Chelsea may have had a disappointing season (tempered slightly by the recent FA Cup final win), but they still have a host of players representing their respective countries during this summer’s World Cup.
Matched betting site Profit Accumulator have given us the rundown of the Chelsea players that are included in their respective countries’ squads.
Which players are going?
This is a list of players that have been definitely confirmed as attending the World Cup and are included in their respective countries’ final squads for the event.
César Azpilicueta: Had another solid year for Chelsea. A firm fan favourite who normally plays every minute of every match. Cesar has 21 caps to his name for the Spanish National team but has only made one appearance in 2018. It says a lot about the strength in depth of the Spain squad when a player of his consistency isn’t a guaranteed starter. Dani Carvajal seems to be the preferred choice at right back.
Andreas Christensen: Andreas has had a fantastic breakthrough season. He has played a total of 40 games, which is quite an achievement to say that it is his first proper season in the Chelsea first team following a two-year loan deal in Germany. He earned rave reviews, and despite losing his place near the end of the season is still expected to play a big part for Denmark at the World Cup.
N’Golo Kanté: A key member of the Chelsea and France team. A player that does all the dirty work and will run his heart out. He hasn’t been as impactful this season as he was last season, but he is still a great guy to have in your team. He will be very important for France and could prove the catalyst for Pogba to play further up the pitch, where he is arguably more effective.
Olivier Giroud: Only signed for Chelsea in January so has only made 13 appearances, but was an important part of the FA Cup winning team. A favourite in the French National team due to his physical style. More skillful players have been left at home by Deschamps, so the pressure will be on Giroud to justify his selection.
Willy Caballero: Chelsea’s second choice keeper has had limited opportunities this year due to the fact Courtois is the undisputed number 1. He is also second choice for Argentina, behind Sergio Romero (who is also second choice for Man Utd). Doubtful he will get much game time, but has a knack of saving penalties so could come in useful at some point.
Victor Moses: Our first choice right wing back often operates in a right wing position for Nigeria. As a result he has got 11 goals in 32 apps for Nigeria, which is very impressive. He will be a big part of their plans.
Willian: A fan favourite who has had another decent season. He hasn’t hit the heights of previous seasons, but not many Chelsea players have recently. With 55 caps he is actually one of the more experienced Brazilian national team players, but with only 1 appearance in 2018 it remains to be seen if he will be in the starting line up. Based on qualification, probably not.
Antonio Rüdiger: Had a great game in the FA Cup Final which capped a fine debut season. Doubtful whether he will be a starter for Germany because Hummel and Boateng are the preferred starting partnership in central defence. Only actually included in the preliminary team, so may not make the cut for the final squad.
Thibaut Courtois: The number 1 for both his club and country. Courtois has had a mixed season, but is still considered to be one of the top keepers in the world. 55 caps for Belgium so far he usually fights it out with Simon Mingolet for the starting place in the Belgium team. The Liverpool keeper has had a poor season and lost his place though, so we can expect Courtois to start in Russia.
Eden Hazard: The captain of the Belgium team will surely be aiming to have a good World Cup to demonstrate his abilities on the international stage. The crown jewel of the ‘golden generation’, he will be hoping to put his talents to good use as Belgium are a favourite to make it to the latter stages.
Gary Cahill: Not had a great season and some were surprised by his selection, but you can’t argue that he is an experienced head on the dressing room. 58 international caps mean he is actually the most experienced player in the England team. Southgate selected a relatively young squad, so having his experience is key. If as expected Southgate starts with a back three, he may well be the middle of the three, with Walker and Stones next to him.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek: A bit of a surprise that he is included because he hasn’t been an automatic starter this year on loan at Palace, but he is a favourite of Southgate. A strong, powerful and adaptable player, he can play in many different positions but an advanced midfield position is where we will probably see him play. Hopefully, a good World Cup will earn him the chance of proving himself in the Chelsea team next year.
So that’s it for our round-up of which Chelsea players are representing their countries at the Word Cup in Russia. What do you think? Are there any surprise inclusions?
