Who are the best players to have ever played in the National League, and where are they now?

The National League has been a hotbed for up-and-coming talent over the years, with a host of household names igniting their careers in the fifth tier of English football.

However, as Jamie Vardy has proved, you don't need to be a teenage sensation to be spotted in the Non-League, having gone from a 25-year-old semi-professional to Premier League champion in five years.

Indeed, there is a raft of familiar players to have risen from the fifth tier to achieve substantial success, with several lifting Europe’s major trophies.

Here, DAZN News looks at the greatest players to grace the National League and what they are doing now.

Jamie Vardy: From Fleetwood Town to Premier League champion

It would feel wrong not to start a list of the best National League players without Vardy, who boasts a story worthy of an Oscar.

Like many professional footballers, the striker had to weave his way through the Non-League system, having been released by Sheffield Wednesday aged 16.

After playing Sunday league football, the Englishman began his senior career with Northern Premier League club Stocksbridge Park Steels, bagging 40 goals in 88 appearances. He then signed for Conference North outfit Halifax Town in 2010, guiding them to the FA Trophy final in 2011 and netting 26 goals in 37 appearances.

Fleetwood took notice of Vardy’s goal returns and signed him in 2012. The hitman enjoyed the most prolific stint of his career, notching 31 goals in 36 games and winning the National League Player of the Season in the process.

Then came the transfer that catapulted his career into the record books. In 2012, Championship side Leicester took a punt on the forward, signing him for a Non-League record £1million.

While things did not initially click at the King Power Stadium, Vardy played his part in the Foxes' successful play-off campaign in 2013-14. Then, the East Midlands club pulled off arguably the greatest team achievement of all time - lifting the Premier League title in 2016. The Sheffield-born star netted 24 times in the top flight that season and won the Player of the Season award in the process.

Of course, the accolades did not stop there, with Vardy winning the Premier League Golden Boot in 2019-20 and the FA Cup in 2021. The forward achieved his dream of playing for England in 2015 and appeared at the World Cup and the Euros.

Now, the 38-year-old is plying his trade in Italy with Serie A side Cremonese, where he has bagged two league goals against Atalanta and Juventus this term.

 

 

Stuart Pearce: From Wealdstone to England mainstay

Like Vardy, Stuart Pearce had to deal with rejection before forging a path in the National League with Wealdstone, having failed a trial with QPR before rejecting an offer from Hull City.

The full-back trained and worked as an electrician alongside playing football, and spent almost five years representing The Stones in the fifth tier, racking up 176 appearances in the process.

 

 

Division One side Coventry City signed the Shepard’s Bush-born defender in 1983 for £30,000, which was considered a staggering amount of money for a semi-professional footballer at the time.

Then came the move that rubber-stamped Psycho’s career in football, signing for Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest in 1985. Remarkably, Pearce advertised his services as an electrician in the matchday programme, still unsure of his future in the game. Despite his doubts, he enjoyed his most successful spell with the Tricky Trees, lifting two League Cups as club captain during his 401 appearances for the club.

Psycho made 78 appearances for England during his career and also went on to play for Newcastle United, West Ham United and Manchester City before returning to the Non-League and representing Longford.

After his playing days, the England international managed two of his former clubs, Forest and City, and also enjoyed a spell as caretaker manager of England. Now, the 63-year-old works as a pundit and co-commentator.

Jordan Pickford: From Darlington to England's number one

Jordan Pickford benefited from a couple of National League loans before climbing the football ladder to become Everton and England’s undisputed number one.

Sunderland knew they were onto a winner when the goalkeeper came through the club’s youth system, with his long kicking and shot-stopping ability catching the coaching staff’s attention.

As the Black Cats were a Premier League outfit in 2012, they opted to loan the youngster out to National League side Darlington so that he could gain valuable first-team experience. Indeed, the then-teenager made 17 appearances during a brief stint for The Quakers. Pickford then returned to the fifth tier for an even shorter period in 2013, this time with Alfreton, making 12 appearances and keeping four clean sheets for The Reds.

After a series of EFL loan moves to Burton Albion, Carlisle United, Bradford City and Preston North End, he finally became Sunderland’s number one in the Premier League, impressing despite the club’s relegation to the Championship in 2017.

Everton saw the potential in Pickford and signed him for £30million that summer, and he has since made over 300 appearances for the Toffees as well as 81 appearances for England.

Getty

Steve Finnan: From Welling United to Champions League winner

Having moved from the Republic of Ireland to England, Steve Finnan was released by Wimbledon before signing for Non-League club Welling United in 1993, where he made 41 appearances.

The right-back then turned professional when Birmingham City snapped up his services for £100,000 in 1995. However, he was loaned out to Notts County before The Magpies acquired him in a permanent deal just a year after making the switch to the West Midlands.

In 1998, Fulham manager Kevin Keegan decided to sign Finnan for £600,000, and the defender went on to impress during the club’s Division Two title-winning campaign. The following season, the Ireland international was in superb form and earned a place in the PFA Team of the Year after steering the West London club to a UEFA Intertoto Cup place.

 

 

Finnan’s most fruitful spell came with Liverpool, whom he signed for in 2003 for a fee of £3.5million. During his five years at the club, the right-back won the Champions League, FA Cup and UEFA Cup before moving to La Liga side Espanyol in 2008.

The defender then joined Portsmouth on a free transfer in 2009, making 25 appearances before retiring a year later. Finnan made 53 appearances for his country, appearing in the 2002 World Cup, but has kept a low profile since.

Chris Smalling: From Maidstone United to two-time Premier League champion

Although Chris Smalling did not play in the National League, his journey from Non-League football to serial trophy winner is worthy of inclusion.

Before pursuing a football career, he was a schoolboy national judo champion. Then, after a short period with Millwall’s academy, he joined Maidstone United’s youth set-up aged 16.

In 2007, the centre-back made his first-team debut for the Isthmian League Premier Division club and impressed so much during 12 appearances that Middlesbrough signed him up the following summer.

Due to homesickness, Smalling had his contract with Boro cancelled just a month later, never making an appearance for the North East side. The defender then moved to Fulham, where he became one of the hottest prospects in English football and was part of the team that reached the Europa League final, although he did not appear against Atletico Madrid.

The Greenwich-born tackler then secured a defining move to Manchester United in 2010, playing for the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson. With the Red Devils, the centre-back won five major trophies, including two Premier Leagues and the Europa League.

Like Vardy, Smalling went on to play in Serie A for AS Roma and was managed again by Jose Mourinho, who coached him at Old Trafford. The defender tasted further success and lifted the Europa Conference League trophy in 2022, having delivered a stellar performance in the final.

 

 

Now 36, the centre-back plays for Saudi Pro League side Al-Fayha, having received 32 caps for England.

How to watch The National League exclusively on DAZN

You can watch the whole of the 2025-26 season with a National League TV DAZN subscription at a special offer price of £79.99! 

Every game in the National League, and selected matches in National League North and National League South, is available on DAZN, either live and/or on-demand*. That's over 600 games all in one place.

NLTV on DAZN is available on any device, including Smart TVs, mobile devices, tablets, streaming devices, games consoles, and, for viewers in the UK, your Sky box.

If you do not have the App already then just follow these instructions....

• Download the free DAZN App from your normal App store on your TV, phone, tablet, or streaming device
• On a laptop or PC, visit www.DAZN.com/home
• Select 'Get started' or 'log in'
• Enter your email address, or sign up via the Apple, Google or Facebook options
• You then have access to all of DAZN's free content, including the Matchroom boxing channel, LIV Golf and FIFA+
• Then find the National League page and click 'buy now'

For more information and to sign up, head here now.

*3pm Saturday kick-offs subject to TV blackout restrictions, but available to watch later on Saturday on-demand