From EFL to World Cup - 11 players to look out for

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Birmingham City midfielder Paik Seung-ho (left), Norwich City striker Mohamed Toure (centre) and Leicester City winger Abdul Fatawu are all set to feature in the World Cup What do Harry Kane, Antoine Semenyo, Emiliano Martinez and Riyad Mahrez have in common? All of them played in the English Football League before going on to become global superstars who will be at the 2026 World Cup. But what about some of the lesser-known players who could perhaps follow a similar path and forge a name for themselves on the world stage this summer? There are 36 players from Championship clubs and three from League One included in squads at the showpiece tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico - and even one from non-league, with Braintree Town defender Tommy Smith selected for New Zealand. BBC Sport has picked a starting XI of EFL players you might want to keep an eye on. Includes players who played in the EFL in the 2025-26 season. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Viktor Johansson has kept three clean sheets in 12 games for Sweden Arsenal’s Premier League-winning striker Viktor Gyokeres will lead the line for Sweden alongside Liverpool’s Alexander Isak. But Stoke City’s Johansson is battling for the goalkeeping jersey alongside Derby County's Jacob Widell Zetterstrom and Kristoffer Nordfeldt of AIK. Johansson, 27, missed Sweden's World Cup play-off victories against Ukraine and Poland because of injury but will be hoping to reclaim the number one spot. The decision will lie with former Brighton, Chelsea and West Ham manager Graham Potter, who is in charge of Sweden. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Yan Valery will be playing at his first World Cup Sheffield Wednesday's Valery, 27, started every game of Tunisia's Africa Cup of Nations campaign until they went out to Mali on penalties in the last 16. He also featured in the 1-0 friendly defeat by Austria on 1 June and you can expect Valery to play a significant role at the World Cup. Alongside him in the Tunisia squad is Norwich City midfielder Anis Ben Slimane. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Cameron Burgess was playing in League Two for Salford City six years ago Burgess played every single minute of the Championship season at centre-back for Swansea City. The 30-year-old also operated at the heart of the Australia defence for 11 of their 14 World Cup qualifying matches. Burgess could line up at the back for the Socceroos alongside fellow EFL defender Harry Souttar, who was named in the squad despite much of his season with Leicester City being disrupted by injury. Lewandowski misses out on World Cup - who else won't be there? Published31 MarchJose Cordoba - centre-backImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Jose Cordoba will aim to help Panama earn their first ever point at a World Cup Cordoba quickly established himself as one of the first names on the teamsheet for Norwich City after arriving at Carrow Road in the summer of 2024. The 24-year-old has been involved in the Panama set-up since March 2022 but became a regular starter from September 2023 onwards. Panama are making only their second appearance at a World Cup and will face England in the group stage, as they also did in Russia in 2018. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Liberato Cacace joined Wrexham from Italian side Empoli in July 2025 Cacace's first season at Wrexham was blighted by injury, meaning he only made 13 appearances in all competitions, although he did score the opener in a dramatic FA Cup third-round clash with Nottingham Forest. The 25-year-old, who has 35 international caps, is fit enough to make a New Zealand squad featuring five EFL players and the aforementioned non-league player Tommy Smith. Millwall goalkeeper Max Crocombe and Swansea midfielder Marko Stamenic are travelling with New Zealand as well. Peterborough midfielder Matt Garbett and Port Vale striker Ben Waine, who were both in League One in 2025-26, also made the cut. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Brandon Thomas-Asante will play at the World Cup before he plays top flight football for the first time in 2026-27 Thomas-Asante has enjoyed a season to remember. The 27-year-old, who was playing non-league football seven years ago, has won promotion to the Premier League with Coventry and will now be at the World Cup with Ghana, who face England in the group stage. Thomas-Asante scored 13 goals and registered four assists in the Championship to earn his place in the Black Stars squad. He has seven caps for Ghana since making his international debut in June 2024 and has scored one goal, which came in a 2-1 friendly defeat by Nigeria in May 2025. From non-league to Premier League... Coventry's 'unreal' pair Published3 days agoSeven African players to watch at World Cup 2026 Published1 day agoEdo Kayembe - central midfielderImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Edo Kayembe played in 11 of DR Congo's 13 Wo

From EFL to World Cup - 11 players to look out for

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From EFL to World Cup - 11 players to look out for

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