The 12 most random footballers to have ever played in the EFL Championship | OneFootball

Football League World have taken a look at 12 players who surprisingly ran out in the Championship

The EFL Championship is often labelled as one of the most exciting football leagues in the world, due to its unpredictable nature and constant battles at both ends of the table.

Another enticing factor is the random mix of players that operate out of the division, from up-and-coming talents to older stars reaching the end of their careers.

Some of the world’s leading footballers have run out of the English second-tier at some point in their playing days, adding to the spectacle immensely.

As a result, Football League World have highlighted 12 of the most surprising players to grace the EFL Championship with their presence.

Patrik Berger

Patrik Berger is a Bundesliga champion with Borussia Dortmund, FA and UEFA Cup winner with Liverpool and a goal scorer in the EURO 96 final for the Czech Republic.

However, following a series of injury issues later in his career, the forward found himself operating out of the Championship for Stoke City.

He made seven second-tier appearances whilst on loan with the Potters during the 2006/07 campaign, before returning to parent club Aston Villa.

Hector Bellerin

Having come through the esteemed academy systems of Barcelona and Arsenal, Hector Bellerin broke into the Gunners’ first team during the 2014/15 campaign.

The season prior saw the full-back spend two months on loan with Watford in the Championship, where he would make eight league appearances for the Hornets.

Following his time at Vicarage Road, the Spaniard would go on to win three FA Cups for the North London outfit before adding a La Liga title with Barcelona in 2023.

Filippo Galli

Filippo Galli is arguably one of the finest defenders of his generation, winning five Serie A titles and three Champions League trophies with Italian giants AC Milan.

The defender played in a backline with Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini but spent one of the final years of his career in the Championship.

At the age of 38, Galli enjoyed a season at Watford under manager Gianluca Vialli, scoring once against Walsall.

He would depart after just a single term at Vicarage Road, moving back to Italy with Pro Sesto 1913.

Nicklas Bendtner

Nicklas Bendtner joined Arsenal as a young, exciting forward in 2005 and Arsene Wenger was keen to get his new talent some experience in the English game.

The Dane was sent on loan to Birmingham City for the 2006/07 campaign, which proved to be an extremely successful move.

Bendtner netted 11 league goals for Blues as they finished second in the Championship, securing promotion to the Premier League.

Péter Gulácsi

Péter Gulácsi spent multiple years as a back-up ‘keeper with Liverpool before enjoying a decade in between the sticks for RB Leipzig.

In between those two spells, the Hungarian was loaned out to Hull City for the 2011/12 campaign, where he would make 15 Championship appearances for the Tigers.

A knee injury and goalkeeper suspension crisis at Liverpool meant that Gulácsi’s time with Hull was cut short, but the experience surely helped the shot-stopper throughout the rest of his career.

Emiliano Martinez

When all is said and done in Emiliano Martinez’s footballing career, he might just go down as one of the most important players in Argentina’s history.

The 32-year-old has won the World Cup, two Copa América titles and the Yashin trophy twice with his penalty heroics at the heart of a lot of those triumphs, highlighting the stratospheric rise of his career.

Martinez was somewhat of a Championship regular during his early days, featuring for Sheffield Wednesday, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Rotherham United and Reading in the second-tier.

This experience ultimately served him well, with him going on to become one of the division’s greatest ever exports.

David Ngog

David Ngog began his career running out for PSG and Liverpool, before making a move to Bolton Wanderers.

The Trotters were relegated to the Championship at the end of the 2011/12 campaign and despite interest from top-flight clubs, the striker spent two seasons in the second-tier.

Swansea City brought this spell to an end in January 2014, with Ngog exiting English football altogether six months later.

Marouane Chamakh

Another cast member from Arsene Wenger’s final years as Arsenal manager, Marouane Chamakh had a fairly successful start to life in North London.

Netting 11 goals for the Gunners in all competitions during his maiden campaign was the best it would get for the Moroccan however and he would eventually run out for West Ham and Crystal Palace.

In October 2016, the striker signed a short-term contract with Cardiff City, where he would make two Championship appearances, both off the bench, before exiting the Welsh capital.

David Beckham

One of football’s most iconic characters, David Beckham ran out for the likes of Manchester United, Real Madrid and AC Milan throughout his illustrious career.

However, his first move away from Old Trafford was a temporary one.

With Sir Alex Ferguson looking to toughen the young prospect up, Beckham moved to Preston North End in 1995.

He scored two goals in five appearances with the Lilywhites, with one of these strikes famously coming directly from a corner kick.

Yossi Benayoun

Yossi Benayoun was a technically brilliant footballer, playing at the highest level for Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal.

It was with QPR that the playmaker would make his Championship bow, playing 16 times for the Hoops during the 2013/14 campaign.

By the end of that year, the West London outfit were promoted back to the Premier League via the play-offs, which would be Benayoun’s final act in English football.