Ranking the best British footballers to make their mark abroad since 2000

BBC Sport journalist Alex Bysouth has ranked the top British footballers who built their careers abroad since 2000, noting that what was once a rare continental adventure has become a well-worn path. Eight of England's recent World Cup squad currently play overseas, while even more Scotland internationals are based mainly in Italy's Serie A.

Topping the list

Welsh forward Gareth Bale takes the top spot, having won five Champions League titles across a nine-year spell at Real Madrid — more than the rest of the list combined. He scored 106 goals in 258 appearances, including three in Champions League finals.

Second place goes to Steven McManaman, who moved to Real Madrid in 1999 as the first English player at the club since 1982, winning two Champions League titles and two La Liga crowns. Harry Kane ranks third after scoring 152 goals in 154 games for Bayern Munich and becoming the fastest player in Bundesliga history to reach a century of goals.

The rest of the top 10

The list also features Jude Bellingham, who followed a successful spell at Borussia Dortmund with a move to Real Madrid, becoming the fourth British player to win the Champions League with a foreign club. Owen Hargreaves, though born in Canada, won four Bundesliga titles during seven seasons at Bayern Munich and lifted the Champions League in 2001.

Scott McTominay has become a cult hero at Napoli since joining in 2024, helping the club win only its fourth Scudetto and earning the league's MVP award. David Beckham is recognised both for his time at Real Madrid and his impact on American soccer with LA Galaxy. Jadon Sancho, Fikayo Tomori and Kieran Trippier round out the ranking.