Spain’s La Liga dominates World Cup final squads as Premier League trails in player count

Spain’s La Liga will provide nearly half the players available for Sunday’s World Cup final between Spain and Argentina in New Jersey, underlining the league’s growing influence on the global game despite the financial power of the English Premier League.

With 52 footballers named across both 26-man squads, 24 are currently playing their club football in Spain – almost double the 13 drawn from the Premier League, according to Spanish sports daily Marca.

The data highlights how Spanish clubs, and particularly Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, have become central pillars of both finalists’ success.

Spanish clubs at the heart of Spain–Argentina showdown

Three clubs stand out as major contributors to the World Cup’s biggest match.

Atletico Madrid are the single most-represented side in the final, supplying nine players in total – five to Argentina and four to Spain – from the squad built by Diego Simeone.

Barcelona follow closely behind with eight players, but all of them are in Spain’s camp under coach Luis de la Fuente. Unlike Atletico, whose squad is split between the two nations, Barca’s contingent feeds directly into La Roja’s core.

Several other clubs contribute three players each. Arsenal send an all-Spanish trio – Martin Zubimendi, David Raya and Mikel Merino – while Athletic Bilbao also have three in the final (Unai Alonso, Aymeric Laporte and Nico Williams).

Tottenham Hotspur, despite what Marca describes as a disastrous Premier League season, still place three players on the biggest stage: Pedro Porro, “Cuti” (Cristian Romero) and Marcos Senesi.

Argentina-based stars in short supply

Remarkably for a World Cup final involving Argentina, only three players in the match-day squads still ply their trade in their home league.

Those are veteran defender Nicolas Otamendi and full-back Gonzalo Montiel, along with midfielder Leandro Paredes.

The limited presence of Argentina-based players illustrates how heavily Lionel Scaloni’s side depends on footballers developed at home but exported early to Europe and beyond.

Messi’s Inter Miami among clubs with smaller but key roles

Below the top-contributing sides sits a group of clubs who provide two players each – fewer in number but not necessarily in importance.

Inter Miami, home to Lionel Messi, supply the Argentina captain and his midfield ally Rodrigo De Paul.

River Plate are represented by Otamendi and Montiel, while Marseille send goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli and defender Facundo Medina.

Liverpool contribute World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister and Victor Munoz, and other European clubs with two players include:

– Rayo Vallecano: Rulli and Facundo Medina
– River Plate: Otamendi and Montiel
– Liverpool: Mac Allister and Victor Munoz

(As reported, some club attributions in the original list reflect recent or interim registrations.)

One-player clubs spread across Europe and South America

The majority of participating clubs have just a single player involved in what Marca calls “the most important match of the World Cup”.

They include:

– Aston Villa: Diogo Costa (known as Dibu – Emiliano Martinez)
– Manchester United: Lisandro Martinez
– Lyon: Nicolas Tagliafico
– Boca Juniors: Leandro Paredes
– Chelsea: Enzo Fernandez
– Strasbourg: Valentin Barco
– Bayer Leverkusen: Exequiel Palacios
– Como: Nico Paz
– Real Betis: Giovani Lo Celso
– Juventus: Nicolas Gonzalez
– Inter Milan: Lautaro Martinez
– Palmeiras: Jose Manuel Lopez
– Real Madrid: Marc Cucurella
– Manchester City: Rodri
– Paris Saint-Germain: Fabian Ruiz
– Crystal Palace: Eberechi Eze (noted as Eremi in the original list)
– Real Sociedad: Mikel Oyarzabal
– Celta Vigo: Borja Iglesias

The spread underlines the global reach of both national squads, from major Champions League contenders to emerging or mid-table clubs.

Champions League winners surprisingly under-represented

One of the most striking findings, Marca notes, is how little the recent kings of Europe contribute to the World Cup final.

Looking at the last 10 Champions League-winning clubs – widely regarded as the elite of elite – they account collectively for just five players in Sunday’s showpiece.

Those are:

– Two from Liverpool: Alexis Mac Allister and Victor Munoz
– Fabian Ruiz from Paris Saint-Germain
– Marc Cucurella from Real Madrid
– Rodri from Manchester City
– Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea

For a competition often seen as the pinnacle of club football, that total is unexpectedly low and contrasts sharply with the breadth and depth of La Liga’s representation.

As Spain and Argentina prepare to meet in New Jersey, the numbers tell their own story: the World Cup final may be a clash between European and South American powers, but its backbone is firmly anchored in Spain’s domestic league.