11 Best British Players in Serie A History (Ranked)

British footballers playing abroad is not particularly common. Compared to Italian, German and French stars, who regularly switch borders, British athletes often opt for the home comforts of the United Kingdom, even if the cold and wet weather can make for a miserable life.

However, some have gone against the grain, moving to mainland Europe in search of a new journey. We have already ranked the best British players to play abroad, but now it is time for the most impressive stars, specifically in Serie A. The Italian league is full of passion and drama, something a few British players have found out over the years.

Following Scott McTominay’s move from Manchester United to Napoli, it made perfect sense to rank the best. The Scotsman is not included on the list after playing just a handful of matches for Antonio Conte’s side, but he could quickly move up given the incredibe start he has made to life in Italy.

Ranking Factors

• Ability – How they performed consistently in Italy.
• Stats – Whether their performance was matched by impressive goal-scoring/defensive output.
• Reputation – How their performances in Italy and elsewhere shaped people’s perception of them.

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11 Chris Smalling

Roma

To begin, Chris Smalling needed a new journey after his career petered out at Manchester United. Thankfully for him, Roma was the perfect destination. Whilst on loan before a permanent move, he became the first English player to score at least two goals in the same Serie A campaign since David Beckham during the 2008/09 season.

However, it was his defensive attributes in the backline which were most important. Smalling was composed, comfortable and at ease in defence, helping Roma improve consistently. He helped them win the Conference League in 2022, with Smalling’s performances receiving praise from Jose Mourinho consistently.

10 Paul Ince

Inter Milan

While Paul Ince is famous for his spell at Manchester United, he also had a brief period at one of the biggest clubs in the world – Inter Milan. Joining in 1995, Ince quickly made an impact at the club, playing in all but four of their league matches despite finishing seventh.

The following year – and surprisingly his last – Ince continued to impress, scoring six goals in 24 league matches, whilst also helping Inter reach the UEFA Cup final with a series of impressive performances. The future manager was offered a new contract, but – due to personal reasons – he returned to England by moving to Liverpool. The story never had the perfect ending.

9 Denis Law

Torino

If this list was based purely on natural talent, Denis Law would be at the top, but his spell at Torino was very short. He moved to the club in 1961 for £110,000 (a record for a British player at the time), yet everything seemed to go wrong. Highlighting this, he was involved in a car crash in the opening months with Joe Baker.

His injuries were not life-threatening, yet they had an impact on his career. By April, he had put in a transfer request, and in a match later on against Napoli he was sent off, with Torino’s coach, Beniamino Santos, instructing the referee to send him off because he was angry at Law for taking a throw-in, which he had been told not to do. He eventually moved to Man United – and the rest is history.

8 Fikayo Tomori

AC Milan

From one name who has only just arrived in Serie A to another who is a consistent force at the back. Arriving in 2021 as a Chelsea academy graduate, expectations were high for Fikayo Tomori. He was billed as one of the most promising youngsters at Cobham, and he lived up to the hype.

Since his debut in Milan, he has been one of the key cogs in the system, even helping them win the title in 2022. AC Milan knows everything about world-class defenders – they produced the greatest centre-back of all time, Paolo Maldini – and their fans have fallen in love with Tomori. His life in Italy has become a fever dream.

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7 Graeme Souness

Sampdoria

Graeme Souness will always be famous for his bold and sometimes chaotic personality. So, when he left Liverpool for Sampdoria in 1984, he quickly fitted into the Italian’s charismatic life. In his first season, the club had their best season in over two decades, finishing fourth in Serie A and winning the Coppa Italia.

This included Souness scoring the only goal in the first leg of the final against AC Milan, before eventually winning 3-1 on aggregate. A year later, it all went downhill as they narrowly avoided relegation, but Souness remained a beacon of light throughout. “I found the football easy,” he said later, only leaving to become player-coach at Rangers.

6 David Beckham

AC Milan

David Beckham is one of the greatest English players of all time. The Manchester United prodigy was the most dominant right midfielder of all time, whipping in teasing and world-class crosses on a regular basis. His stint at AC Milan came in the form of two loan spells, both of which showed – despite his age – he still had the talent.

He first played for the club in 2009 in a bid to keep up fitness for the World Cup. He enjoyed life so much that he wanted to stay permanently, but the Italian giants failed to match LA Galaxy’s valuation. When the next MLS campaign concluded, Beckham returned on loan again, ending up with 11 goal contributions in 29 matches. At the end of his spell, he suffered a torn left Achilles, which saw him miss the 2010 World Cup. It wasn’t all rosy in northern Italy.

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5 Trevor Francis

Sampdoria, Atalanta

Spending five years in Italy at Sampdoria and Atalanta, Trevor Francis got the full Italian experience. Some may suggest he is one of the best English strikers of all time, as he ended up making over 50 appearances for the Three Lions.

Joining in 1982 for £700,000, the forward loved life at Sampdoria, winning the Coppa Italia in 1985. He scored 15 goals in 43 matches and seemed to quickly learn the tempo of the league. Even former Sampdoria team-mate Gianluca Vialli waxed lyrical about Francis back in 2012, despite admitting that English strikers were not known to be ‘mobile’. “We thought English strikers were not very mobile, but he came and showed us we were very wrong. Trevor was my inspiration.”

4 Jimmy Greaves

AC Milan

If this was based purely on their ability, Jimmy Greaves would be top. He’s one of the greatest strikers of all time, dominating English football with Chelsea and Tottenham. However, his spell at AC Milan was not as fruitful as anyone wished for, with Greaves spending just a handful of months at the club.

The legendary forward did not even want to move to Italy in the process, but – despite his complaints – Chelsea sold him in 1961. He scored nine goals in 10 matches, including one against rivals Inter Milan, but he fell out with manager Nero Rocco, who insisted on a strict training regime.

3 Paul Gascoigne

Lazio

Very few players have matched the passion, chaos and drama of a league as much as Paul Gascoigne. As one of the greatest midfielders in English football history, Gascoigne was known for his extravagance and bold personal life. Combined with Italy’s non-stop drama, they were a match made in heaven.

He spent three years in the country with Italy, picking up just nine goals in 43 matches. However, he is still remembered fondly by the club’s fans. They look back fondly at his flashes of brilliance and cockiness on the pitch. “I’m very pleased for Paul, but it’s like watching your mother-in-law drive off a cliff in your new car,” said Tottenham manager Terry Venables when he signed for Lazio. Never a simple quote to describe the playmaker.

2 David Platt

Sampdoria, SSC Bari, Juventus

Meanwhile, David Platt may have only enjoyed a four-year stint in Italy but, during that time, he represented three different clubs. The midfield gem was a rare bright spark in Bari’s relegation-worthy campaign in 1991/92, which is why Juventus came sniffing for his signature.

Despite being famous for his goal at the 1990 World Cup with England, Platt was one of the most underrated players of his generation. He won the UEFA Cup with the Bianconeri before making his second – and final – Italian switch to Sampdoria, a club which he went on to spend two seasons at. In that time, he won the Coppa Italia, beating Ancona 6-1 in the final.

1 John Charles

Juventus, Roma

Finally, John Charles has been ranked as the greatest British player to ply his trade in Serie A. Known for being a constant stream of goals at Leeds, he joined Juventus in 1957, continuing his world-class form in Southern Europe. Football was a different game in the 1960s, but Charles was a level above everyone else.

He finished as Serie A’s top scorer in his inaugural season with 28 goals and he went on to score 97 in 161 matches in the competition. As part of this, they won five trophies, with Charles also coming third in the 1959 Ballon d’Or. There are not enough superlatives to describe him, whilst he is also had a short stint at Roma in 1963.

Stats via Transfermarkt and WhoScored – correct as of 18/11/2024.