10 Footballers You Totally Forgot Played For England
1. Ryan Mason
As is standard procedure with youngsters at big Premier League teams like Tottenham Hotspur, Ryan Mason spent much of his early career on loan away from his parent club. From 2009 to 2014, the midfielder spent time with five different clubs across League One, the Championship, and Ligue 1 in France. It wasn't until 2014 that Mason broke into the first team at White Hart Lane.
The Englishman became a regular in the Tottenham midfield, wearing the no. 8 shirt, earning a lucrative five and a half year contract, and even captaining the side in a Europa League match against Fiorentina. It was shortly after signing this new deal that Mason got the first England call of his career, replacing the injured Adam Lallana in the squad to face Lithuania and Italy.
As is the case with many young debutantes, Mason did not step on the pitch in the competitive fixture against Lithuania, instead getting a run out in the friendly against Italy, picking up an assist in the 1-1 draw. After a club record transfer to Hull, Mason fell out of the England picture, and in a game against Chelsea in 2017 suffered a horrific injury.
The midfielder clashed heads with Gary Cahill during an aerial challenge and fractured his skull, forcing him into a very early retirement at the age of just 26.