With all 48 World Cup squads now confirmed, the numbers behind the tournament reveal fascinating contrasts between nations heading into the competition.
Manchester City lead the way in terms of club representation, with a record 19 players from the club representing 12 different countries across the tournament.
Arsenal follow closely behind, providing 16 players for 10 different nations, joining the champions of Germany, England, France and Spain among the most represented clubs.
Serie A winners Inter Milan have just seven players at the tournament, a figure largely explained by Italy’s absence from the competition.
Among Premier League clubs, Conference League winners Crystal Palace are sending 12 players to the World Cup, with only this season’s top three clubs exceeding that number.
Sunderland, remarkably, have as many representatives at the tournament as Chelsea and Liverpool, with 11 players selected following their promotion last summer.
Brentford, Everton and Leeds are among the least represented Premier League clubs, with each sending just four players to the World Cup.
Spain are the only nation whose squad is made up exclusively of players from Europe’s top five leagues, which are the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Serie A.
England have selected Al-Ahli’s Ivan Toney, while Germany have called up Galatasaray’s Leroy Sane, and France have included Al-Hilal’s Theo Hernandez and Fenerbahce’s N’Golo Kante.
None of Curacao, Iran, Iraq or Qatar’s squads played in Europe’s top five leagues this season, highlighting the contrast in player development pathways across competing nations.
Panama head into the tournament with the oldest squad of all 48 nations, with Iran and Colombia the only other countries carrying an average age above 30.
Brazil are relying on veterans Danilo, Casemiro and Neymar, all aged 34, as Carlo Ancelotti seeks to end their wait for a first World Cup since 2002.
Scotland’s squad is also among the older groups at the tournament, which is their first World Cup appearance since 1998.
Goalkeeper Craig Gordon will be 43 years and 162 days old when the tournament begins, making him by far the oldest player in the competition.
Cristiano Ronaldo, aged 41, is preparing to take part in his sixth World Cup, with Luka Modric and Edin Dzeko also members of the over-40s club.
Ivory Coast have the youngest squad at the tournament, with clubs watching forwards Yan Diomande, aged 19, and Bazoumana Toure, aged 20, closely.
Africa Cup of Nations champions Morocco and Euro 2024 winners Spain also carry relatively young squads, with Spain’s including Lamine Yamal, 18, and Pau Cubarsi, 19.
Mexico’s Gilberto Mora will be the youngest player at this World Cup at just 17 years and 240 days old when it begins, with the midfielder not turning 18 until October.
Czech midfielder Hugo Sochurek, 17, will celebrate his 18th birthday this Sunday, while German youngster Lennart Karl is expected to impress after his breakout season at Bayern Munich.
