It has been a scintillating start to the decade for the Canadian national team.
In 2022, Canada returned to the FIFA World Cup after 36 years. In 2024, they made it all the way to the Copa América semifinals. And in 2026, they will co-host the World Cup alongside the USA and Mexico.
This year, meanwhile, Jonathan David could become the 13th Canadian footballer to play in the Premier League, with the Lille sharpshooter earning interest from a number of English sides like Chelsea and Liverpool as he enters the final weeks of his contract. But how have the previous Canadian players fared in the Premier League? Let’s take a look at the ten best Canadian footballers in the modern history of England’s top-flight.
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10. Jim Brennan
He may have been born in Toronto, but Jim Brennan made his name in England. Brennan was just a teenager when he traversed the Atlantic and joined Bristol City, where he polished his skills as a hard-nosed left back.
He joined Nottingham Forest in 1999, spending four years at the City Ground before joining Norwich City. Brennan helped Norwich achieve promotion but was never able to establish himself in the top-flight, making just 10 Premier League appearances as Norwich were relegated.
He enjoyed a brief spell at Southampton before returning to the Six and becoming Toronto FC’s first-ever captain.
9. David Edgar
David Edgar left Canada for England when he was just 14, spending eight years at Newcastle before taking his talents to Burnley, where he emerged as an indispensable leader in central defence.
He bounced around from various British sides like Swansea City, Birmingham City, Huddersfield Town and Sheffield United, making 23 appearances in the Premier League, 26 in League One, and 128 in the Championship, before returning to North America in 2016.
Edgar hung up his boots in 2020 after a successful stint with Forge FC that saw him win two Canadian Premier League titles over the course of a year.
8. Daniel Jebbison
Out of all the players on this list, only one is currently playing in England: Daniel Jebbison. Jebbison left Ontario in 2018 to join Sheffield United, rising through the ranks in South Yorkshire and polishing his skills on loan at Chorley and Burton Albion.
Jebbison joined Bournemouth in 2024 before being dispatched to Watford, only to be recalled in January after Evanilson and Enes Ünal incurred long-term injuries. Four years after becoming the youngest player to score on his first Premier League start, Jebbison scored his second Premier League goal against Manchester City. At 21, the future looks bright.
7. Simeon Jackson
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Simeon Jackson grew up in Canada until moving to Croydon at the age of 15 to live with his grandmother. His first big break came in 2009 when the forward scored both winners to lead Gillingham to victory in the League Two promotion playoffs, prompting him to be named the Canadian Player of the Year.
Having played in all four of England’s professional divisions (not to mention the Bundesliga), Jackson scored the goal that secured Norwich City promotion to the Premier League, where he scored 4 goals in 35 appearances between 2011 and 2013.
6. Frank Yallop
Similarly to Jebbison, Frank Yallop played for England at the youth level before deciding to represent the Canucks at the senior level.
He left Vancouver for Ipswich as a teen, where he suffered the lows of relegation in 1986 as well as the highs of promotion in 1992. A physical, no-nonsense right back, Yallop has made the 10th-most appearances in Ipswich’s entire history (386), with 54 of those coming in the Premier League.
He departed in 1996 and closed out his career after a brief spell with Tampa Bay Mutiny, before eventually coaching the Canadian national team.
5. Paul Stalteri
Paul Stalteri began his European journey not in England, but Germany, spending 2.5 years in Werder Bremen’s reserves before cementing himself as a regular in defence and leading them to a domestic double in 2003/04.
He departed in 2005 and spent three years in London with Tottenham and Fulham, winning the League Cup with the former and racking up 55 appearances in England’s top-flight before closing out his career with Borussia Monchengladbach. 25 years after winning the Gold Cup, he’s still playing an important role for the Maple Leafs as an assistant coach to Canada manager Jesse Marsch.
4. Scott Arfield
Unlike any of the other players on this list, Scott Arfield has never lived in Canada, but he was able to switch over from Scotland to Canada in 2016 due to his father being born in Toronto.
Arfield helped Huddersfield Town achieve promotion to the Championship before taking his talents to Burnley, where he made 86 appearances in the Premier League. A dynamic box-to-box midfielder who is skilled at arriving late in the box and combining in congested areas, Arfield is still going strong at 36 years old and plying his trade with boyhood club Falkirk in the Scottish Premiership.
3. Craig Forrest
Born and raised in Canada, Craig Forrest spent the entirety of his 17-year professional career. Forrest became an ever-present in between the sticks for Ipswich Town, helping them win the 1991/92 Second Division title.
Having played for Chelsea and Colchester United on loan, Forrest joined his fourth English club in 1997 and spent the final five years of his career at West Ham before retiring with 107 Premier League appearances. Perhaps the best moment of his career came in the 2000 Gold Cup, where he was named Tournament MVP after stopping two penalties and conceding just three goals.
2. Junior Hoilett
As a journeyman winger, Junior Hoilett has had his fair share of captivating moments with a wide range of British clubs.
The Canadian spent nine years at Blackburn Rovers before making the move to QPR, where he led them to promotion via the playoffs in 2014. Four years later, Hoilett helped Cardiff City return to England’s top-flight; he has since played for Reading, Vancouver Whitecaps, and Aberdeen.
With 161 appearances in the Premier League and 266 in the Championship, Hoilett is longevity personified – in fact, at 34 years of age, he’s still banging in the goals for Hibernian.
1. Tomasz Radzinski
It’s going to take something special to dethrone Tomasz Radzinski as Canada’s all-time leading appearance maker in the Premier League.
After excelling for Anderlecht, Radzinski earned a move to Everton in 2001, where he spent three years before packing his bags for Fulham. Despite not being quite as prolific as he was at Everton, the Polish-born striker chipped in with some vital contributions and closed out his time in England with 35 goals in 194 Premier League appearances.
Radzinski played for Greek side Skoda Xanthi in 2007/08 before returning to Belgium for the final four years of his career.
