Football, as we know it, is a sport that has deep and strong ties with global identities.

But every so often, footballers find themselves at the crossroads of choosing between two nations they are able to play for.

Just imagine Lionel Messi playing in the red of Spain, or Virgil van Dijk marshalling Suriname's defence...

So, on that note, join GIVEMESPORT as we rank 15 of the best dual-nationality footballers.

16 Wilfried Zaha

Wilfried Zaha, a trickster on the wing, was born in Ivory Coast but represented England initially, making two caps between 2012 and 2013.

However, the former Crystal Palace star switched to his birth nation, realising that it'd give him a better chance to become an international regular, with England having a lot of competition in his position.

Zaha was able to make the move, despite having his debut for England, because neither of the two games he played were in competitive competitions, with his choice leaving fans of the Three Lions to ponder over the exciting winger they missed out on.

15 Kevin-Prince Boateng

Kevin-Prince Boateng, the incredibly talented midfielder, was born in Germany and represented the country at youth level.

However, he changed allegiance to his father's birth country, Ghana, believing that he'd have more chances to play regularly on the international stage if he switched to a lower-ranked nation.

KPB's choice led to him playing against his brother, former Bayern Munich star Jerome Boateng, who represented Germany. A truly wild sight.

14 Diego Costa

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Fiery forward Diego Costa was born in Brazil but chose to represent Spain after gaining citizenship.

His decision bolstered Spain's forward line, making his debut in 2014, while leaving a Costa-shaped hole in Brazil's attacking options.

This all came, like Zaha, after Costa had already represented Brazil, albeit not in any comprtitive games, which allowed him to switch to Spain.

While Costa was undoubtedly a top forward, his international career hasn't been as stellar as his club one, with the menacing attacker only playing 24 times for the country, scoring ten goals.

12 N'Golo Kante

N'Golo Kante, an essential cog in France's midfield during their victorious 2018 World Cup campaign, could have chosen to play for Mali, his parents' homeland.

His choice to play for France propelled Les Bleus to glory in international football's bigger competition, leaving Mali to imagine having one of the world's best defensive midfielders in their ranks.

France fans were counting their lucky stars that Kante decided to play the long game and wait for a call-up to the national team, with the former Leicester man's partnership with Paul Pogba being the stuff of legends.

11 Jack Grealish

Jack Grealish, born in England, represented Ireland at youth levels, and even in the seniors, before eventually choosing to play for England.

Grealish's switch caused a lot of conteoversy, given that he'd already played for the full Ireland senior team, but without having made an appearance in a competitive game, England swooped in, adding the talented winger to its ranks.

10 Declan Rice

From one man who chose England over Ireland to another...

Arsenal's new midfielder represented Ireland at youth levels due to his Irish grandparents, and also played senior games for the country.

However, given that he hadn't played a competitive game for the country, England saw an opportunity to sweep up one of the best defensive midfielders in the world, which he has gone on to become.

Now, at the age of 24, Declan is a key part of England's midfield, which doesn't seem like it's going to be changing anytime soon.

9 David Alaba

David Alaba is one of the best players to ever play for Austria, but the versatile midfielder/defender could have played for two other countries.

Alaba was eligible to play for Nigeria through his father and also the Philippines through his mother.

However, given that he was born in Austria, the Real Madrid decided to play for his birth country, becoming a crucial figure in their national team.

8 Romelu Lukaku

The Belgian powerhouse could have chosen to represent Congo DR, his parents' homeland.

Instead, Chelsea's striker became a staple of Belgium's golden generation, scoring 75 goals in 108 games for the country, with Romelu Lukaku even captaining the side on various occasions.

7 Gonzalo Higuain

A top striker on his day, Gonzalo Higuain was born in France when his father played for a local club, and could have played for the country.

His decision to represent Argentina added firepower to their attack, which also featured the likes of Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero, but left French wondering how their side would have looked with the former Juventus man leading the line.

Some can say that the move didn't pay off for Higuain though, with a loss in the 2014 World Cup final being followed on by France winning the competition four years later in 2018.

6 Thiago

Thiago, with Spanish finesse, Brazilian flair and Italian composure, had the chance to represent Brazil, his father's homeland, and Italy, the country he was born in.

Instead, he chose Spain, adding to their incredible midfield options which already boasted the likes of Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets.

While both countries have done alright without him, fans of both Italy and Brazil wouldn't have turned down having Thiago added to their ranks.

5 Raheem Sterling

Raheem Sterling, who has played 82 times for England, was actually born in Jamaica, and could have played for the country.

Sterling moved to England as a child, starting his youth career with QPR and later Liverpool, going on to become one of the world's best players.

While Sterling might not have turned Jamaica into world beaters, he'd undoubtedly have been the best player to ever play for the country.

4 Virgil van Dijk

Liverpool's defensive menace, Virgil van Dijk, is a commanding figure in the Netherlands' defensive line, but he could have played for another country.

VVD was eligible to represent Suriname, a country that shares his mother's heritage, who are ranked 144th in FIFA's official rankings.

Van Dijk's hypothetical switch could have completely transformed Suriname's side, undoubtedly being the best and most famous player that the country has ever produced.

3 Luka Modric

Luka Modric, Real Madrid's midfield genius and Croatia's captain, was actually born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and could have played for the country.

War prompted his family to move to Croatia, where he honed his skills and etched his name in Croatian football history as one of the country's best ever players.

2 Zinedine Zidane

The maestro behind France's golden generation, Zinedine Zidane, has his roots in Algeria.

His parents emigrated from the North African nation before he was born, meaning the former Real Madrid star could have played for the country.

Choosing France over Algeria, Zidane led the former to the World Cup and Euro glory, leaving a trail of what-could-have-beens for Algeria.

1 Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi, who in the eyes of many is one of the GOATs of football, could have represented Spain instead of Argentina.

Messi won the World Cup with Argentina last year, but could have actually done it 12 years earlier if he decided to represent Spain, which he was able to do.

Messi made his move to Barcelona at 13, where he nurtured his prodigious talent and transformed into the phenom we admire today.

While his choice to represent Argentina, one cannot help but wonder the records Messi could have set in Spain's colours.