All 48 national teams participating in the upcoming World Cup have now announced their final squads. Alongside assessing team strengths and weaknesses, analysts are closely examining player demographics, including club representation and age profiles. A recent report by the BBC highlighted several notable statistics regarding these factors.
According to the BBC report, every member of Spain’s 26-player squad competes in Europe’s top five leagues. England and Germany each have 26-man squads with 25 players active in these leagues. In England’s squad, only Ivan Toney plays outside Europe, representing Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ahli, while Germany’s Leroy Sané competes for Galatasaray in Turkey. France’s squad also includes two players based outside Europe: Théo Hernandez plays for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal, and N’Golo Kanté represents Fenerbahçe in Turkey. Argentina has 20 players participating in Europe’s top five leagues.
In terms of club contributions, Manchester City provides the largest number of players to the World Cup. A total of 19 players from the club feature across various national squads. When considering all leagues, Manchester City remains the top contributor. Bayern Munich ranks second with 18 players called up for the tournament. Arsenal, winning the English league 22 years ago, occupies third place with 16 representatives and is second among English clubs after Manchester City.
Age analysis reveals that Panama fields the oldest squad on average, with players averaging 30 years and 155 days. Iran follows closely with a mean age of 30 years and 121 days. Colombia also exceeds the 30-year average, with a mean age of 30 years and 32 days.
Individually, the oldest player in the tournament is Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon, aged 43 years and 162 days at the start of the World Cup. He is followed by Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who will be 41 years and 126 days old at the opening match.
Conversely, the youngest player is Mexico’s Gilberto Mora, aged 17 years and 240 days at the start of the tournament. Austria’s Hugo Sohurek is the second youngest, turning 18 years and 4 days on the first matchday.
The following table summarises key statistics for club contributions and age profiles:
| Category | Player / Team | Statistic |
|---|---|---|
| Top club contributor | Manchester City | 19 players |
| Second top club | Bayern Munich | 18 players |
| Third top club | Arsenal | 16 players |
| Oldest squad (average) | Panama | 30 years 155 days |
| Second oldest squad | Iran | 30 years 121 days |
| Third oldest squad | Colombia | 30 years 32 days |
| Oldest player | Craig Gordon (Scotland) | 43 years 162 days |
| Second oldest player | Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) | 41 years 126 days |
| Youngest player | Gilberto Mora (Mexico) | 17 years 240 days |
| Second youngest player | Hugo Sohurek (Austria) | 18 years 4 days |
These figures provide a detailed overview of World Cup squad composition, reflecting both the influence of European club football and the range of player ages participating in the tournament.