The Liverpool striker is a very important national team player for the Italians, having scored 13 goals for the Azzurri in 33 appearances. Though he was born in Palermo, he could have chosen to play for the Black Stars of Ghana due to the fact that his biological parents where from the West African country.
The talented defender was born in Cape Verde, but he moved to Portugal when he was 14, and became a naturalized citizen in 2006. He was later chosen to represent the European nation, and is currently an important element of the defensive line at Anderlecht, where he is on loan from Porto. He has represented the Seleção Portuguesa since 2009.
The French international goalkeeper could be playing for Congo, having been born in the capital, Kinshasa, but instead he opted to build his international career with Le Bleus. The 29-year-old Marseille shot-stopper has not often been the first choice for the national team, but his consistency has provided him with a place in the squad for the 2010 World Cup, as well as the European Championships in 2008 and 2012.
This talented and skilful attacker is another Portuguese international who could be turning out for the Cape Verde national team, had he not chosen to represent his adopted country. Currently on loan at Sporting from Manchester United, the 28-year-old was born in Praia, Cape Verde, and having scored 15 goals for the Portuguese throughout his 83 appearances for the side since 2006, one wonders what he could have produced for his native land.
The defender was born in Cassino, Italy, to Nigerian parents and could therefore choose whether to play international football for either the Azzurri or the Super Eagles. He chose to defend goal for the country of his birth, and Nigeria lost out on a very talented 26-year-old with a bright future ahead of him.
The half-brother of Kevin-Prince Boateng chose to represent the German national team rather than the Black Stars of Ghana, as his sibling did. Born in Berlin, both Jerome and Kevin played for Germany at youth level, and excelled, but the younger of the two remained loyal to his German birth while his former AC Milan midfielder brother represented Ghana at the 2010 World Cup. A talented defender with the ability to play on the wing, Jerome Boateng was an important element in the 2014 World Cup winning German national team.
France international Matuidi had the choice of representing Angola if he preferred, due to the fact that his father was born in Angola before meeting his French mother. The strong midfielder has been breaking up opposing attacks for Les Bleus, deciding that the country of his birth deserved his service above that of his father’s routes.
Eligible to have played for Tunisia before his decision to instead represent Germany, Khedira has developed a successful international career, winning the 2014 World Cup alongside his Mannschaft team-mates.
The Arsenal striker has been in the England national team since 2011, having scored 13 goals in 32 appearances for the Three Lions, but he could have decided against national duty for the English in favour of Ghana, due to his Ghanaian parents. His full name is Daniel Nii Tackie Mensah Welbeck, but despite being scouted by Ghana seven years ago, he decided to wait for a call up for England, which eventually came, and in a moment of absolute irony, he made his national team debut in a friendly against Ghana.
Benzema once told Radio Monte Carlo, “Algeria is my parents’ country and it is in my heart, but football-wise, I will only play for the French national team.” His parents made it possible for him to play for The Fennecs of Algeria, but by birth he is French, and he decided to create his national team career in the blue of France.
