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Football is a unique sport with the right mix of club and international games. Although most football fans prefer watching club football, international tournaments add a different kind of excitement to the game.
Most footballers perform at more or less the same level for club and country. However, a few players now and then turn into a different beast while donning their national jersey.
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One such player was Miroslav Klose. Although the striker had a decent club career, he was on a whole new level while playing for Germany. He still holds the record for most goals in FIFA World Cup history, outshining the likes of Ronaldo Nazario and Gerd Muller.
With that being said, let’s look at current players who perform better for their country than clubs.
#5 Timo Werner
Timo Werner has found life hard at Chelsea. The former RB Leipzig forward has scored 18 goals in 73 matches for the reigning Champions League winners. Although his work rate and pace have been appreciated, the goal record leaves a lot to be desired.
In stark contrast, Werner has been consistent with Die Mannschaft since his arrival at Stamford Bridge. Over the last 18 months, he has scored 10 goals in 18 matches for Germany, out of which just 11 were starts.
The Chelsea number 11 has been misfiring since his Bundesliga exit. However, his goal-scoring record for his national team has been splendid. Overall, he has 21 goals in 47 appearances for the 2014 FIFA World Cup winners. Chelsea fans will hope he can produce such numbers in the Premier League.
#4 Paul Pogba
Paul Pogba was a star player for Juventus in the mid-2010s. After a blockbuster move to his boyhood club, Manchester United, he has failed to live up to expectations. The Frenchman can’t be termed a flop at Old Trafford. However, he is not a solution to their problems.
“La Pioche” has been exemplary for France ever since his debut back in 2013. He has the ability to control the game while also contributing with goals and assists. The presence of N’Golo Kante in Les Bleus’ setup allows him to express himself.
However, at club level, Pogba doesn’t have that sort of freedom. The Red Devils defensive midfielders are average at best, and Pogba has to do his fair share of defending. Although he has moments of brilliance going forward, he is not the ideal central midfielder for Manchester United.
#3 Jordan Pickford
Jordan Pickford is far from being labelled the best goalkeeper in the Premier League. Whenever he pulls on the England jersey, he turns into the second coming of Gordon Banks. The difference between his quality of performances for Everton and England is quite explicit.
Pickford was one of the reasons why the Three Lions have been so successful at recent major tournaments. The shot-stopper kept five clean sheets in seven games at Euro 2020. In 42 England matches, he has managed to keep 21 clean sheets while conceding 31 goals.
On the other hand, he has recorded just 51 shut-outs in 184 appearances for The Toffees. Everton’s defense is not as good as England’s, which is a fair counterpoint to this debate. But Pickford looks much more confident for his country, which has kept the likes of Nick Pope and Aaron Ramsdale away from the English starting XI.
#2 Granit Xhaka
Granit Xhaka’s time at Arsenal has been filled with disappointing moments. From the controversy surrounding his captaincy to his indiscipline on the pitch, Xhaka’s stint at The Emirates has never been short of drama. Overall, he has racked up 63 yellow cards and four red cards for Arsenal.
That is not to say that he is a saint-like figure whenever he plays for Switzerland. But his exploits are far more meaningful for his national team. The midfield general has been a mainstay for the Red Crosses, earning 98 appearances.
Arsenal have looked thin in the middle of the park for quite some time now. Had Xhaka performed for them as he has been doing for Switzerland, the Gunners wouldn’t have faced this problem. The Swiss skipper is a shadow of himself when he plays in the Premier League.
#1 Olivier Giroud
Olivier Giroud’s impact in the Premier League for Arsenal and Chelsea will not be remembered as anything extraordinary as time goes on. Although he wasn’t the most skillful or flashy player, he did his primary job of scoring goals pretty well. At the national level, though, he has been splendid.
Giroud has scored 46 goals in 110 matches for France and is just five goals behind Thierry Henry in the all-time charts. His goal-to-game ratio is better than Henry, Antoine Griezmann and Karim Benzema, all of whom are more prolific than Giroud at club level.
On the other hand, he scored 90 goals in 255 matches for Arsenal and Chelsea in the Premier League. He was a decent striker in the English top-flight, but his French record is brilliant. He will go down in French football's history books if he manages to break Henry’s record.
