Arsenal players Country Players Belgium Leandro Trossard Brazil Gabriel Magalhães, Gabriel Martinelli Ecuador Piero Hincapié England Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke France William Saliba Germany Kai Havertz Netherlands Jurriën Timber Norway Martin Ødegaard Spain David Raya, Cristian Mosquera, Martín Zubimendi Sweden Viktor Gyökeres World Cup rankings 1 France UEFA 2 Spain UEFA 3 Argentina CONMEBOL 4 England UEFA 5 Portugal UEFA 6 Brazil CONMEBOL 7 Netherlands UEFA 8 Morocco CAF 9 Belgium UEFA 10 Germany UEFA 11 Croatia UEFA 13 Colombia CONMEBOL 14 Senegal CAF 15 Mexico CONCACAF Ecuador 23, Norway 31, Sweden 38 Yes we can? The answer, looking at the above list, is yes. We have players in the 7 of the top 10 ranked countries. I suspect that Raya and Mosquera will not get a game but the rest should play although some will come on as attackers in the heat and not as first choice. We don’t have too many first choice really and both Havertz and Timber may be victims of recent injuries leaving them down the list. We will know when the action starts. Probably only Saka, Rice, Odegaard, Gyokeres and possibly Hincapie can be regarded as certain starters despite the teams achievements this season. I feel others such as Gabriel and Saliba will start and maybe Zubimendi but the rest will be hoping that when they get their chance in the heat, they can perform. Lots of players will get chances, that’s for certain. Goalkeepers rarely do, though, so I suspect Raya will not see the nets excepting injury. A long way from Brentford to the World Cup finals but maybe no game? Will David Raya get lucky? The Americas have the advantage Is a European side likely to win this time? If not, and they normally don’t in the Americas, that only leaves Brazil and Argentina which gives us a 50/50 chance, I suppose. I feel home advantage will be negated with the astonishing size of the tournament and 3 hosts. Only Mexico are in the top 15 and I really don’t see them as winners and certainly not the USA or Canada. Morocco and Senegal should not be discommoded by the heat so much but the reality is that 183 players across lots of countries are playing in cold dreary England with another 108 playing in Germany so it is not so clear how much the heat will be a factor. Gabriel Martinelli could get lucky if he comes on in an early game and scores These are the leagues with the most players in the world cup but I reckon where you were born and grew up gives a genetic advantage. Such a marathon world cup might just give an advantage to a surprise winner from Africa. Can a new team do it? There are six former winners in the top 10 and all of them have a chance for sure. Belgium, Holland, and Portugal, who have never won it, to me, at least, do not seem to have the great squads of the past and Portugal were beaten by Ireland in a recent competitive match. I feel as long as Ronaldo keeps getting his place (despite being 100 years old) they will never win it. I will dismiss all 3 them on 3 grounds, not being good enough, being European, and history being against them. If Belgium finally do it, Leo be a lucky star for them France and Spain could of course do it. They are not ranked 1 and 2 for nothing and both have a great. mixture of very established stars and exciting new talent. They have lots of players well able for the conditions and could become the second side from Europe to win in the Americas after Germany in 2006. Slow, slow and slower? And so, 183 players from the Premier league. The heat will ensure that the game gets slowed down regularly exactly like the Premier League. They are used to marathons and playing every week against tough teams. They may well have an advantage in this bloated tournament. It is hard to call. Ecuador have their best ever team. Can Hincapie be their lucky charm? What’s not hard to call is whether Arsenal can have a significant impact on this tournament. The bare figures say no. Unless England play Brazil in the final, there will not be many Arsenal players in it, and even then, there may be 3 or less. A maximum of 6 if all play. There is a good chance that there will be no Arsenal players in the final. If Germany, France or Spain make it we might have none. If an African team or Argentina make it we for sure won’t. And Ecuador, Norway and Sweden surely have no chance of getting to the final although all have got good recent records particularly Ecuador. With Willian Pacho, Moses Caicedo, Piero Hincapie and others they have their best ever team, are unbeaten since 2024 and the conditions should suit them. They have players who know how to slow down the game but I suspect a good run is the best they can hope for. Shithousery could win the World Cup again Argentina look to be down on talent since the last World Cup, Messi is not the same player, and Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Cristian Romero and Rodrigo de Paul have had inconsistent seasons. They cannot be ruled out, though. Their goalkeeper is the biggest shithouser of them all and you would certainly fancy him if games go to penalties. And slow games will lead to penalty shootouts, for sure. An Italian winner after all? Brazil have a proven winner in Carlo Ancelotti and they have lots of talent everywhere. To me they are favourites and Arsenal’s best chance of having a World Cup winner. Will both be on the pitch? Martinelli needs to be lucky but I feel that Gabriel Magalhães will be first choice. Maybe Tuchel has the German answer - play rubbish until it matters? England could do it. The Germans know how to win World cups. They are specialists in looking poor in the build-up. Tuchel seems to have borrowed that template. And with 5 subs there is a chance all 4 Arsenal players could be on the pitch if they make it to the final. The English players are experts are slowing down the game which will suit the conditions, and they do have players who can score goals from small chances. However, I would put Spain as the European favourites and that could lead to 7 (but unlikely)Arsenal players on the pitch if they get England in the final. Ancelotti seems to always be the right man To be honest, Spain vs Brazil is my pick and that could lead to 5 (but unlikely)Arsenal players in the final. And Brazil to win because of Ancelotti. Of course, Neymar and Vinicius Junior and others may have meltdowns but Ancelotti seems the right man at the right time in the right place. Ps. We will not see an Irish/ Bulgarian final but Ireland do have a player there in Pico Lopez who plays for Cape Verde and Shamrock Rovers in the Irish League. He was born in Dublin and speaks like me. I couldn’t find any player who plays in Bulgaria but please tell me if I am wrong.