Where Data Tells the Story
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At the 1990 World Cup, just one in four national team players played abroad, 2026, it’s already 72%. A look at the individual nations reveals just how varied the situation is. For eleven of the 48 World Cup participants, the entire squad is under contract abroad, including Switzerland, where the figure stands at 100%. Even major footballing nations such as Argentina, Brazil and France are sending squads made up almost entirely of players active abroad to the tournament. England sits at the bottom of the table with just 22%, because the Premier League itself has become a top destination. And Germany? With only 33% of its squad made up of legionnaires, Germany fields an above-average number of players from its own league.