After the squads of the 48 countries participating in the 2026 World Cup were finalized, the numerical data of the teams and players competing in the tournament became clear. Many surprising statistics emerged, ranging from player placements at the club level to average age.
elchi reports that although Manchester City did not win the Premier League title, they had the most sought-after players on the international stage. Manchester City broke the record as the club sending the most players to the tournament, with 19 players representing 12 different countries.
The champions of the German, English, French, and Spanish leagues held high positions in this area, while Arsenal provided 16 players for 10 different national teams. Inter, the champion of Italy’s Serie A, was only able to send 7 players to the World Cup due to the Italian National Team’s absence from the tournament. Following the teams that finished in the top three of the Premier League last season, UEFA Conference League champion Crystal Palace drew attention with 12 players. When including players who spent the season on loan, another notable detail is that Sunderland sent the same number of players (11) as Chelsea and Liverpool. In contrast, Brentford, Everton, and Leeds United were among the Premier League teams that sent the fewest players to the tournament, with four each.
The weight of the top leagues
When examining the elements of the five major European leagues, namely the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, and Ligue 1, it appears that only the entire Spanish National Team consists of players playing in these five leagues.
In the tournament, where selections were also made outside the major leagues, England included Ivan Toney from Al-Ahli, Germany included Leroy Sane from Galatasaray, and France included Theo Hernandez from Al-Hilal and N’Golo Kante from Fenerbahçe in their squads. Outside of Europe, Argentina and Senegal stood out as the countries with the most players in the five major leagues. No players currently playing in these leagues were included in the squads from Curaçao, Iran, Iraq, and Qatar.
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