These teams are full of players from other countries. (Photo- GETTY)
FIFA World Cup 2026: The excitement of FIFA World Cup 2026 is over. This time the Spanish team was successful in winning the title. At the same time, Argentina, England and France finished in the top-4. As much as the tough battle that was seen on the field between these teams, the background of their players also has an equally interesting story. The parents of many big players of these legendary teams or they themselves were born in another country. Let us know about the star players of these top-4 teams, whose roots are connected to other countries and cultures.
How many second-born players are in the champion team Spain?
Champion team Spain has historically used very few players of other origins, but this has changed in recent years. This time the team’s squad included a total of 5 players who have connections with other countries.
- Lamine Yamal: This young sensation’s father is from Morocco and mother is from Equatorial Guinea, who comes from an immigrant family.
- Nico Williams: His father is from Ghana. Interestingly, Nico’s brother Iñaki Williams has played for Ghana at the international level.
- Aymeric Laporte: Born in France, Laporte is the only important player of this team who was born outside and later took Spanish citizenship.
- Pedri and Gavi: Pedri comes from the Canary Islands, which, despite being part of Spain, has a distinct cultural identity. At the same time, Gavi is of Andalusian origin.
Argentina’s long-standing connections to European roots
Most of the players in Argentina’s team, which is one step away from the title, are of domestic origin, but some important players have foreign birth or old European connections.
- Juliano Simeone: He was born in Rome, the capital of Italy.
- Nico Paz: This young player was born in Tenerife, Spain.
- Alexis Mac Allister: Her family roots are of Irish and Scottish descent.
- Lionel Messi: The great Messi is from Argentina, but his family history has a very old Italian origin.
- Emiliano Martínez: Goalkeeper Martínez is also believed to have distant European roots.
English players’ African and Caribbean connections
England’s 2026 World Cup team also included many players whose parents had come from another country and settled there.
- Bukayo Saka: The parents of this star winger of England are from Nigeria.
- Kobi Manu: The parents of this young midfielder belong to Ghana.
- Jude Bellingham: Bellingham’s mother is from Kenya.
- Marque Gehi: He was born in Ivory Coast and his family is of African origin.
- Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke: The parents of both these players belong to Nigeria.
- Ezri Konsa: Konsa’s father is from Congo and mother from Angola.
- Declan Rice and Harry Kane: Both Rice and Kane have Irish connections. Rice has also previously played for Ireland’s youth team.
- Reece James: Reece James has connections to the Caribbean of Grenadian-Dominican origin.
- Jarrell Kwansa and Tino Livramiento: Their parents are from Ghana. Tino Livramiento also has connections to Portuguese and Scottish roots.
condition of french team
Multicultural influence has always been visible in the French team and the 2026 squad also had a strong dominance of players of African and Caribbean origin.
- Kylian Mbappe: The team’s biggest star’s father is Cameroonian and mother is of Algerian origin.
- Ousmane Dembele: His roots are from Mali, Mauritania and Senegal in Africa.
- Dayot Upamecano and Jules Kounde: Upamecano is of Guinea-Bissau and Kounde is of Benin origin.
- Ibrahima Konate and Aurelien Chuameni: Konate is of Mali origin, Africa, while Chuameni is of Cameroonian origin.
- William Saliba: He belongs to Cameroon and Lebanon.
- Ryan Cherki and Maghness Aklyoushe: Cherki is Algerian and Aklyoushe has Algerian/Moroccan influences.
- Bradley Barcola and Desiree Duay: Barcola is of Togo origin, while Duay hails from Ivory Coast.
- Mike Megan and Brice Samba: Goalkeeper Megan is of French Guiana origin, while Samba was born in the Republic of Congo. Apart from these, many other players of the team have connections with other countries.
