Britball Talent take to the stage in the European League of Football (ELF)
- Twm Owen
- 6 days ago
- 9 min read
Photo: Julian Kinze
Europe’s premier football league kicks off its fifth season this weekend and will once again feature a host of British talent spread across the continent.
Germany’s Rhein Fire will be looking to three-peat this year, but perhaps the most intriguing challenge to their European League of Football (ELF) dominance will come from its newest team, Nordic Storm, which has attracted some of the key components of the championship side to Copenhagen, including Britball standout Glen Toonga.
The running back, and last season’s League MVP, will be suiting up for the side that represents Denmark and Sweden, along with US quarterback Jadrian Clark, who in 2024 sandwiched a BUCS university championship, with the UWE Bullets, between two ELF Championships.
Losing semi-finalists last year, Paris Musketeers, have also signalled their intent appointing former Jacksonville Jaguars and Oakland Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio and also have an off-field “strategic partnership” with the New Orleans Saints.
The Musketeers, and off-season signing, British linebacker Kadel King, will get to test themselves on opening day this Saturday when the defending champions visit the French capital.
Toonga, Clark and King are just three of 29 players either from Britain, or who have played with British-based teams, playing in the ELF this year.
This year the league features 16 teams, split into four divisions, which is down on last year when there were 17 teams with Barcelona Dragons and the Milano Seamen having dropped out.
Fans can view ELF games on its dedicated channel on the DAZN platform and other international streaming services, while highlights are regularly shared on the league’s YouTube and social media channels.
Players from Britain in the ELF
East Division
Fehervar Enthroners
Miles Butt #23 CB 187 cm (6'-2'') Weight 93 kg (205 lbs) Age 22
Most recently a member of the University of Nottingham’s Gold team Butt featured in the BUCS final in the spring, having previously helped the UWE Bullets to the first of their four consecutive titles in 2022.
The Londoner joined Bristol’s SGS Pride Academy in 2021 and won the German Football League with Potsdam Royals in 2023.
Prague Lions
Louis Burghes #56 OT Height 195 cm (6'-5'') Weight 140 kg (309 lbs) Age 20 yrs
Benjamin Burghes #54 OG Height 196 cm (6'-5'') Weight 136 kg (300 lbs) Age 23 yrs
The Lions feature not one but two British offensive lineman, brothers Louis and Benjamin Burghes. Older brother Benajamin started with BAFA’s Somerset Wyverns, in 2021, and took his powerful frame to the University of Exeter Demons, where he won a Divison One championship, and was followed by Louis who was inspired to take up the sport by his big brother.
Benjamin moved to the GFL’s Dresden Monarchs in 2023 and won the German title with Potsdam Royals last year, while Louis played for the Bristol Aztecs in the BAFA Premiership in 2023 before moving to the ELF’s Madrid Bravos in 2024. Both brothers have GB honours.
Benjamin Dixon #66 OT Height 190 cm (6'-3'') Weight 142 kg (313 lbs) Age 27 yrs
The lineman stared with Leeds Beckett Carnegie winning the BUCS national title in 2019 and featured for the Sheffield Giants in 2021 before starting his career on the continent the following year with the Hamburg Huskies of the GFL 2 North.
The versatile lineman is listed as a tackle but started all 12 games for the Enthroners last year with 11 at centre and one at guard. Was previously at the Barcelona Dragons in 2023.
Arthur Kingdom #0 LB 191 cm (6'-3'') Weight 103 kg (227 lbs) Age 21 yrs
Named one of five European players to watch by the ELF, the British national team linebacker led the Potsdam Royals in tackles in 2024. Has played BUCS football for Leeds Beckett University and the Manchester Titans in BAFA.
Vienna Vikings
Shadrach Arthur #74 OG Height 194 cm (6'-4'') Weight 137 kg (302 lbs) Age 24 yrs
Photo: Twm Owen
Italian-born and Manchester-raised lineman first played football for the Titans in the BAFA Premiership aged 19 and secured a scholarship to Bristol’s SGS Pride. Has also played in the GFL while his younger brother Meshach has been a standout LB for the NFL Academy.
Also in the division
Wroclaw Panthers
North Division
Berlin Thunder
Connor Bolton #56 OG Height 196 cm (6'-5'') Weight 137 kg (302 lbs) Age 28 yrs
First club was Maidstone Pumas, in 2019, two years later he attended the NFL’s International Player Pathway Programme combine and joined the London Warriors. Has spent the past two season in Hungary, with the Enthroners and las season in Madrid with the Bravos but returns to Thunder having spent his first ELF season in 2022 with the Berlin side.
Hamburg Sea Devils
Harrison Hobson #55 LB Height 190 cm (6'-3'') Weight 106 kg (234 lbs) Age 24 yrs
In seven games with the Cologne Centurions in 2024 the Australian national from England recorded 34 tackles, one sack, and three tackles for loss. Has played for community college teams in California.
Jonell Pelie #15 LB Height 176 cm (5'-9'') Weight 93 kg (205 lbs) Age 30 yrs
Photo: Paula Romo
The German speaker from Wood Green, London, has played in Europe since 2017 which was just two years after winning a national junior championship with the London Blitz.
Recorded 22 tackles, including one sack and two tackles for loss for the Madrid Bravos while a crucial component of the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns defence in the German Football League in 2023, leading the team with 85 tackles, including 3.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss.”
Francis Turrill #72 OG Height 195 cm (6'-5'') Weight 140 kg (309 lbs) Age 26 yrs
Named a 2nd Team All-GFL Offensive Lineman in 2024 with the Dresden Monarchs, the Nottingham man played BUCS football for Leeds Beckett University and previously the UWE Bullets before heading to Germany in 2022, and the Marburg Mercenaries, followed by the Hildesheim Invaders.
Nordic Storm
Jadrian Clark #18 QB Height 190 cm (6'-3'') Weight 100 kg (220 lbs) Age 31 yrs
The American QB has followed quarterback coach John Shoop north following his appointment as the Storm’s first head coach. Clark had a memorable 2023/24 season with the UWE Bullets in Bristol.
Emmanuelle Falola #44 MLB Height 186 cm (6'-1'') Weight 102 kg (225 lbs) Age 27 yrs
Appeared twice from the bench for the Rhein Fire during their championship season in 2024 and was part of the Bristol Aztecs squad that reached the BAFA Premiership semi-finals in 2022. Has previously been invited to the NFL international combine and selected by the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL’s 2023 global draft. Has also played for the Coventry University Jets and Kent Exiles.
Khalid Khalid #20 CB Height 182 cm (6'-0'') Weight 89 kg (196 lbs) Age 23 yrs
Listed as Khalid Khalid the athletic CBs appeared with the second name Adisa last year when he recorded 22 tackles and had four pass break-ups in seven games for the Barcelona Dragons and also blocked a kick.
The London Blitz youth product won the Deestroying CB v WR challenge at Tottenham Stadium in 2023, viewed 1.5 million times on YouTube.
Max Parkinson #98 DE Height 192 cm (6'-4'') Weight 115 kg (254 lbs) Age 23 yrs
Former rugby player and sprinter took up football at the UWE Bullets in autumn 2022 and nine games later, his fast feet and power took him to the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders practice squad before being sent for experience with junior side Regina Thunder.
With Rhein Fire in 2024, Parkinson started eleven of 12 possible games and recorded 16 tackles, including 4.5 for loss and two sacks. He added another sack in the playoffs on the Fire’s w ay to a second consecutive ELF Championship and returned to the Bullets for the 2024/24 BUCS season. Previously played for the Dresden Monarchs in the GFL.
Glen Toonga #17 RB Height 177 cm (5'-10'') Weight 97 kg (214 lbs) Age 30 yrs
Photo: Julian Kinze
Toonga ran for 1,576 yards and 30 rushing TDs to help the Fire to their, and his, second consecutive ELF Championship in 2024 and a 1st Team All-Star spot as the league’s MVP.
Widely regarded as one of the ELF’s best players, Toonga’s Britball experience came with the London Blitz after taking up football with the Stags at Southampton University. Has also played in Poland and the GFL before joining the ELF in 2022 with the Hamburg Sea Devils.
Chad Walrond #3 SS Height 178 cm (5'-10'') Weight 88 kg (194 lbs) Age 25 yrs
Recorded 48 tackles, one sack, three interceptions and one pass deflection for the Surge in 2024 and is now joining his London flatmate Glen Toonga in Copenhagen. Born in Bridgetown, Barbados and raised in Rochester, Kent, the GB international played for the University of Hertfordshire Hurricanes and London Blitz before moving to the GFL and eventually the ELF in 2022. Was a 2nd Team All-Star in 2024.
Hjalmar Nielsen #38 SS Height 185 cm (6'-1'') Weight 90 kg (198 lbs) Age 26 yrs
The Danish player attended the SGS Pride in 2019/20 and went on to become a GFL champion for Potsdam Royals, and last year signed for the Enthroners in the ELF.
Rhein Fire
Onuora Joseman #88 WR Height 189 cm (6'-2'') Weight 85 kg (187 lbs) Age 23 yrs
The Londoner has played in Germany with the Bremerhaven Seahawks, having attended the University of Dortmund, and in France’s second tier with Les Aigles Rouges, before joining the Fire in 2024.
South Division
Madrid Bravos
Justus Seelig #8 RB Height 169 cm (5'-7'') Weight 85 kg (187 lbs) Age 20 yrs
Anyone who saw the NFL Academy last year will have been impressed by the explosive German who will be taking his skillset honed by the Academy in Loughborough to Madrid, where he will line up in the backfield with four-year NFL vet Reid Sinnett at QB.
Munich Ravens
Chinazo Obobi #55 OG Height 192 cm (6'-4'') Weight 145 kg (320 lbs) Age 22 yrs
The London Blitz U19 played for Laney Junior College in LA earning a Division One opportunity at Marshall before dropping down to the FCS level with Austin Peay University.
Harry Sayer #57 OT Height 194 cm (6'-4'') Weight 136 kg (300 lbs) Age 24 yrs
The Leeds Beckett Carnegie lineman played BAFA football for the Yorkshire Rams in 2021, moving to GFL 2 in 2022 and will spend his third year in the ELF in Munich having played for the Berlin Thunder last year and previously the Milano Seamen.
Raiders Tirol
Isaiah Kléberg #74 OT Height 193 cm (6'-4'') Weight 148 kg (326 lbs) Age 24 yrs
The Dutch Olineman, and a media degree student at Bristol's SGS College where he’s been part of the Pride team since 2019, has signed for a second season in one of the ELF's most scenic locations.
Helvetic Mercenaries
Tyrrell Bovelle #30 RB Height 178cm (5'-10") Weight 94kg (207 lbs) Age 26 yrs
The Great Britain native with ties to Germany began his football career with the Division 1 outfit East Kent Mavericks where he caught the eyes of the GB Lions coaching staff and scoring winning touchdowns at an international level. Bovelle then made a move in 2024 to Germany where he played for the New Yorker Lions in the GLF and made 3rd team All-Star.
West Division
Cologne Centurions
Munashe Nunurai Height 188 cm (6'-2'') Weight 140 kg (309 lbs) Age 26 yrs
The big D lineman signed with the Enthoners halfway last season. Played his uniball with Herts Hurricanes before moving to the GFL and first entered the ELF with the Barcelona Dragons.
Frankfurt Galaxy
Keanu Ebanks #68 OT Height 198 cm (6'-6'') Weight 140 kg (309 lbs) Age 31 yrs
Frankfurt has hailed Euro veteran Ebanks as one of the continent’s best O lineman. The Leeds native started with the Hull University Sharks in 2013 and has gone on to play in Germany and Sweden before various stops in the ELF.
Toby Naylor #4 ILB Height 189 cm (6'-2'') Weight 105 kg (231 lbs) Age 24 yrs
A starter in 11 games at the Hamburg Sea Devils last year the SGS Pride product, who started with the Solent Seahawks Academy in Southampton, made 68 tackles, including 1.5 for loss and an interception. He also forced a fumble and recovered another in his debut ELF season. Naylor played four years at NCAA Division II Brevard College in North Carolina.
Paris Musketeers
Kadel King #31 MLB Height 191 cm (6'-3'') Weight 105 kg (231 lbs) Age 29 yrs
Photo: Br7film Ben Rogers
A product of BAFA’s Kent Exiles King also attend Bristol’s SGS College and has been on a football tour that has taken him to Canada Prep Academy and starting fo three seasons at St Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia where he recorded 104 total tackles for the X-Men.
In Europe King has played for the Frankfurt Universe and Potsdam Rebels in the GFL, in Finland for the Kuopio Steelers, Poland for the Bydgoszcz Archers, and the Mallorca Voltors in Spain. His first year in the ELF was in 2021 for the Frankfurt Galaxy. King returned to football, and Britball, in 2024 with the East Kent Mavericks.
Lewis Thomas #63 OG Height 188 cm (6'-2'') Weight 130 kg (287 lbs) Age 27 yrs
The GB Lions international, with dual British/French citizenship, earned 2nd Team All Star honours in 2024, his second season in Paris and third in the ELF.
Thomas played at the University of Nottingham, in 2016, and was a Britbowl champion with Tamworth Pheonix in 2017.
Stuttgart Surge
Daniel Pedro #17 WR Height 189 cm (6'-2'') Weight 92 kg (203 lbs) Age 21 yrs
The league newcomer has been named one of five European players to watch by the ELF after helping the Potsdam Royals to the GFL championship in 2024 when he impressed with 915 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns in 15 games. The University of Nottingham product, with GB international experience, is set to be an exciting prospect this season.