When children begin playing football, many dream of playing for their country. Many players may feel their chances have gone once they drop down to non-league football.
However, a growing band of footballers have proven that playing English non-league football is not a barrier to playing for the England national team. Here are just a few prominent players who have plied their trade in non-league and gone on to play for the Three Lions:
Jamie Vardy
The most famous former non-league player to feature for England in recent years is Leicester City veteran Jamie Vardy. Having been released by Sheffield Wednesday as a teen, Vardy didn’t give up on his dream of making it to the big time.
He rebuilt his career in non-league football, first with Stocksbridge Park Steels, FC Halifax Town, and, more notably, Fleetwood Town. His goals at the latter attracted the attention of Leicester, who paid around £1m to sign the forward.
At Leicester, he shone, becoming one of the most prolific goalscorers in European football. In season 2015/16, Vardy’s goals played a big part in the Foxes causing one of the biggest shocks in the history of the club game by winning the Premier League title.
His performances led to Vardy making 27 appearances for England and scoring 27 goals for his national team.
Ian Wright
Before there was Vardy, there was Ian Wright, who, from 16 to 21, played for Sunday League club Ten-em-Bee. His next stop was the semi-professional club Greenwich Borough, who he joined in 1985.
Shortly after, he was offered a trial at Crystal Palace after a tip-off from Dulwich Hamlet manager Billy Smith. He excelled with the Eagles and became a key player for seven seasons with Palace.
His prolific form in front of goal led him to a move to north London giants Arsenal in 1991, where he became the club’s leading goalscorer before being dethroned by Thierry Henry.
During his career, Wright made 33 international appearances for England, scoring nine goals, although some observers say that he didn’t get enough chances at international level.
Jordan Pickford
England’s number one’s story is a slightly different one. Pickford was part of the youth set-up at boyhood club Sunderland. The Black Cats sent him out on loan to fifth-tier Darlington and Alfreton Town to gain experience of playing senior football.
Pickford made 30 appearances in the then-Conference Premier before breaking into the Sunderland first team. A big-money move to Everton in 2017 was pivotal in the stopper becoming a regular in the Premier League.
At the time of writing, he has played for the Toffees for eight seasons, helping the Merseysiders survive in the English top flight in some of the most trying circumstances in the club’s history.
At the international level, he has shown incredible consistency playing for the Three Lions. During his 73 appearances for England, he helped the team to two European Championship finals and a World Cup semi-final.
Joe Hart
One of Pickford’s predecessors in the England goal was Joe Hart, who also played in the fifth tier of the English top flight. However, his circumstances were slightly different, as he came through the youth system at Shrewsbury Town.
As a youngster, Hart made two appearances for the Shrews in season 2003/04. It was not until season 2005/06 that he cemented a starting spot with Town. He was spotted by Premier League Manchester City and joined in the summer of 2006.
He played in ten Premier League seasons for City, contributing to the Citizens becoming a major force in the English game, including winning their first league title of the current era in 2012.
Like Pickford, he became England’s number one, making 75 appearances for his national team over a ten-year international career.
Jarrad Bowen
The West Ham forward started his professional playing career with fifth-tier Hereford United as a youngster. Bowen made his first-team debut at the age of just 17 in 2014. He played just eight appearances for Hereford before then-Premier League Hull City signed him as a free agent as United had been expelled from the fifth-tier.
It wasn’t until season 2017/18 that Bowen nailed down a regular starting spot on Humberside. He enjoyed a prolific few seasons before being snapped up by West Ham for a fee of £22m in January 2020.
From season 2020/21 until the current day, Bowen has impressed with West Ham. His displays have helped the forward win 14 England caps, including appearing at Euro2024.
Dan Burn
The giant Newcastle United defender began his career at Darlington, where he made ten appearances in the fifth tier of the English game.
Burn has enjoyed a strong career, including playing regularly in the Premier League for Fulham and Brighton before joining Newcastle in 2019. It was a dream move for Burn, who grew up in Blyth, close to the Newcastle.
The defender has since become a key player for the Magpies, helping the north east team qualify for the Champions League in season 2022/23. He also scored the opening goal in the Magpies’ 2-1 Carabao Cup final win over Liverpool at Wembley in March 2025 to end the north east sides’ 70-year wait for a domestic trophy.
Burn was called up to the England national squad in March for the World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia. With defensive injuries, Burn is expected to make an appearance for the Three Lions.