The Knowledge | Premier League players representing countries with the lowest Fifa ranking

“Chris Wood is having a beautiful bully season,” originates Iain Cargill. “Being from New Zealand, whose Fifa ranking is 104, which Premier League players travel from countries pinch little Fifa rankings?”

“If we discount players astatine clubs who person yet to make their first convention quality yet past Wood is nan subordinate from nan 2nd lowest-ranked state currently represented successful nan Premier League,” writes Tom Reed. “Marvelous Nakamba astatine Luton comes from 122nd-ranked Zimbabwe (all rankings measured from the existent list).

“Looking astatine players who are nary longer successful nan Premier League and their countries’ lowest rankings during nan clip they were playing, we tin spell little than Nakamba:

• Gunnar Nielsen Manchester City 2009-10, classed 125th pinch Faroe Islands

• Gaël Bigirimana Newcastle 2012-13, classed 135th pinch Burundi

• Stéphane Sessègnon Sunderland 2011-12, classed 136th pinch Benin

• Florent Hadergjonaj Huddersfield 2018-19, classed 141st pinch Kosovo

• Helder Costa Wolves 2018-19, classed 142nd pinch Angola successful January 2019

• Nathaniel Mendez-Laing Cardiff 2018-19, classed 149th pinch Guatemala

• El Hadji Ba - Sunderland 2013-14, classed 159th pinch Mauritania

• Alex Nimely Manchester City 2009-10, classed 161st pinch Liberia

• Dexter Blackstock Southampton 2004-05, classed 163rd pinch Antigua and Barbuda

• Al Bangura and Albert Jarrett Watford 2006-07, classed 165th pinch Sierra Leone

• Bobby Bowry Crystal Palace 1994-95, classed 176th pinch St Kitts and Nevis

• Jason Roberts Blackburn 2007-08, classed 176th pinch Grenada

• Zesh Rehman Fulham 2004-05, classed 178th pinch Pakistan

• Emerson Boyce Wigan 2012-13, classed 178th pinch Barbados

• Modou Barrow Swansea 2016-16, classed 179th pinch Gambia

• Onel Hernández Norwich 2019-20, classed 179th pinch Cuba

• Vurnon Anita Newcastle 2013-13, classed 183rd pinch Curaçao

• Kyle Lightbourne Coventry 1997-98, classed 184th pinch Bermuda

• Mesca Fulham 2013-14, classed 184th pinch Guinea-Bissau

• Neil Danns Blackburn 2003-04, classed 185th pinch Guyana

• Jordi Amat Swansea 2016-17, classed 191st pinch Indonesia

• Frédéric Nimani Burnley 2009-10, classed 202nd pinch Central African Republic

• Ruel Fox Spurs 1998-99 ranked, 202nd pinch Montserrat

“Other Premier League players person represented these nations astatine various times. The names listed mention to nan lowest rank each federation reached while being represented by a subordinate who played astatine slightest connected Premier League crippled successful nan aforesaid season.”

We tin propulsion successful Zesh Rehman, who won caps for Pakistan (193rd) during his spell pinch Fulham. Jack Hayward, meanwhile, points america towards a mates of youngsters to watch. Liverpool youngster Kyle Kelley has been capped doubly by St Kitts and Nevis, who beryllium 147th successful nan rankings, and nan Manchester United academy imaginable James Scanlon has 2 appearances for Gibraltar, presently classed astatine a lowly 203rd place.

One to watch: Gibraltar’s James Scanlon of Manchester United could hit Ruel Fox connected our database if he plays successful nan Premier League. Photograph: Ash Donelon/Manchester United/Getty Images

Winning a title from measurement behind

“Leeds are apical of nan Championship contempt being 17 points down nan leaders arsenic precocious arsenic 12 January,” tweeted Andy Brook past month. “What is nan biggest in-season shortage a squad has flooded to clinch nan title?”

Chris Roe has a bully reply for this one. “After 19 matches successful nan 2022-23 season, Manchester City were 8 points down leaders Arsenal earlier their beardown 2nd half of nan play ensured that they became champions. This is not a grounds for nan apical flight, and I’m judge not excessively galore readers will beryllium amazed that Manchester United’s 12-point shortage down Newcastle (after 25 matches successful 1995-96) is nan biggest I could find. They stock this jointly pinch Arsenal’s 1997-98 side, who were 12 points down Manchester United. Both teams successfully overturned this shortage to spell connected to beryllium convention champions. But, let’s attraction connected nan specifics of Andy’s question: a 17-point shortage would only beryllium bully capable for equal-second place. The grounds is held by Reading, who successful 2011-12 were successful 15th position, 18 points disconnected nan apical spot aft 17 matches. They vanished a constituent clear of Southampton at nan extremity of nan season.”

Scenes astatine Reading successful 2012. Photograph: Warren Little/Getty Images

Even further-apart state clashes successful nan Euros

We had a patient consequence to nan mobility of astir far-apart state clashes successful nan Euros, with past week’s example of Portugal (the land of Flores) and Russia’s Egvekinot, giving america a region of 7,939km (4,933 miles) …

“Surely nan comparison should beryllium pinch nan closest points betwixt countries,” writes John Nelson. “If nan analogous is basing their reply connected furthest points, they are wrong. Réunion, successful nan Indian Ocean, is simply a section and region of France. It is 11,411km (7,090 miles) from Iceland.”

If we’re sticking pinch nan furthest points – and let’s beryllium honest, nan equine has already bolted connected that 1 – past Jason Crawford tin return america further. “The region betwixt nan farthest points of Portugal and Russia is rather far, however, almost doubling this is nan region betwixt France and Denmark, who played a group crippled astatine Euro 2000. As pinch nan Azores and Portugal, New Caledonia is an autonomous region of France, wherever group person French citizenship and tin ballot successful French statesmanlike and European elections. The region betwixt its capital, Noumea, and Copenhagen is 15,572 km (9,769 miles). As for 7,939 kilometres being a greater region than betwixt nan North and South Poles, location whitethorn beryllium immoderate disorder betwixt metric and imperial systems arsenic this is astir nan diameter of nan Earth from nan North to nan South Pole successful miles. As nan crow flies you’d person to recreation astir 20,000km aliases adjacent to 12,500 miles.”

New Caledonia: a agelong measurement from Denmark. Photograph: Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images

Knowledge archive

“I americium sick of proceeding astir Rory Delap’s agelong throws,” barfed Chris Barnes pinch uncalled-for virulence successful July 2012. “Can you corroborate that different Premier League teams people measurement much goals from throw-ins than Stoke do, including my team, Blackburn Rovers?”

Well, Chris, it was existent that successful their valedictory Premier League play your squad did people much goals from throw-ins than Stoke, pinch some Blackburn and Bolton starring nan array that play pinch 3 goals each pursuing flings. Stoke only sewage two. Bolton besides bettered Stoke’s return from throw-ins successful nan 2009-10 play (when they scored six to Stoke’s five) but otherwise, Stoke were nan kings successful this realm, outscoring everyone from throw-ins successful nan different 2 of nan 4 seasons since their return to nan Premier League.

Here comes … Rory. Photograph: Scott Heppell/AP

Mind you, Stoke’s dependence connected throw-ins reduced significantly, which is conscionable arsenic good because their effectiveness besides declined: Opta statistic show that successful their first play backmost successful nan apical formation (2008-09), Stoke flung successful 377 agelong throws and plundered 9 goals from them, making for a goal-per-long-throw onslaught complaint of 37. Buoyed by that return, Stoke hurled successful almost double that magnitude of agelong throws nan pursuing play (608) but nan ploy only yielded 5 goals, giving a onslaught complaint of 122. Over nan pursuing 2 seasons nan onslaught complaint went retired to 142 and past to 261 (two goals from 522 agelong throws). This decline, however, was much than offset by improvements successful corners and free-kick efficiency.

Can you help?

“Watching Cole Palmer reaching 20 goals pinch talk of nan Golden Boot, positive nan truth that anterior to this play he had not scored a convention goal, made maine wonderment if location has ever been a apical scorer managing that feat?” asks Lasse Jygert.

“In nan 1980-81 play of Serie A, 5 teams ended connected 25 points, Avellino, Ascoli, Udinese, Como and Brescia,” writes Kári Tulinius. “Only Brescia were relegated. Have much teams ever escaped nan driblet astatine once, contempt having nan aforesaid number of points arsenic a relegated team?”

“Do immoderate goalkeepers still deterioration nan aforesaid colour shorts and socks arsenic their outfield teammates,” wonders Guy Millington.

“Leverkusen’s Bundesliga title triumph has surgery Kingsley Coman’s singular tally of winning nan convention successful each of nan past 11 seasons (with PSG, Juventus and Bayern). Can immoderate subordinate successful world shot ever boast of a longer tally of consecutive convention titles?” asks Richard Forsythe.

“Which squad has won nan astir games successful European title without winning their ain convention successful nan past 50 years?” muses Roger Kirkby.

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