There was plenty of Leeds United interest in the game between England and Wales; however, none of that interest involved the home side.
Leeds United players Karl Darlow, Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu all suffered a night to forget at Wembley as England ran out comfortable winners in a 3-0 win.
Daniel Farke has a squad full of internationals, with nine Leeds players currently on international duty. But none of them are with the England senior squad currently, as Thomas Tuchel prepares for the World Cup.
Kalvin Phillips was the last Leeds player to represent England before he left to join Manchester City in the summer of 2022, and the same was true of Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool in the game against Wales.
The last time this happened was in 1992, although there was Leeds United representation on that day, as David Batty took to the field in an unfamiliar-looking team.
- READ MORE: Ao Tanaka ‘sharp’ as Japan fans deliver verdict on Leeds United midfielder’s display vs Paraguay
Thomas Tuchel equals England feat last seen in 1992
According to Opta, the England side that Darlow, Ampadu and Rodon faced at Wembley was the first England side not to feature a player from Man Utd, Liverpool or Chelsea since Graham Taylor’s side faced France in 1992.
Leeds were the reigning First Division champions at the time, having lifted the title under Howard Wilkinson just a month before.
Therefore, it is somewhat curious that only David Batty made it into Taylor’s starting line-up for the game against France at Euro 1992, with Tony Dorigo taking his place on the bench for the game.
Batty had started the opening game of the tournament on the bench, as England were held to a 0-0 draw by Denmark, and they suffered a similar fate against France, with Batty playing the full game, receiving a booking after 69 minutes.
The combative Leeds midfielder also played the full 90 minutes in England’s defeat against Sweden, with future Leeds player Thomas Brolin famously scoring the winning goal.
Leeds United hero David Batty deserved more from his England career
At Elland Road, Batty is remembered as both a combative midfielder and a player who was a cultured passer of the ball and reliable in possession.
However, his legacy in an England shirt is less flattering, as the midfielder was often written off as a crabby player, only capable of passing the ball sideways or backwards.
Batty retired with 42 England caps to his name, which is a more than respectable total, but there is a sense of what could have been, had he been trusted more, particularly in the mid-1990s.
His final England cap came in 1999, which means he was not selected during his run of superb form for Leeds as they challenged for the Champions League under David O’Leary alongside Olivier Dacourt. England’s loss was definitely Leeds’ gain.
Receive a digest of our best Leeds content each week direct to your mailbox
