West Ham’s Michail Antonio earned his first England call-up this week as he became the latest ex non-League star to make the journey from amateur to international football. He started his career with Tooting & Mitcham.
He’s not the first to make such a dramatic step up in the professional football circuit though and here are five other players who enjoyed a similar rise to prominence.
JAMIE VARDY
The most notable example, Vardy was still playing non-League with Fleetwood Town at 25. Three years later, he’s a Premier League winner and England regular.
RICKIE LAMBERT
He worked in a beetroot factory while playing for Macclesfield but his rise saw him flourish at Southampton before he earned an England call-up at 31.
IAN WRIGHT
The Arsenal icon came to football late in life and started out at Greenwich Borough before Crystal Palace signed him at 22. The rest is history.
JOHN BARNES
As a teenager, Barnes turned out for Sudbury Court before Watford signed him. He made his England debut in 1983 and then moved to Liverpool.
LES FERDINAND
He began life at Southall before a move to Hayes, where Rangers spotted him in 1987. He made his first England appearance just six years later, scoring on debut.
