Which Countries Are Euro 2016’s Stars ACTUALLY From?

There was a time when a country’s national team was comprised of that country’s best players. Englishmen were English and Frenchmen were French. That’s just how it was. But now it’s 2016, and the world is one big melting pot. Nowhere is that more evident than among the starting lineups of the best teams in the Euros.

Let’s look at the starting lineups 5 of Europe’s best teams:

England

Germany

Spain

France

Belgium.

The country next to a player’s name is the country that player should be playing for.

I think what you find will surprise you…

England, Germany, Spain, France and Belgium’s Last XI, with International Eligibility included.

Top facts

Kevin De Bruyne is Burundian.

Where’s that?

Middle of Africa.

How’s that possible?

De Bruyne’s mother was born in Burundi and moved to the suburbs of London as a child.

Spain’s players are Spanish through and through, except David silva, who’s mother has Japanese heritage.

England and France recruit better than most D-1 schools.

They’ll take anyone they can get, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Talent migrates. Sometimes people color up.

That’s how you can have brothers who play for different national teams, like the Boatengs. Kevin-Prince Boateng plays for Ghana and his brother, Jerome, plays for Germany.

If I had my druthers, I’d probably play for Germany too.