The 15 best English players to ever play in the EFL Championship (Ranked) | OneFootball

We look at the best 15 English players to have played in the EFL Championship over the years.

There have been many talented Championship players over the years, with England’s second tier widely regarded as one of the toughest and most competitive on the planet.

There have been full internationals and emerging stars who have made their name in the Championship, and it continues to be a league for a number of talented individuals to show what they’re all about.

Of course, many of those players are English, with a significant chunk of Thomas Tuchel’s most recent Three Lions squad having featured in the EFL over the years.

When it comes to deciding the best English players to have played in the Championship, it’s obviously hugely subjective, but FLW has had a go at doing just that.

The criteria does take into account their overall career, although there is more weight put on what they did in the division, with players considered since its rebranding for the 2004/05 season…

15 John Terry

The ex-England captain had one year in the Championship with Aston Villa, and it ultimately ended in disappointment as they lost in the play-off final to Fulham in 2018, which was his last game in football.

Despite that, Terry’s status in the game means he has to make this list. He will go down as one of Chelsea’s best-ever players; he won multiple Premier League titles, and he will be in the conversation when it comes to naming the best centre-backs in top-flight history.

So, his CV speaks for itself, but unlike some other big names, like teammate Ashley Cole at Derby, Terry still did well in the Championship. He was influential for Villa as they reached the play-off final, and even though he wasn’t at his best, he did make a big contribution that year.

Rooney’s inclusion is similar to his former England teammate Terry. The ex-Man United man is a legend of the game, and arguably the most talented individual that England have produced in generations, as he helped the Red Devils win it all at club level, whilst also becoming their all-time top scorer.

Therefore, when he moved to Derby, it was a huge deal, as he had been a global superstar. Rooney was no longer near his best at Pride Park, but he still scored six goals in 24 games after his arrival in January 2020, as fans saw some flashes of his brilliance.

He would continue to play at the start of the next season before immediately transitioning into management with the Rams.

Bellingham’s inclusion may surprise some as he also only had one season in the Championship, and it was a tough one for Birmingham City.

However, it should be acknowledged that he made 41 Championship appearances, almost a full season, at just 16-years-old, which is quite remarkable. Even though he was still learning, you could see Bellingham’s talent, and it was inevitable that his stay at that level was going to be a short one.

Everyone knows how his career has played out, with a move to Borussia Dortmund before joining Real Madrid, with Bellingham having already won the Champions League. He could go on to become a true legend of the game for club and country, and it all started for Bellingham in the Championship with his boyhood club.

12 Jarrod Bowen

Bowen is a full England international, and he is, by some distance, the most important player at West Ham in the Premier League, and he earned his move to the Hammers through his performances with Hull in the Championship.

It sometimes felt the winger was underappreciated outside those with the Tigers, but he managed 14 and 22 goals in his two full seasons. Then, before a January switch to West Ham, Bowen had hit the net 16 times in 29 games, so his quality was clear.

Hull finished in the bottom half in Bowen’s two full years at this level, before they were relegated after his January sale - which wasn’t coincidental. The 28-year-old has proven himself as a very good Premier League player, and his place in West Ham’s history is assured after his goal saw the Londoners win the Europa Conference League.

Another player who went on to play for England, Maddison only had one full season with Norwich in the Championship - but it was a memorable one for the attacking midfielder.

Whilst Norwich were struggling to a 14th-placed finish, Maddison was a shining light, as he scored 14 times, with many of those sublime individual efforts, with the ex-Coventry man also impressing with his creativity.

A Premier League move was inevitable, and Maddison has gone on to help Leicester win the FA Cup, and he was part of the Spurs squad that won the Europa League last season. At 28, he will feel there is more to accomplish in the game, but he has already had a great career since really making a name for himself with that breakout year at Carrow Road.

Eze is yet another player on this list who has gone on to win silverware, with the attacker scoring the winner back in May when Crystal Palace won the FA Cup against Man City.

The 27-year-old joined the Eagles after starring for QPR, with Eze making over 100 appearances in the Championship for the Loftus Road outfit.

During his first 18 months, it was clear Eze had talent, as he impressed fans with his skill and dribbling ability, as he would often make the opposition defenders look foolish. The 2019/20 campaign was where it all came together for Eze, as he scored 14 goals, with Palace convinced of his talent after that as they splashed out around £20m on the player.

9 Kieran Trippier

The right-back has had a brilliant career, which has seen him feature for Spurs, Atlético Madrid and current club Newcastle.

But, having failed to make it at Man City, Trippier showed his quality with Burnley in the Championship, which included starring as they won promotion under Sean Dyche in 2014, although he was also excellent the year before, with Trippier named in the Team of the Year in both seasons.

It was during his time at Turf Moor that Trippier demonstrated his talent, and it was the springboard for his career, which also brought 54 England caps.

8 Jack Grealish

The boyhood Aston Villa fan was integral to their rise in the past decade, with Grealish the inspiration behind their promotion back in 2019.

He was part of the side that were beaten by Fulham in the play-off final a year before, and many expected that to be his last game for the club, as, in truth, he seemed far too good for this level. But, he stuck around, and was crucial as Villa returned to the Premier League.

Grealish would continue in that vein over the next few years, and that grounding in the Championship helped him eventually move to Man City, where he played a big part in their historic treble win.

7 Jay Bothroyd

The former Cardiff man obviously didn’t have the same career as some of the other names on this list, but he was a terrific Championship player, especially for the Bluebirds.

He hit double figures for three years on the bounce from 2008, when he was pivotal for an excellent Cardiff side at this level with his all-round game at leading the line.

Bothroyd also deserves a special mention for winning an England cap as a Championship player, something that you rarely see.

6 Jamie Vardy

Vardy will go down as a Premier League great considering his remarkable story at Leicester, but it’s worth remembering his time with the Foxes includes two Championship promotions.

In 2014 and 2024, he played key roles for Leicester in taking them back to the Premier League, scoring 16 and 18 goals respectively. Even though his game changed in that decade, he still had superb movement and a desire to find the back of the net.