Could Kasper Schmeichel have played for England?
Kasper Schmeichel is currently Denmark's first-choice goalkeeper, but having spent the majority of his career in England, and none of it in his native Denmark, question marks still remain about whether he could have represented England instead. Son of former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, Kasper was born in Copenhagen in 1986 to Danish parents. Peter played for Hvidovre IF in Denmark at the time, yet to make a name for himself internationally. One of the greatest goalkeepers ever, Peter then moved to elite Danish club Brondby in 1987, before joining Manchester United four years later when Kasper was five-years-old. Kasper's dad spent eight years in Manchester during an extremely successful period for the club - meaning the junior Schmeichel spent the majority of his adolescence in England. To apply for British citizenship, you need to have resided in England for at least five years. Therefore, Kasper Schmeichel technically could have been eligible for England's national team. Instead, Kasper chose to represent Denmark throughout the youth age groups and then the senior team, despite having never played for a club in Denmark. When Kasper was just 20 years old, Peter dismissed questions that his son would represent England at international level. "Kasper is Danish," said Peter Schmeichel in 2007. "He has absolutely no chance of playing for England and the discussion should stop now. "England is for English people, Kasper was born Danish, all his family is Danish and there is nothing that can make him English. If you ask him he says 'I'm Danish and I play for Denmark'". He signed a long-term contract with Manchester City in his teens, covering schoolboy, scholar and professional terms. The current Leicester City man made his debut at Manchester City in 2005, before going on loan to Darlington, Falkirk, Cardiff City, and Coventry. He left the Sky Blues in 2009 to join Notts County permanently. He then moved to Leeds United in 2010, before finally settling in Leicester in 2011, where he has been ever since.