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Analysis
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England face devastating Jamal Musiala repeat with Man City's next superstar
18 Sept 2026 18:59 BST |
5 min read
Analysis
England have lost several dual nationals to rival countries in recent years, most notably Bayern Munich stars Jamal Musiala and Michael Olise, and Manchester City's next big thing could soon follow suit.
For some national teams, seeking out players who are eligible to feature for multiple countries is hugely important. Smaller or weaker nations, in particular, have to invest significant time and resources in trying to convince dual nationals.
Cape Verde showed at the World Cup what can be achieved when a tiny nation has the ability to tap into a sizeable diaspora. For the best national teams in the world, however, dual citizenship is often an afterthought except when it comes to truly elite talents.
Current ETV
Jamal Musiala
M, AM (C)
Bayern
Jamal Musiala
M, AM (C)
Bayern
ETV Range
€92.2M - €112.7M
England, a multicultural nation with one of the most developed football pyramids in the world, can draw on a large player pool and doesn't necessarily have to worry too much about having to convince players. The allure of playing for the Three Lions is often enough.
And yet, the FA has had to figure out the hard way that this isn't the be-all and end-all for every player, particularly those who are eligible for other elite nations. Over the past few years, the Three Lions have missed out on some of the best players in European football.
Musiala repeat?
Jamal Musiala played for the Three Lions in four different youth categories and is one of Jude Bellingham's best friends, yet he chose to represent Germany, the country of his birth. London-born Michael Olise, meanwhile, has only played for France throughout his career.
Of course, the concept of nationality is much more complex than what we're making it out to be here. Footballing considerations are just one of many factors when it comes to choosing a nation to represent.
It is, however, a fact that England have lost out on several players to their European rivals in recent years. Besides Musiala and Olise, one can also look at Borussia Dortmund midfielder Felix Nmecha, who now plays for Germany after previously featuring in England's youth teams.
Goalkeeper Finn Dahmen, who won't be a name too familiar to Premier League fans, is now set to become a senior international for Germany. The Augsburg star previously expressed an interest in representing England, his mother's country.
Next on this list could be Man City's new rising star Floyd Samba, who burst onto the scene with a spectacular brace against Norwich City in the Carabao Cup on Thursday.
One of the most highly-rated prospects in the Cityzens' academy, the 17-year-old made his long-awaited senior debut in the clash with the Canaries and immediately impressed.
Floyd, the son of former Blackburn and QPR defender Christopher Samba, is currently the subject of a three-way European tug-of-war between England, France and Germany. To date, the teenager has only represented England at the youth level.
That, however, is about to change. Samba, who was once called up by France's U16s but didn't play, is set to make his Germany debut at the U19 level during the upcoming international break. That could be a big hint as to where his international future might lie.
Born in Macclesfield, Samba is eligible for Germany due to his mother, whom his father presumably met during his three-year spell at Hertha BSC. His older brother Tyrone also plays for Man City. Because of his father's roots, Floyd could technically also represent the Republic of the Congo.
Samba's stunning debut
Prior to making his debut on Thursday, Samba had only made two matchday squads for City. Pep Guardiola named him among the substitutes in February for an FA Cup match with Salford, while Enzo Maresca called him up for a Premier League clash with Coventry a few weeks ago.
The new City boss certainly sprung a surprise against Norwich when he played the teenager as Erling Haaland's deputy in the No.9 role. That's because Samba is a central midfielder by trade and had never before played in such an advanced role.
"I’m satisfied not just for the two goals, but for the entire performance - he was good," Maresca said after Samba bagged a brace. "He didn’t play many games as a nine, but we tried him there in the last few days.
"I asked him in the last three or four days when I decided to play him as a nine - I asked him if he had played, and he said he had never played there before."
The coach added: "He is not a nine, for sure, but he was good. He is young, full of energy, he is strong, he can finish and he made some good decisions, some passes to teammates. So I am happy, but again, they are young, and we need to go slowly with them."
Samba, for his part, believes that he "coped quite well" in his new role. "Enzo spoke to me on Tuesday to put me as number nine as an idea," he explained. "And then as it got closer, I knew I would start. I just had to prepare mentally for the game. I think I coped quite well."
The teenager was over the moon with his debut. "I wish I could [put it into words]. Amazing game. This is what I dreamed of, and to make it a reality is just the best thing in the world right now."
