You might recognise some familiar faces at this year's World Cup as a number of our EFL stars head out to the tournament.
Sky Bet Championship
🇵🇱 Krystian Bielik (Birmingham City)
The defender, who signed for the Blues on loan from Derby County in the summer, made his bow for Poland in September 2019 and earned his place in the squad this year alongside the likes of Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski.
🇹🇳 Hannibal Mejbri (Birmingham City)
Teenage starlet Mejbri departed Old Trafford for a temporary move to St Andrew’s in the summer and will be on the plane to Qatar, to pull on the jersey for Tunisia in the tournament.
🇬🇭 Antoine Semenyo (Bristol City)
Robins Academy graduate Semenyo was plying his trade in the non-league pyramid during the last World Cup just four short years ago and now, he’ll be playing in one after Ghana called up the 22-year-old.
🇲🇦 Anass Zaroury (Burnley)
The World Cup will represent the Clarets winger's first call-up for Morocco, and with nine goals and two assists in his last nine games, it's no surprise that Zaroury is heading for Qatar.
🏴 Connor Roberts (Burnley)
One of eight representatives in the Wales squad from the Championship, this year’s tournament will be Roberts’ second for Cymru after the Burnley full-back participated in the delayed 2020 Euros.
🏴 Rubin Colwill (Cardiff City)
Last year, 20-year-old Colwill was thrown in at the deep end when he was selected for the Euros and since then, the Cardiff attacker has gone on to make his debut for his country and net his first goal for Wales.
🏴 Mark Harris (Cardiff City)
Alongside his Bluebirds teammate, Harris, who came through the youth age groups for Wales, from the Under-21s to the senior side, has also been given the nod for the World Cup squad.
🏴 Sorba Thomas (Huddersfield Town)
Since making his debut for Wales in October 2021 after making the switch to West Yorkshire, Thomas has established himself as a regular for his national team and will be linking up with the squad later this month.
🇺🇸 Ethan Horvath (Luton Town)
Eight clean sheets this term for Colorado-born keeper Horvath for Luton puts him in contention for a place between the sticks for the USA, having been in and around the senior squad since 2016.
🏴 Tom Lockyer (Luton Town)
Lockyer could face off against Hatters stopper Horvath in Wales’ Group B opener next week after being called up to the squad, returning for the first time since September 2021.
🇦🇺 Riley McGree (Middlesbrough)
The Boro man finished on a high before pressing pause on the league for the World Cup break, netting a stunning goal for his Club, but his attention now turns to Australia’s tournament ambitions.
🇺🇸 Josh Sargent (Norwich City)
Sargent enjoyed a rapid rise through the ranks for the USA, becoming the first American player to feature in an Under-17, Under-20 and senior camp in the same year, but this season could be the highlight for the Norwich forward.
🇲🇦 Ilias Chair (Queens Park Rangers)
From QPR’s teenage trialist to heading to a major tournament, the Hoops midfielder pledged his allegiance to Morocco, making his debut last year, now with 10 caps to his name.
🇸🇳 Seny Dieng (Queens Park Rangers
Dieng and Chair became the seventh and eighth QPR players to be involved in a World Cup, former travelling to the tournament with Senegal, having had experience in last year’s Africa Cup of Nations where he came away with a winners’ medal.
🇸🇳 Mamdou Loum (Reading)
A trio of Royals players to make the cut for the competition, Loum N'Diaye, who got his first taste of the EFL after joining Reading on loan in the summer, has also been called up to represent Senegal.
🇨🇦 Junior Hoilett (Reading)
A milestone 50th appearance for Canada could be on the horizon for Hoilett as the Canucks qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1986, and the 32-year-old helped played his part in getting them there.
🇬🇭 Abdul-Rahman Baba (Reading)
The Royals defender re-joined the Club on a season-long loan in the summer, allowing him to get minutes under his belt ahead of the World Cup where he will be representing Ghana.
🏴 Adam Davies (Sheffield United)
It was all change for Davies in the summer after leaving Stoke for Sheffield United and now he’ll be upping sticks for the winter after receiving a call-up for Wales.
🇸🇳 Ilimane Ndiaye (Sheffield United)
It was an emotional moment for the midfielder when he found out that he had been selected for year’s World Cup with Senegal, catching the eye of his country with his performances this season, before being rewarded with his debut earlier in June.
🇦🇺 Harry Souttar (Stoke City)
Upon his return from injury, the Potters defender made Australia’s line-up for the tournament, having previously represented the Under-23s at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
🇦🇺 Bailey Wright (Sunderland)
After missing out on a place in the final 23 for the 2018 World Cup, Black Cats defender Wright, who marked his 100thappearance for Sunderland this campaign, has been summoned for the 2022 tournament by Australia.
🇨🇷 Jewison Bennette (Sunderland)
The Sunderland winger links up with Costa Rica for the tournament, having become the country's youngest-ever senior international when he made his bow against El Salvador aged 17 in August 2021.
🇨🇲 Olivier Ntcham (Swansea City)
Opting to represent Cameroon through his parents, Ntcham was one of a handful of new faces to make the squad, having played for France Under-21s in the past.
🏴 Ben Cabango (Swansea City)
For the first time in 64 years, Cabango and teammate Allen will be the first Swans duo to travel to a World Cup, after the 22-year-old, who came through the Club’s youth setup, was named in Wales' final squad.
🏴 Joe Allen (Swansea City)
As for Allen – Wales’ Player of the Year back in 2012 – this will be his third major tournament for his country, following on from Euro 2016 and Euro 2020 campaigns.
🇸🇳 Ismaila Sarr (Watford)
Watford forward Sarr is in fine form as the tournament approaches, with six goals and counting this season for the Hornets in the Championship this term and Senegal will be hoping he can continue that into the World Cup.
Sky Bet League One
🏴 Matthew Smith (Milton Keynes Dons)
Smith breaks history as the first current serving MK Dons player picked to be part of a World Cup team after making the cut for Wales, as the Dons’ summer recruit from Manchester City impressed in League One this season.
🏴 Joe Morrell (Portsmouth)
The Portsmouth midfielder’s focus switches to Wales’ World Cup campaign after helping Pompey get to fifth in the league standings before boarding the plane to Qatar.
Sky Bet League Two
🏴 Chris Gunter (AFC Wimbledon)
Veteran defender Gunter’s wealth of experience at international level will no doubt benefit Wales, having made over 100 appearances for his country, as it has the League Two outfit this season.
🏴 Jonny Williams (Swindon Town)
Williams will be swapping Wiltshire for the World Cup, nine years after making his debut for Wales in 2013, and Swindon’s number eight will be a part of the team ending a 64-year wait for the nation.
