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We’ve analysed the birthplaces of all 1,281 internationals to have worn the Three Lions since the first ever game in November 1872 against Scotland. A staggering 219 have come from Lancashire - making up 17.1% of all the players to have played for England.
The study found a clear North vs South divide as well; 590 players have hailed from clearly defined northern counties, which amounts to 46%. That means the remaining 691 players (or 54% of England internationals) have come from the South.
Lancashire has produced the most England internationals (219 players, or 17.1%) among all English counties, including notable names like Steve McManaman and Sir Tom Finney.
The study shows a North-South divide: 46% of England players are from northern counties (590 players), while 54% hail from the South (691 players).
Greater London, formerly Middlesex, leads the Southern counties with 162 England internationals (12.6%), including legends like Bobby Moore and Harry Kane.
Staffordshire, classified under Southern counties, has produced 86 England players, including Sir Stanley Matthews, making it the second-highest in the South.
Which county has produced the most England internationals in history?
Greater London is the highest-producing Southern county of England internationals, with a plethora of superstars hailing from the capital going on to pull on the famous white shirt. Bobby Moore, the only English captain to lift the World Cup, was born in Barking and current England captain Harry Kane was born in Walthamstow.
In total, Greater London (formerly known as Middlesex until 1965) has produced 162 England internationals - amounting to 12.6% of all England players in the past 152 years.
Staffordshire, which comes under the South despite being in the Midlands, has produced 86 England players over the years - the second most of any of the Southern counties. Sir Stanley Matthews is perhaps the most famous product of Staffordshire, with Anthony Gordon now flying the flag.
Lee Carsley has called up the uncapped duo of Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Lewis Hall up to his final squad before being replaced by Thomas Tuchel in 2025. Should they make an appearance against either Ireland or Greece, it will mean the counties of Greater Manchester and Berkshire respectively will have additional England players.
County of Birth by numbers - Based on the county of registration at the time of their birth
| County | Pre-war | Post-war | 1974 - 1999 | 21st Century | Total | % of Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 112 | 98 | 8 | 1 | 219 | 17.10% |
| Middlesex (Greater London since 1965) | 44 | 53 | 59 | 7 | 162 | 12.60% |
| West Riding of Yorkshire / West Yorkshire | 53 | 43 | 9 | 1 | 106 | 8.20% |
| Staffordshire | 59 | 24 | 2 | 1 | 86 | 6.70% |
| Durham | 49 | 34 | 1 | 0 | 84 | 6.60% |
| Nottinghamshire | 28 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 43 | 3.40% |
| Derbyshire | 32 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 3.10% |
| Essex | 18 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 2.90% |
| Northumberland | 21 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 2.90% |
| Warwickshire | 23 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 2.70% |
| Cheshire | 21 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 31 | 2.40% |
| Hampshire | 8 | 14 | 8 | 1 | 31 | 2.40% |
| Surrey | 21 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 29 | 2.30% |
| North Riding of Yorkshire/North Yorkshire | 10 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 1.80% |
| Kent | 12 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 1.50% |
| Greater Manchester | 14 | 4 | 18 | 1.40% | ||
| Merseyside | 16 | 1 | 17 | 1.30% | ||
| Shropshire | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 1.30% |
| Sussex | 12 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 1.20% |
| Lincolnshire | 10 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 1.20% |
| Gloucestershire | 6 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1.10% |
| Hertfordshire | 5 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 1.10% |
| Leicestershire | 5 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 1.10% |
| West Midlands | 13 | 1 | 14 | 1.10% | ||
| Worcestershire | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1.10% |
| Cumberland/Cumbria | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 0.70% |
| Oxfordshire | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0.70% |
| Berkshire | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0.60% |
| Northamptonshire | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0.60% |
| Buckinghamshire | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0.50% |
| Devon | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0.50% |
| Norfolk | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0.50% |
| Suffolk | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0.50% |
| Cambridgeshire | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0.50% |
| South Yorkshire | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0.50% | ||
| Cornwall | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0.40% |
| Tyne & Wear | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0.40% | ||
| Wiltshire | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0.40% |
| Bedfordshire | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0.30% |
| Dorset | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0.30% |
| Somersetshire | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.30% |
| East Riding of Yorkshire | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0.30% |
| Avon | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.20% | ||
| Herefordshire | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0.20% |
| Abroad | 22 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 40 | 3.10% |
| Total | 644 | 423 | 193 | 21 | 1281 | 100.00% |
Methodology:
Data collected from http://www.englandfootballonline.com/ and is correct as of 10/03/25
