A total of 14 current Chelsea players are set to feature at the 2018 World Cup finals representing 10 different countries in Russia.
Who are they and what chances do their countries hold at the tournament? Check out the Chelsea owned players by position for the World Cup of 2018!
Goalkeepers
Both Chelsea’s first-choice stopper Thibaut Courtois (Belgium) and backup custodian Willy Caballero (Argentina) are set to feature in Russia. The former is his national team’s number one, while Caballero could capitalise on injury to Sergio Romero and deputise with the gloves for the South Americans.
Belgium and Argentina are among those nations behind the favourites in UK sports betting on the World Cup, coming in at respective 10/1 and 11/1 outright prices with leading bookmakers.
Defenders
Six of the 14 Blues players heading to Russia can be considered defenders. Antonio Rudiger was desperately unlucky to miss out on Germany’s triumph at the last World Cup after suffering an ACL injury on the eve of the tournament. A reported training ground bust-up won’t help his chances of playing this time around either.
Die Mannschaft are well-fancied to retain their global crown under Joachim Low at a general 9/2 in the betting. Chelsea colleague Cesar Azpilicueta may find it hard to break into Spain’s XI and faces a similar problem to Rudiger as there is an established centre back pairing for both national teams.
Azpilicueta is versatile backup to Gerard Pique and Sergio Ramos for La Roja in the heart of defence and for Dani Carvajal at right back. Spain are tempting 6/1 (Betfair) shots to reign again as World Cup winners.
YouTube: Gary Cahill • Best Skills 2017 • Chelsea FC | HD
England boss Gareth Southgate looked to have discarded Gary Cahill when he lost his place in the Chelsea XI under Antonio Conte earlier this season, yet he’s made the final 23-man squad for Russia after being restored at club level. Andreas Christensen, meanwhile, is part of a Denmark roster that should fancy their chances of following France into the knockout phase from Group C.
Chelsea’s World Cup defensive connections are completed by Nigeria duo Kenneth Omeuro, who spent the campaign with Turkish Super Lig side Kasimpasa in Istanbul, and converted wingback Victor Moses.
Midfielders
Former PFA Player of the Year N’Golo Kante does the dirty work in the French engine room, so their forwards have freedom to attack. Les Bleus boss Didier Deschamps – an ex-Blues midfielder – may well see something of himself in the anchorman. France are trading at around 6/1 with most UK bookies to win the World Cup.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who spent the season on loan across London at Crystal Palace, meanwhile, is something of a wildcard selection by Southgate for England. World Cup betting favourites Brazil have free-kick specialist and hard-working Willian in their ranks from Chelsea too.
Forwards
Courtois isn’t the only member of Chelsea’s Belgian contingent to get called up by Roberto Martinez, as there’s squad spaces for Blues star Eden Hazard, who captains his national side and may be worth an each-way bet to be tournament top scorer at 50/1 (888sport), and Michy Batshuayi.
A prolific second-half of this past season on-loan in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund has proved a timely reminder of what Batshuayi can do in front of goal, despite Conte freezing him out at Stamford Bridge. The January arrival who replaced him, Olivier Giroud, is France’s go-to target man for Deschamps among an embarrassment of forward riches.
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