'Ivoire | 42 |
| Switzerland | 37 |
| Cameroon | 35 |
| Ghana | 33 |
| Serbia | 31 |
| Croatia | 30 |
| Greece | 30 |
| Czechia | 28 |
| Uruguay | 27 |
| Morocco | 25 |
| Colombia | 25 |
| Poland | 22 |
| Turkiye | 22 |
| Congo DR | 22 |
| Austria | 21 |
| Slovakia | 19 |
| Algeria | 19 |
| Mali | 19 |
| Finland | 18 |
| Iceland | 18 |
| Israel | 17 |
| South Africa | 16 |
| Chile | 16 |
| Romania | 16 |
| Ecuador | 14 |
| Egypt | 12 |
| Canada | 12 |
| Trinidad & Tobago | 12 |
| Hungary | 12 |
| Mexico | 11 |
| Ukraine | 11 |
| Curacao | 9 |
| Bulgaria | 9 |
| Paraguay | 9 |
| Tunisia | 8 |
| Costa Rica | 8 |
| Russia | 8 |
| Zimbabwe | 7 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 7 |
| Guinea | 6 |
| Honduras | 6 |
| Slovenia | 6 |
| Gabon | 5 |
| Sierra Leone | 5 |
| Zambia | 5 |
| St. Kitts and Nevis | 5 |
| Georgia | 5 |
| Latvia | 5 |
| North Macedonia | 5 |
| Peru | 5 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 4 |
| Kosovo | 4 |
| Montenegro | 4 |
| Congo | 4 |
| Togo | 4 |
| Guyana | 4 |
| Barbados | 4 |
| Albania | 3 |
| Cyprus | 3 |
| Angola | 3 |
| Benin | 3 |
| Burkina Faso | 3 |
| Bermuda | 3 |
| Grenada | 3 |
| Guadeloupe | 3 |
| Belarus | 2 |
| Estonia | 2 |
| Lithuania | 2 |
| Burundi | 2 |
| Cabo Verde | 2 |
| Equatorial Guinea | 2 |
| Liberia | 2 |
| Mauritania | 2 |
| Seychelles | 2 |
| Bolivia | 2 |
| Venezuela | 2 |
| Martinique | 2 |
| Montserrat | 2 |
| Armenia | 1 |
| Faroe Islands | 1 |
| Gibraltar | 1 |
| Malta | 1 |
| Central African Republic | 1 |
| Gambia | 1 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 1 |
| Kenya | 1 |
| Tanzania | 1 |
| Suriname | 1 |
| Cuba | 1 |
| Dominican Republic | 1 |
| Guatemala | 1 |
All the best,
Rebecca Devlin-McGurk
rebecca.devlin-mcgurk@journoresearch.org
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