GOAL runs the rule over the British players earning a living away from their homeland, with plenty more stars deciding to leave the comforts of Great Britain in search of a better footballing life elsewhere. The Premier League is still obviously one of the world's most entertaining divisions and the Championship can prove fantastic for development, but there are more options out there.
There were a lot of reasons for the Britons playing away from home to be happy over the weekend. History books have been rewritten, returns from injury have been made and a couple of hat-tricks have put German football on notice. All in all, it's been a positive season so far for them.
Every Monday, GOAL will be breaking down the winners and losers of the Brits abroad, so let's dive into this week's offering and see how Britain's finest exports are doing.
Getty Images SportWINNER: Harry Kane
At the age of 32, is it possible that Harry Kane is still getting better? In an era where the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski peaked in their supposed twilight years, it's definitely plausible, particularly given Kane has already outlined his ambitions to replicate their longevity at the top level.
Most recently, the striker netted a hat-trick in Bayern Munich's 4-1 win at Hoffenheim, ensuring they maintained their 100% start to the new season. This came at the end of a week in which Kane also came back to haunt former rivals Chelsea with a stunning Champions League display, scoring twice in a 3-1 victory in midweek.
The records keep on tumbling for Kane, who has only needed 67 appearances to reach the 70-goal mark in the Bundesliga, becoming the fastest player to reach that tally in the division's history. He is also two goals shy of 100 for Bayern in all competitions, and if he nets a brace in Friday's visit of Werder Bremen, he will become the fastest player to hit that total for a club in a top-five league as well. That milestone is currently the joint-property of Cristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland, who both got to 100 goals in 105 matches at Real Madrid and Manchester City respectively. In a more niche category, Kane is also the first player to successfully score their first 17 penalties.
There is already talk of Kane mounting a charge for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, and it has been suggested to him by the German press – who have also offered him an apology for questioning his €100m transfer fee – that he could even hit 50 goals this season. In response, Kane said: "I generally don't set any limits for myself, we'll keep going. Sometimes things don't go as hoped for a striker. But right now I have the momentum and I'm enjoying it. I feel good. I know I'll get my chances in this team. Big praise to the lads. I'm working hard for the team, and the goals will come."
AdvertisementGetty ImagesLOSER: Marcus Rashford
Listen, this was quite a fine week for the Brits playing abroad, so we're having to do a little fudging on the definition of 'loser'. Each of our three in that bracket on this occasion actually had reasons to be positive, but it's the negative spin that's had to race to the surface to give us a bit of balance here.
We'll start with the most high-profile of the trio in Marcus Rashford, whose sensational brace on Thursday helped Barcelona to a 2-1 win at Newcastle in their Champions League opener. Everything was looking up again, but it seems that old habits die hard. The Manchester United loanee was expected to keep his place in the starting lineup for Sunday's La Liga encounter with Getafe, only to be dropped to the bench after turning up late to a team meeting.
Nevertheless, Rashford still made his mark as a substitute, coming on to assist Dani Olmo for the final goal as Barca ran out comfortable 3-0 winners at the Johan Cruyff Stadium (yes, the champions of Spain are still playing at their training ground). If this is a 'loser' week for Rashford, then he's still going to enjoy one hell of a season on loan in Catalunya in the hope of earning a permanent move.
Getty Images SportWINNER: Jude Bellingham
Jude Bellingham is not only back, but well ahead of schedule, too. He was not expected to make a full recovery from shoulder surgery, underwent over the summer following Real Madrid's Club World Cup exit, until October. Yet here he was, strutting out onto the Santiago Bernabeu turf with over a week of September still remaining, ready to fight for his spot back in Xabi Alonso's plans.
The midfielder was introduced as a late sub in Saturday's 2-0 win versus Espanyol, replacing Kylian Mbappe for the final few minutes of the contest, and was given quite the ovation by the home crowd. Speaking post-match, Bellingham said: "I missed this and you all so much. I'm truly grateful for the love you've shown me at the stadium and during my recovery; it means a lot to me. Now for more."
Where Bellingham fits into Alonso's plans has proven a fun talking point in the Spanish capital in recent weeks ahead of his comeback. With Arda Guler and summer signing Franco Mastantuono starting the season in fine form, there is further competition for places between the lines, while Federico Valverde remains as dependable as ever deeper in midfield. What's for certain is Alonso has a plethora of different options to play with, and in Bellingham he has a bonafide game-changer.
Getty ImagesLOSER: Tyrhys Dolan
On the losing side at the Bernabeu this weekend was winger Tyrhys Dolan, but as was the case with Rashford, this is still a success story of sorts. A former product of the Manchester City youth academy, Dolan has spent the majority of his career to date with Blackburn Rovers in the Championship. He was picked up by Espanyol on a free transfer this summer and has featured in all five of their La Liga games so far this season, starting in four of them, including away at Madrid. The Catalan side sit fourth in the table despite the defeat.
Before this trip to the Bernabeu, Dolan gave an emotional interview to the Sid Lowe about his journey to this stage, and how he's dealt with the suicide of his best friend, fellow ex-City player Jeremy Wisten, since his passing almost five years ago: "These are the stadiums any kid dreams of, but it's not even for me. I'm quite selfless. I've always got satisfaction from other people's enjoyment. It's a moment for everyone around me, friends and family, to be there, to see these places and say: 'Remember when he was in the park,' to look back and think: 'We've been through so much, now we're here'."
Dolan and his team may have lost on Saturday, but in many other ways, he is a winner. Good on him.