11 Best Canadians to Play in the Premier League

Canada, as with America, has never been known for its football or soccer skills. For many younger Canadians, ice hockey and basketball appear to be the two most popular sports in the country. And for Canadians looking to take their football skills to the next level, many of them will have to head to Europe to do so.

But for the most elite and skilled Canadian players, the English Premier League may be the ultimate destination. And while not too many Canadian players have reached the Premier League, a number have and have had the good fortune to represent their respective team.

Below, we are going to look at the 11 best Canadians to play in the Premier League and how their skills and expertise influenced their respective clubs.

Scott Arfield

Scott Arfield was born on November 1, 1988, he was born in Dechmont, Scotland. However, his father was born in Toronto, making him eligible to play for the Canada men’s national soccer team. He began his career at Falkirk before moving to the English leagues for eight years, playing for both Huddersfield Town and Burnley.

Jim Brennan

Jim Brennan was born on May 8, 1977 and is a UEFA Pro License-holder Canadian soccer manager and analyst. As a former player, he played defender in both Canada and England, most notably with Bristol City, Nottingham Forest, Southampton F.C. Norwich City, during which time he won the 2003-2004 Football League First Division.

As a member of the Canadian national team, Brennan earned 49 caps and was a member of the Canada side which won the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup. He would also represent Canada at the Confederations Cup 2001, the 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup, and the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup. He would be inducted into the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame in November 2015.

Theo Corbeanu

Theodor “Theo” Corbeanu was born on May 17, 2002 and is currently a professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Blackpool on loan from the Wolverhampton Wanderers and the Canada national team.

Terry Dunfield

Terry Dunfield was born on February 20, 1982 and is a retired soccer player from Canada who played as a midfielder. He is currently the head coach of the Toronto FC Academy U15 team and works as a soccer analyst for TSN and OneSoccer.

David Edgar

David Edgar was born on May 19, 1987 and is currently a Canadian professional soccer coach. He represented Canada at various levels after having made his debut for the Canadian senior team in 2011. He was also a member of the Canadian U-20 team at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Craig Forrest

Craig Forrest was born on September 20, 1967 and is a Canadian former professional soccer player and sports commentator. Playing as a goalkeeper from 1985 to 2002, he played his entire career in England. Having made Premiere League appearances for Ipswich Town, Chelsea and West Ham United, while also spending time on loan in the Football League with Colchester United.

Craig Forrest also made 56 international appearances, representing Canada. In 2012 as part of the Canadian Soccer Association’s centennial celebration, he was named to the all-time Canada XI men’s team.

David Wayne Hoilett

David Wayne Hoilett, also known as Junior Hoilett, is a professional Canadian soccer player who plays as a winger for Reading and for the Canada national team. After an impressive youth tournament, Hoilett signed for the English club Blackburn Rovers at the age of 13.

He made his Rovers debut in 2009 and played three full Premiere League seasons for them before being transferred to Queens Park Rangers in 2012.

Simeon Jackson

Simeon Jackson was born on March 28, 1987 and is a Canadian professional soccer player who currently plays as a forward for Chelmsford City. Having spent the majority of his career playing in England, relocating from Mississauga, Ontario to South London, to further pursue his professional career in the country.

Tomasz Radzinski

Tomasz Radzinski was born on December 14, 1973 and is a former professional soccer player who played both the striker and winger positions. Featured for clubs including North York Rockets in Canada and Germinal Ekeren, Anderlecht, Lierse and Waasland-Beveren in Belgium, Everton and Fulham in England and Skoda Xanthi in Greece.

Although he was born in Poland, he represented Canada at the international level after having moved there as a teenager, receiving 46 full caps between 1995 and 2009.

Paul Stalteri

Paul Stalteri was born on October 18, 1977 and played professional soccer as both a defender and midfielder. Having spent most of his professional career in Germany, winning both the league and cup double with Werder Bremen in the 2003-04 season, he would also play in the Premiere League for Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham.

Frank Yallop

Born on April 4, 1964, Frank Yallop is a British-Canadian professional soccer coach. Currently the head coach and sporting director of the USL Championship side Monterey Bay FC, he played 13 years in England for Ipswich, including three seasons for the club’s Premiere League.

Frank Yallop also played in the Major League Soccer (MLS) for the Tampa Bay Mutiny and earned 52 caps for the Canada mens national soccer team.