38 Players from Eredivisie and Keuken Kampioen Divisie to Feature at FIFA World Cup: A Record High

The upcoming FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico will feature more players from Dutch clubs than ever before. Thirty-three footballers have been selected from the Eredivisie, with an additional five from the Eerste Divisie. This combined total is double the 19 players who participated in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The next World Cup will also be the largest ever, with 48 participating nations.

Notably, the Dutch national team, Oranje, includes only two Eredivisie players: Guus Til (PSV) and Wout Weghorst (Ajax). This figure is significantly lower than previous World Cups. For instance, the Oranje squad in Qatar featured twelve players from domestic clubs. Curaçao, making its debut appearance, boasts the highest number of players from Dutch leagues with twelve. Japan follows with five.

Alongside Haiti (Ruben Providence, Almere City FC), Curaçao is also the only team to have selected players from the Eerste Divisie. For Dick Advocaat's Curaçao squad, these players include Kevin Felida (FC Den Bosch), Trevor Doornbusch (VVV-Venlo), Godfried Roemeratoe, and Roshon van Eijma (both RKC Waalwijk). This analysis is based on last season's league classifications.

The English Premier League supplies the most players, with 163 of the 1248 World Cup participants hailing from what many consider the strongest league in the world. The German Bundesliga is next with 101. The Eredivisie ranks ninth. Manchester City contributes the most World Cup-bound players, with nineteen, while Bayern Munich provides one fewer.

In the squads of Qatar and Saudi Arabia, the majority of players compete in their home countries. Both teams feature only one player from a foreign league. For Qatar, this is Homam Ahmed from Spain's Cultural Leonesa, and for Saudi Arabia, it's Saud Abdulhamid from France's Lens.

• Curaçao: Shurandy Sambo (Sparta), Sherel Floranus (PEC Zwolle), Juninho Bacuna (FC Volendam), Tyrese Noslin (Telstar), Brandley Kuwas (FC Volendam), Armando Obispo (PSV), Deveron Fonville (NEC), Tyrick Bodak (Telstar), Roshon van Eijma (RKC Waalwijk), Godfried Roemeratoe (RKC Waalwijk), Kevin Felida (FC Den Bosch), Trevor Doornbusch (VVV-Venlo).

• Japan: Ko Itakura (Ajax), Tsuyoshi Watanabe (Feyenoord), Ayase Ueda (Feyenoord), Koki Ogawa (NEC), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Ajax).

• United States: Sergiño Dest (PSV) and Ricardo Pepi (PSV).

• Morocco: Anass Salah-Eddine (PSV) and Ismael Saibari (PSV).

• Croatia: Josip Sutalo (Ajax), Ivan Perisic (PSV).

• Algeria: Ramiz Zerrouki (FC Twente), Anis Hadj Moussa (Feyenoord).

• Australia: Jordan Bos (Feyenoord), Ajdin Hrustic (Heracles Almelo).

• South Korea: Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord).

• Iraq: Zidane Iqbal (FC Utrecht).

• Czech Republic: Matej Kovar (PSV).

• Bosnia & Herzegovina: Esmir Bajraktarevic (PSV).

• Cape Verde: Jamiro Monteiro (PEC Zwolle).

• Austria: Paul Wanner (PSV).

• New Zealand: Ryan Thomas (PEC Zwolle).

• Mexico: Mateo Chávez (AZ).

• Haiti: Ruben Providence (Almere City).