Which Top European Leagues Rely Heavily on Foreign Players?

Four Italian clubs are the teams most dependent on foreign players across the five best European leagues.

The new season in Europe's top leagues is gaining momentum. The transfer window has closed, meaning teams must fly with their current squads. Some teams' "crews" consist almost entirely of foreign specialists, while others rely on homegrown talent. Let’s examine the most extreme examples of both approaches in the top-5 European leagues.

The most international teams are in Serie A. Two clubs — Udinese and Lecce — share the top spot in our ranking. Both clubs have 29 foreign players each (according to Transfermarkt). However, Udinese edges out Lecce by having fewer players on their roster. Udinese has 32 players, while Lecce has 35, giving Udinese a foreign player ratio of 90% compared to Lecce's 82%. Only three local players in the entire squad – now that's international!

Interestingly, this transfer policy is paying off in terms of results. Udinese has made a solid start to the new season, emerging as one of the frontrunners. In a recent Serie A match against Parma, only one Italian player, forward Lorenzo Lucca, started for Udinese (and he scored, too!). The rest of the starting lineup and substitutes represented various other countries.

Udinese was trailing 0-2 away from home but managed to regroup and secure a dramatic comeback win, 3:2. One wonders what language they communicate in on the pitch? Judging by the squad composition, Spanish and Portuguese likely dominate the dressing room. Nine players hail from Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Chile, and Argentina.

In the top 5 teams of Europe's major leagues with the most foreign players (in the broadest sense), four of the top spots are taken by Italian clubs, with only English side Wolverhampton breaking up the pack. The club’s management clearly doesn't put much faith in British players. Of the 29 players on Wolves' roster, over 86% are foreigners.

Meanwhile, Wolverhampton's predominantly Portuguese and Brazilian squad struggles in the Premier League, often suffering heavy defeats (including a 2:6 loss to Chelsea). The way things are going, Wolves may find themselves battling to avoid relegation this season. Many of their foreign "journeymen" could leave the club next summer if they fail. For those who follow the Premier League closely, it might be worth checking out the latest sports betting offers as the season progresses.

Other clubs with many foreign players include Verona, Torino, Parma, Marseille, Brentford, Eintracht, and Nottingham Forest. One can conclude that Europe’s most international teams tend to remain competitive in their respective leagues. For example, with its 22 foreign players, Marseille is among the leaders in France’s Ligue 1. Brentford, Nottingham Forest, Eintracht, Torino, and Verona have also had solid starts to the season.

However, as we can see, only a few top teams are on this list (with Marseille being a possible exception). Additionally, there are no Spanish teams. Real Madrid (17) and Atletico Madrid (16) are the clubs with the most foreign players in La Liga. This is a lot by Spanish standards, but it's not particularly significant compared to the rest of Europe.

Published by Patrick Jane
24.09.2024