It’s a World Cup year, and the 2026 edition will be taking place in the United States of America and Mexico.
The tournament has been extended to consist of 48 teams, sorted into 16 groups of three. It allows us for a longer tournament with more games, and gives the chance for some smaller nations to make their major tournament debuts.
City have a talented squad full of internationals. We could be in a situation where almost every single first team player is representing their nation ahead of the tournament
next campaign.
I’ve ranked how likely each member of the City squad is to be representing their nation at the World Cup this summer, based off how likely their country is to qualify and their standing in both their club and international squads.
0/10 – Marcus Bettinelli, Kalvin Phillips
Sorry lads. Bettinelli and Phillips are right on the fringes of the City squad, ultimately meaning there’s no chance they’ll get enough playing time to even enter the thinking of England manager Thomas Tuchel.
2/10 – Nico O’Reilly
The 20-year-old has only just recently made his first England U21’s squad, and he withdrew with an injury.
England are well stocked in his preferred position of central midfield. There’s an outside chance he sneaks in as a backup left back (if indeed Pep Guardiola plays him there often this season) but I think his chances are slim.
3/10 – Rico Lewis, Nico Gonzalez, Stefan Ortega
Lewis hasn’t been great in the last 12 months or so, and the range of full back options Tuchel has at his disposal on both sides means I doubt he’ll be high up in the pecking order, despite his 5 senior England caps.
Ortega has made recent Germany squads, but his status as City’s third choice goalkeeper surely makes it impossible for him to make the squad without a move in January.
And Nico Gonzalez has never made a Spain squad, despite being good enough a player to have done so. With City teammate Rodri and new Arsenal signing Martin Zubimendi ahead of him in the pecking order for the number six position, Nico unfortunately doesn’t seem to have a way in.
4/10 – Matheus Nunes, James Trafford
Nunes was part of Portugal’s squad for the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 European Championships as a rotation option for midfield. But now solely playing at right back for City, he finds himself far down the pecking order both there and in the centre of the park.
And Trafford is unlikely to make it as part of an England squad when he’s not getting regular minutes in a City shirt (which we can assume will be the case after Gianluigi Donnarumma’s arrival.)
He might squeak in as third choice goalkeeper behind Jordan Pickford and Dean Henderson but I think Aaron Ramsdale’s experience will prove more important for Tuchel, particularly if he earns a starting spot at Newcastle United.
5/10 – John Stones
If he could be relied on to be fit, Stones would be a 9/10. However, his frequent injuries mean you just can’t bank on him to stay fit in the build up of and during the length of an international tournament.
6/10 – Gianluigi Donnarumma, Josko Gvardiol, Mateo Kovacic, Savinho
In following with recent history, Italy are having a bit of a hairy moment in terms of qualifying for the World Cup, of which they’ve missed the last two editions. If they do edge over the line Donnarumma will certainly be in as Italy’s captain.
The Croatian pair are also stalwarts but find themselves in a fight with Scotland for qualification. It’s touch and go as to whether they make the tournament but if they get there Kovacic and Gvardiol will both be involved.
And Savinho played and scored for Brazil in the 2024 Copa America, so will definitely be a part of Carlo Ancelotti’s thinking. But with Rodrygo, Raphinha, Neymar and Vinicius Junior definitely ahead of him in the pecking order he’ll be fighting against the likes of Gabriel Martinelli, William Estevao, Joao Pedro and Matheus Cunha for a place in the main squad.
7/10 – Rayan Cherki, Oscar Bobb, Jeremy Doku, Phil Foden
Four promising attackers who are more likely than not to be lining up at the World Cup next summer.
Cherki is an emerging talent for France, impressing in the June international break and will be hoping to get a chance in November and March to cement his place in the squad firmly.
Bobb has had a decent start to the season and has made the most recent Norway squad. They’re top of their qualification group and so long as his return to fitness carries on at this trajectory he’ll make the final squad.
Belgium are short on top quality wingers and Doku has turned in a few exceptional performances as late, and he’ll probably be lining up alongside former teammate Kevin de Bruyne if Belgium win their game in hand in the World Cup qualifying groups to move top.
And Foden has plenty of competition in the shape of Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Jack Grealish just to name a few options for the number ten position, but at his best he’s as good as any of those players and should still make the squad unless his poor form from last season continues.
8/10 – Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva, Tijani Reijnders, Nathan Ake, Rayan Ait-Nouri
It’s difficult to remember sometimes how many experienced, talent players City have at their disposal.
Dias and Bernardo are set to play their fifth major tournament with Portugal and are pretty established members of the City squad, so won’t be overseen due to a lack of minutes.
The same applies to Ake and Reijnders, who’s experience and versatility means they’re highly trusted by Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman.
And finally, Ait-Nouri should almost definitely be a starter for Algeria at left back. They’re top of their qualifying group and are currently looking set to make it to the US next summer.
9/10 – Rodri, Erling Haaland, Omar Marmoush
Three people who are talisman both for City and their national teams. Spain, Norway and Egypt are extremely likely to qualify and these three will definitely be starting members of their squads barring injury.
10/10 – Abdukodir Khusanov
The closest you can get to a guaranteed certainty. Khusanov is Uzbekistan’s talisman and one of only two players from his nation to play in Europe’s top five leagues.
The team will be built around him for Uzbekistan’s maiden World Cup appearance.
And the loan players…
The most likely loan player to play at the World Cup has to be Manuel Akanji for Switzerland. They’ve only played one game but are definitely either the best or second best team in the group, and Akanji, who has just joined Inter on a season long loan, is an important part of their backline.
Grealish for England is probably at about a 6/10. If he continues his form at Everton he can’t be overlooked, particularly considering England don’t have a standout option on the left of attack, but it could be difficult for him to sustain his honeymoon period for the entire campaign.
Claudio Echeverri is in good shape to make the Argentina squad if Bayer Leverkusen overcome their turbulent period with him as a starter. Vitor Reis could also scrape into the Brazil squad, if Girona have an upturn in performances with him starting regularly.
And as a left field suggestion, look out for Sverre Nypan. The Norwegian midfielder joined the cub this summer and immediately went on loan to Middlesbrough, where he’s looked impressive so far. He could make the bench as a wildcard option for Norway.
