Record 17 FC Barcelona players going to World Cup

The deadline is Monday, but all the World Cup squads that could potentially include FC Barcelona players have already been announced and it means there are 17 players from the club headed for Qatar.

Not only does this make Barça the most represented club at the tournament that kicks off next Friday, but it is also an all-time record. Never before has a single team had so many players at the World Cup. Manchester City and Bayern Munich both have 16 players going to Qatar 2022.

Eight different teams

Barça has players in eight different national squads.

Spain
By far the biggest contingent is the eight announced by former Barça boss Luis Enrique: Eric Garcia, Alejandro Balde, Jordi Alba, Pedri, Gavi, Busquets, Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres are all off to the Middle East. For many it's their first World Cup, and Gavi is the youngest player ever to represent Spain in the finals.

France
Didier Deschamps has two Barça players in the squad that is chasing the first successful defence of the trophy since 1962: Jules Kounde and Ousmane Dembélé.

Netherlands
After missing out on the finals in 2018, the three-times runners-up are headed to Qatar with Frenkie de Jong and Memphis Depay in the squad. The team is managed by a former Barça man in Louis van Gaal.

Denmark
The Danes will be looking to follow-up their excellent showing at the recent Euros, where they reached the semi-finals, and to help them do that they have Andreas Christensen among the defence.

Brazil
The five-time champions have Raphinha among their strike-force, who is going to be playing at the World Cup for the first time.

Uruguay
Even though he is still not fully fit, the South Americans have decided to take Ronald Araujo to Qatar. This is the defender's first World Cup, although it remains to be seen whether he will actually get to participate.

Germany
This the third World Cup for Ter Stegen, although he yet to play in any games, with Manuel Neuer the usual first-choice goalie for the four-time champions. Maybe 2022 will finally the Ter Stegen's chance?

Poland
A nation's hopes are pinned on Robert Lewandowski. The top goalscorer in La Liga failed to find the net in Russia, but maybe Qatar will be a wholly different story.

Record participation

Since 2010, Barça have always had at least 14 selected players. At South Africa 2010 and Russia 2018 there were 14 'culers', and there were 15 that went to Brazil in 2014. The latter was the highest number the club had ever sent, but that record has been smashed by the 17 that will be playing in Qatar