Plumptre: The players who have switched national teams

Ashleigh Plumptre in action for Leicester City Women

Leicester City and former England youth player Ashleigh Plumptre has been cleared by Fifa to switch her allegiance to Nigeria.

Plumptre's move was granted because of her Nigerian heritage. She will now play for the Nigerian women's Super Falcons team at major international tournaments.

The defender played 30 times for England at youth level.

We take a look at other players who have also switched their international allegiance.

Ashleigh Plumptre

Born in Leicestershire, the soon Super Falcons defender played a whopping 30 times for England at youth level.

After joining training camps in Austria and Nigeria, she has now been cleared by world football's governing body Fifa to switch her allegiance to Nigeria and is eligible to play in the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations play-off against Ivory Coast in February!

Nigerian Football Federation director of communications Ademola Olajire told BBC Sport Africa "It was only possible because of her commitment and dedication."

Aubameyang was stripped of his Arsenal captaincy last month.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Speedy striker and Gabon captain Aubameyang was born in Laval, France. He debuted for the French under-21 team in a 2009 friendly match against Tunisia.

Aubameyang was also eligible to play for Spain, but decided to represent Gabon at international level and follow in his father's footsteps.

Football runs in the family as his dad previously captained the Gabon national team and his two brothers have both played at pro level!

Michelle Alozie joined Houston Dash in 2021.

Michelle Alozie

Californian-born Alozie made her Nigeria debut against Jamaica in June 2021, fulfilling a "childhood dream".

Technically Alozie, who plays for Houston Dash in the National Women's Soccer League in the United States, hasn't switched national teams but chose to play for Nigeria where her family are from.

"This is something I have always wanted to do," she says. "I am so happy I have been able to have a few caps as a Super Falcon. I just hope I can continue this journey - it's amazing."

Wilfried Zaha is in the Ivory Coast African Cup of Nations 2021 squad. The competition is taking place later this month

Wilfried Zaha

The Crystal Palace player made two appearances in friendly matches for England's senior men's team and made 13 appearances for England at under-21 level. But the forward decided to make the switch to Ivory Coast, where he was born, in 2016.

Zaha was eligible for both teams as he was born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast and later moved to England as a toddler. He has already played for his national team at two editions of the Africa Cup of Nations!