Bayern Munich sending seventeen players to World Cup — most of any club

Here’s a nice stat (via @iMiaSanMia) for Bayern Munich’s worldwide credentials. At this winter’s Men’s World Cup, the German Rekordmeister will have the greatest representation among all clubs, with seventeen members of its senior side taking part in the tournament. That’s a lot of potential for glory on the biggest stage in sports — as well as for injury.

FC Barcelona are in second place with sixteen, followed by Manchester City, Manchester United, and Real Madrid with fifteen, fourteen, and thirteen, respectively.

And here’s how they break down by position group:

Goalkeepers (1)

• Manuel Neuer (Germany)

Defenders (7)

• Dayot Upamecano, Benjamin Pavard, Lucas Hernández (France)
• Matthijs de Ligt (Netherlands)
• Alphonso Davies (Canada)
• Josip Stanišić (Croatia)
• Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco)

Midfield (2)

• Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka (Germany)

Forwards (7)

• Thomas Müller, Leroy Sané, Serge Gnabry, Jamal Musiala (Germany)
• Sadio Mané (Senegal)
• Kingsley Coman (France)
• Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (Cameroon)

It might be easier to list the players who didn't make it! Among them, Ryan Gravenberch is a tough scratch for the Netherlands while Marcel Sabitzer would have been on the list had Austria qualified. Bouna Sarr is also injured, or would have surely made the Senegal side alongside his Bayern teammate Sadio Mané.

It’s nearly entire position groups shipping off for Bayern, which leaves a nice opportunity in their absence for the players staying home to work on their fitness and progression. When January comes, they may be called upon to take a larger role as the tired national players return.