by Felix Keith

V ictor Wanyama scored his third goal in the Premier League against Hull after becoming the first Kenyan ever to score in the Premier League in September against Swansea. While his long-ranger into an empty net to help Southampton beat Hull 1-0 was wonderfully taken, Wanyama’s goal in South Wales took the tally of nationalities to have scored in the Premier League to 91.

In the 22 years in since its inception the Premier League has experienced numerous changes. The globalisation of football, the growth of the league’s brand and increased television revenue has had myriad effects on English football.

One effect is the diversity this evolution has brought. On the Prem’s opening day in 1992 there were just 13 players on show who were not born in the British Isles. Now almost every side has several players from foreign cultures and the Premier League has one of the lowest percentages of home grown players in Europe.

As the league has developed, footballers from every corner of the globe have been given the opportunity to play in England.

“On the Prem’s opening day in 1992 there were just 13 players on show who were not born in the British Isles.”

The Premier League may have always been a career aspiration for many professionals, but extensive scouting networks now mean that, increasingly, players from further afield are being picked up. Those that grew up watching Alan Shearer wheel away in celebration with one arm aloft on tiny TV sets thousands of miles away are more likely than ever before to make it to England.

Although the majority of the league’s scorers are from the UK and Western Europe there remain some interesting stories behind some of the Premier League’s unique goal scorers.

Premier League goal scorer nationalities

Before Kenya came Venezuela. Fernando Amorebieta, born in Cantaura, Northern Venezuela, headed in a Kieran Richardson cross for Fulham’s second goal against Hull in April 2014. Hull came back to draw 2-2 with goals from a Croatian and an Irishman but history had been made.

Amorebieta, although born in South America, reached the Premier League via Basque clubs Baskonia and Athletic Bilbao. From the heights of a Europa League final for Bilbao in 2011/12 and a single goal in the English top flight, he and Fulham now languish in the Championship.

From a Basque-Venezuelan defender to a trip down memory lane: 19th August 1992. Everton are playing Manchester United at Old Trafford. Everton are leading 0-1 through a Peter Beardsley goal on the stroke of half-time. In the 80th minute the ball is played over the top to release pressure with United pressing for an equaliser.

Midfielder Robert Warzycha chases after the ball, but he does more than just chase it – he heads the ball on, turns Gary Pallister inside out and slams a powerful shot into the top corner past Peter Schmeichel. Everton added a third goal in the last minute to condemn United to their second successive defeat after an opening day defeat to Sheffield United.

13 Polish players have played in the Premier League but Warzycha remains to this day the only goal scorer. He has since played and managed Columbus Crew in the USA and this year returned to manage his former club Gornik Zabrze.

Countries with One Goal Scorer

Uniqueness comes in many different forms. There are footballers whose efforts single-handedly represent their nation in the Premier League goalscoring charts.

Striker Manucho remains the only Angolan to have ever played in the Premier League. He scored two goals in his time in England, both for Hull City whilst on loan from Manchester United. The first was a 90th minute winner against Fulham and the other a consolation in a 3-1 defeat to Middlesbrough.

Manucho’s career ladder is also remarkable – he was picked up by Manchester United from Petro Atletico in Luanda, Angola. He was then loaned to Panathinaikos and Hull before he joined Valladolid. Two loan spells in Turkey later and he is currently plying his trade for Rayo Vallecano.

Emmanuel Adebayor is a well-known and successful Premier League striker, approaching 100 goals in the league. Making his name in Ligue 1 before coming to England, he has been a reliable goal scorer who divides opinion ever since joining Arsenal in 2006. Three Togolese players have played in England’s top flight but Adebayor remains the country’s ambassador and solitary goal scorer.

From Antigua & Barbuda to China

China’s central defender Sun Jihai scored three Premier League goals in a six year spell at Manchester City. However Charlton Athletic’s Zheng Zhi scored a single goal in a 2-0 win over Newcastle on 18th March 2007 to join him on his country’s goal scoring list.

Similarly, Dexter Blackstock’s goal for Southampton in the 2004/5 season stood as Antigua & Barbuda’s singular Premier League goal but he was eclipsed by Mikele Leigertwood’s two strikes for Crystal Palace and Reading respectively.

In recent years players like Stevan Jovetic and Stefan Savic have put Montenegro – not even an independent nation when the Premier League was formed – on the Prem’s goalscoring map. Iran’s Ashkan Dejagah scored five goals whilst at Fulham to leap-frog Andranik Termourian’s two goals for Bolton Wanderers.

Anomalies

Although 91 nationalities is an impressive range which owes much to the Premier League’s brand appeal, a few of its goal scorers are a result of anomalies.

Stalwart defender Danny Higginbotham made more than 300 Premier League appearances. He played for Stoke, Southampton, Sunderland, Derby and Manchester United. In his time he scored nine goals. Recently he turned out for Gibraltar, with eligibility from his grandmother and his uncle, the manager. This quirk means that the rocky out-crop in the Mediterranean can claim nine English top-flight goals.

The current Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale scored a solitary Premier League goal. He also happens to have been born in Valetta, Malta. On the 16th March 1996 he arrived late in the box from midfield and dinked the ball over on-rushing goalkeeper Eike Immel to pull a goal back for Southampton against relegation rivals Manchester City. The Saints lost 2-1 but ultimately stayed up at City’s expense thanks to a slightly better goal difference.

W ith the league continuing to burgeon financially, smaller countries producing more talented players and the global appeal bigger than ever, there may be many more nationalities to come. Players like Zambian international Emmanuel Mayuka could soon be adding another nationality to the Premier League’s goal scoring list. One wonders which nation could become the 100th to have a Premier League goalscorer to its name.

Felix Keith is a new writer for Just Football. Follow him on Twitter @felixkeith

(Main image credit: Chris Oakley)