With the 2026 FIFA World Cup fast approaching, now is the time to start looking into which players will be boarding planes to North America to represent their countries on the global stage. And, as fans may expect, Liverpool FC will be sending more than a few of their best players to represent all corners of the planet. But who has been confirmed to board flights, and who can we assume will be on their way even if official confirmation hasn’t been made?
When it comes to Thomas Tuchel’s England squad, there are a few players’ names still up in the air as the head coach continues to focus on friendlies ahead of the group stage. That said, names such as Curtis Jones and Joe Gomez have been floated, even if they haven’t appeared for international duty in recent times (Harry Holmes for BBC Sport believes that they’re out of the question).
So, for this article, let’s focus on a few players who are all but confirmed to start for their international sides in early June, with the Reds’ participation in the England squad up in the air at the time of writing.
Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo
A Netherlands World Cup side without Van Dijk really doesn’t bear thinking about, especially as he helped captain the side to secure qualification in a resounding performance over Lithuania in November. He’s the most-capped player in Netherlands football history, and some believe that this may be his World Cup swansong. Therefore, he’s going to want to make every second count.
Van Dijk is a force to be reckoned with on the world stage, meaning that anyone checking out the latest updates may well see his name pop up a few times as the tournament rolls forward.
Elsewhere in the Dutch squad, we’re likely to see Cody Gakpo providing a dynamic forward presence, coming off the back of 25 starts for Liverpool this season, and having notched up six goals and three assists (at the time of writing). Gakpo, like Van Dijk, is a formidable force both on English and Dutch soil, and while we naturally want them both back fit for next season, plenty of Reds fans will be keen to see how the boys do this summer.
Hugo Ekitike and Ibrahima Konaté
Doubts over Ekitike’s potential appearance in the French squad at the World Cup appear to be fizzling out after he helped the side claim a 2-1 victory in a friendly against Brazil in March. While the forward had recently been seen limping in a recent Premiership clash with Brighton, his recent display on the international stage has reignited confidence that he’ll be a crucial part of the French side this summer.
Konaté is a complex case, as we recently reported that, while he appears to be heading to North America in June, he ideally wants to lock down his future at Anfield before he boards a flight. The number 5 is expected to open for his national team this June, and with any luck, we’ll be seeing him back for Liverpool in the autumn.
Alexander Isak
It has not been an easy few months for Isak, as he’s missed out on several clashes since the end of last year due to a leg break. However, the Sweden international is back in first-team training.
This also means that it’s very likely that he will be travelling to North America, where he will be an important part of the Swedish squad. And with the likes of the formidable Netherlands in their group, Isak will probably be facing off against Gakpo and Van Dijk.
Full steam ahead!
With summer just around the corner, Liverpool fans are just about ready to cheer their favourite stars on as FIFA takes the World Cup to North America. Odds on who will win the tournament this time around are fairly split, but we at least know that there is a strong chance that Liverpool players will make a big splash on the global stage.
With such little time left until planes depart, players are just trying to stay healthy and injury-free while at the top of their game – the last thing they will want is to be told they’re staying back!
The anchor for this one is a little awkward, I’ve tried to make it work!
