The 12 best players to ever play in the EFL Championship | OneFootball

Some of the world's best players have played in the second tier.

The Championship has built a reputation over the years for forging some of the greatest talent in world football.

Indeed, the second tier is often the go-to place to find upcoming talent, with Premier League clubs seeing the clear benefits of sending players out on loan to learn the rough and tough of one of the most enduring divisions.

While some players made their names in the Championship, others took their time to develop, having made little to no impact whatsoever.

Here, FLW analyses the greatest players to have ever graced the division regardless of their influence at this level.

Jack Grealish

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Jack Grealish made a greater impact at Championship level than most players on the list, having been Aston Villa's most influential player.

The Englishman was devastating for the Villans, with his dribbling ability leaving defenders for dead as he made 30 goal contributions in 89 appearances.

In 2021, the winger made a £100million move to Manchester City, lifting a glut of trophies including the Champions League and three Premier Leagues.

While the 30-year-old perhaps has not lived up to the level once expected of him, he was still outstanding at his best and has won it all at club level.

Andy Robertson

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When Andy Robertson left Hull City for Liverpool, nobody expected him to go on to become one of the world's leading left-backs as he exceeded all expectations at Anfield.

The Scotland international made 45 Championship appearances for the Tigers, including three in the play-offs, as the club returned to the top flight at the first attempt.

However, it was at Liverpool where the defender's career well and truly took off as he became an integral part of Jürgen Klopp's heavy metal football side.

With two Premier League titles and a Champions League to his name, he goes down as one of the most successful players to have played in the division, and now he will be striving to make more history with Tottenham.

Kyle Walker

Kyle Walker is currently the only name on the list set to play Championship football next season after he was relegated with Burnley.

The right-back rose through the ranks at his boyhood club Sheffield United, where he made 31 second-tier appearances before making 20 more for QPR during a loan spell from Spurs.

Walker went on to enjoy a successful career with the Lilywhites before signing for Man City, where he became one of the best right-sided defenders in the world, earning a reputation for his speed.

The defender has made 96 appearances for England and has won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and a Champions League as he plans to make more history in the division.

Teddy Sheringham

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Teddy Sheringham had already enjoyed a stellar career before he played Championship football, having won three Premier Leagues, a Champions League and an FA Cup with Manchester United.

The centre-forward also scored 11 goals in 51 England appearances, playing at multiple World Cups and scoring twice in the Euros, which is not bad considering he had Michael Owen and Alan Shearer for company.

Sheringham was a key part of the West Ham side that earned promotion to the Premier League via the second-tier play-offs in the 2004-05 season, scoring 20 goals for the Hammers.

The Englishman finished his career with Colchester United, but his three league goals were not enough to prevent the U's from finishing bottom of the Championship.

John Stones

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John Stones is currently without a club after leaving Man City upon the expiration of his contract, but he still has plenty to offer at 32 years of age.

The centre-back came through the ranks at Barnsley, where he made 24 Championship appearances across two seasons before earning a move to Premier League outfit Everton.

Man City saw his ability and potential and signed the Englishman for £47.5million, which was the second-highest fee ever paid for a defender behind only David Luiz.

While it looked like his City career would never take off, he became a stalwart in Pep Guardiola's backline despite constant injury problems, winning six Premier Leagues, three FA Cups and a Champions League.

Riyad Mahrez

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Many forget that Riyad Mahrez played in the Championship as he made a name for himself in the Premier League with Leicester City before moving to Man City.

In fact, the Foxes signed the Algerian from French outfit Le Havre AC in the 2014 winter window before he made 19 second-tier appearances, scoring three and assisting four.

The right-winger became a key part of Leicester's 2015-16 Premier League title-winning team, with 17 goals and 10 assists, and it was always going to be tough for the East Midlands club to hold onto his talent after such a ridiculous campaign.

Mahrez went on to replicate his fine form at the Etihad Stadium, making 137 goal contributions in 236 appearances, lifting a wealth of trophies in the process.

Jamie Vardy

Another Leicester legend makes the list in Jamie Vardy, who forged a career in Non-League football before the Foxes picked him up as a second-tier side in 2012.

The striker took his time to make an impact in the Championship, scoring just four in his first season before upping his tally to 16 in the 2013-14 campaign.

However, like Mahrez, it was during Leicester's title-winning season when the forward truly made his mark, scoring 24 league goals behind only Harry Kane.

The Englishman went on to become prolific at the highest level, bagging 145 Premier League goals, while there has been speculation he could return to the second tier this summer.

Jude Bellingham

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There was substantial hype around Jude Bellingham when he emerged as a serious talent at Birmingham City, where he made 41 Championship appearances at just 16 years of age.

The attacking-midfielder completed a statement move to Borussia Dortmund, where he developed into a fine player, narrowly missing out on the Bundesliga title before securing a move to Real Madrid, where he is now regarded as one of the best players in the world.

Bellingham has also become one of England's prized assets, making over 50 appearances despite being just 23 and popping up with goals in critical moments.

Many were bemused when the Blues retired the number 22 shirt in his honour, but now it is easy to understand why.

Michael Olise

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Watching Michael Olise tear it up for France and Bayern Munich, it is hard to imagine that he was once playing in the Championship for Reading.

The winger was not deemed good enough for Arsenal, Chelsea or Man City at youth level and had to prove himself in the second tier, where he made 67 appearances for the Royals before signing for Crystal Palace.

Olise became one of several key players for the Eagles before securing a headline move to Bayern, where he has gone from strength to strength.

The 24-year-old was named as the 2025-26 Bundesliga Player of the Season despite Kane's goal tally and is now a lynchpin in an exceptional France side.

Wayne Rooney

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One of the greatest Englishmen to play the beautiful game, Wayne Rooney ended his illustrious career in the Championship with Derby County, where he featured as a player-coach.

Rooney made 30 appearances in the second tier for the Rams and scored six and assisted three times, which was not too shabby given he was playing in a deeper role.

The Englishman made a name for himself at a young age with Everton, scoring a last-minute goal against Arsenal just days before his 17th birthday, becoming the Toffees' youngest-ever scorer at the time.