This is the biggest World Cup in history and is also quite possibly, the most Barça-flavoured one ever ever too. FC Barcelona’s links with the this summer's tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada mean that culers tuning in will not only be cheering on their national team, but will also have a reason to follow many other matches, because one way or another they almost all have a Barça connection.

16 current players

The most obvious link, though no less important for that, is the strong representation of the current Barça squad. No fewer than 16 Barcelona players, spread across eight different national teams, are representing their countries at this World Cup. But that is not the whole story. There are also plenty of former Barça players at the tournament, making it a great opportunity to see them in action once again.

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Messi, Neymar and many more

The standout name, inevitably, is Leo Messi, who is defending the title Argentina won in 2022. Among the leading names in the France squad, runners-up at the last World Cup, is the current Ballon d’Or holder Ousmane Dembélé. The former Barça winger is joined by fellow ex-Blaugrana Lucas Digne, as well as Marcus Thuram, son of another former Barça player, Lilian Thuram, and himself a former student at the FCB Escola during his father’s time at the Club.

Portugal are another team with a strong Barça connection, with João Félix, Francisco Trincão and Nélson Semedo all included in the squad. One of Portugal’s opponents in Group K is Colombia, featuring former Barça defender Yerry Mina. Elsewhere, Franck Kessié is one of the key figures for Côte d’Ivoire, while Sergiño Dest is expected to be the first-choice right-back for one of the host nations, the United States.

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One of the major attractions of this World Cup is Neymar’s return to the Brazil squad, two and a half years after his last call-up. Although he will miss the opening match through injury, the Santos forward remains one of the tournament’s most iconic figures. Another highly gifted attacker is Memphis Depay, now also playing his club football in Brazil and one of the main attacking threats in Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands side.

Blaugrana coaches

The hero of Wembley ’92, Ronald Koeman, is one of three national team coaches with Barça connections at this World Cup. The other two are in less traditional footballing nations: Julen Lopetegui with Qatar and Thomas Christiansen with Panama.

As in Neymar’s case, another player set to miss his team’s opening match through injury is Ez Abde, one of Morocco’s most in-form players. Also expected to feature prominently for the North Africans is centre-back Chadi Riad, another product of Barça’s youth system.

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From La Masía to the World Cup

Riad is just one of a sizeable group of former La Masia players at the tournament. Spain’s two left-backs, Marc Cucurella and Alejandro Grimaldo, along with young winger Víctor Muñoz, who is currently recovering from injury, are all products of the Barça academy. So too are Uruguay defender Santi Bueno and Japan winger Take Kubo.

Nor are they the only ones. Paraguay’s leading striker Antonio Sanabria is another former La Masia player, while South Korea midfielder Seung-Ho Paik was once one of the brightest prospects in Barça’s youth ranks.

In short, there is Barça everywhere you look at what promises to be a fascinating World Cup.

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