So, after five long weeks, World Cup 2026 is finally over, and Spain can celebrate deservedly becoming world champions for only the second time in their history.
Barcelona had an incredible 16 players called up by their respective national teams for the tournament and some fared much better than others. Let’s take a look…
Things couldn’t really have gone any worse for Ronald Araujo.
The defender suffered an injury ahead of the tournament which meant that he didn’t play a single minute of Uruguay’s campaign.
It’s the second World Cup in a row where injury has prevent Araujo from playing.
As for Uruguay, Marcelo Bielsa’s men didn’t even make it out of the group stages, and the 2-2 draw with Cape Verde must rank as one of the most embarrassing results in their history, without taking anything away from the World Cup minnows.
After being knocked out in the Round of 32 on penalties by Morocco, the Netherlands can consider themselves to have failed dismally at this World Cup, too.
A strong squad should, at the very least, have gone deeper into the tournament, but perhaps a knee injury to one of their and Barcelona’s most important players, Frenkie de Jong, was one reason for their poor overall showing.
It’s recently come to light that De Jong played the entire World Cup with a knee problem, which Barca’s medical staff are now going to have to assess to ensure the best course of action.
If, as seems likely, he will miss the start of the league season, Barca are weakened before a ball has even been kicked.
Another for whom the tournament arguably didn’t go as planned is Raphinha. A player who had struggled with injury throughout a stop-start 2025/26 campaign, he completed 90 minutes against Morocco before succumbing to the hamstring problem that’s dogged him for the best part of a year, playing just 39 minutes against Haiti.
That was the sum total of his World Cup, and whilst it appears he is back on the mend, Barca are clearly going to have to take things slowly with the rapid wide man.
At least there was better news for Barcelona’s Spanish contingent.
Joan Garcia, Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Gavi, Pedri, Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal all earned a winners’ medal after victory over Argentina.
Ferran scoring the winner in a World Cup final will boost his confidence no end, whilst it was fabulous to see Cubarsi given the Young Player of the Tournament award.
Lamine did what Lamine does, but perhaps the biggest plus point is that all eight are fit and well, and will be ready to attack the season after a very well-deserved holiday. That can’t be understated.
Though there will be huge disappointment in the England camp, Barca’s Anthony Gordon showed his new club’s supporters what they can look forward to.
The winger, expected to replace Marcus Rashford and give Raphinha competition down the left side, worked incredibly hard in every game he played.
It’s a shame that the Three Lions couldn’t build on his semi-final goal, but on a personal level, Gordon couldn’t have done much more during the tournament and finished with one goal and three assists.
Although Hamza Abdelkarim will be an unknown quantity for most culers, 15 minutes played in four of Egypt’s five games was enough for everyone to see that the 18-year-old has talent in spades.
An ultimately unsuccessful tournament for the Pharaohs, they did at least get further than they ever had before in a World Cup, and Abdelkarim’s participation isn’t something that can be taken away from him.
The learning curve should stand him in good stead in Barcelona, too.
Which Barcelona players impressed you the most at World Cup 2026? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
