The stage is yet for another classic event – The FIFA World Cup. Here is a list of some of the squads of the participant countries at this year’s football mundial. Please note that most of these are preliminary squads and will be reduced to 23 players by June 2nd.
GROUP A BRAZIL (HOST) CAMEROON MEXICO CROATIA
BRAZIL Coach – Luis Felipe Scolari Captain – Thiago Silva
Goalkeepers: Julio Cesar (Toronto FC/CAN), Jefferson (Botafogo/BRA), Victor (Atletico Miniero/BRA)
Defenders: Dante (Bayern Munich/GER), David Luiz (Chelsea/ENG), Henrique (Napoli/ITA), Thiago Silva (PSG/FRA), Daniel Alves (Barcelona/ESP), Maicon (AS Roma/ITA), Marcelo (Real Madrid/ESP), Maxwell (PSG/FRA)
Midfielders: Fernandinho (Man city/ENG), Hernanes (Inter Milan/ITA), Luiz Gustavo (Wolfsburg/GER), Oscar (Chelsea/ENG), Paulinho (Tottenham/ENG), Ramires (Chelsea/ENG), Willian (Chelsea/ENG)
Forwards: Bernard (Shaktar Donetsk/UKR), Fred (Fluminense/BRA), Hulk (Zenit Saint-Petersburg/RUS), Jo (Atletico Miniero/BRA), Neymar (Barcelona/ESP)
MEXICO Coach – Miguel Herrera Captain – Guillermo Ochoa
Goalkeepers: Jesus Corona (Cruz Azul/MEX), Alfredo Talareva (Toluca, MEX), Guillermo Ochoa (AC Ajaccio/FRA)
Defenders: Paul Aguilar, Miguel Layun, Francisco Rodriguez (all Club America/ MEX), Diego Reyes (FC Porto/POR), hector Moreno (Espanyol/ESP), Carlos Salcido (Tigres, MEX), Rafael Marquez (Leon/ MEX)
Midfielders: Jose Juan Vasquez, Carlos Pena, Luis Montes (all Leon, MEX), Hector Herrera (FC Porto/MEX), Andres Guardado (Bayer Leverkusen, GER), Marco Fabian (Cruz Azul, MEX), Isaac Brizuela (Toluca, MEX), Juan Carlos Medina (Club America, MEX).
Forwards: Oribe Peralta (Santa Laguna, MEX), Javier Hernandez (Manchester United, ENG), Raul Jimenez (Club America/MEX), Alan Pulido (Tigres/MEX), Giovani dos Santos (Villareal/ESP)
CAMEROON Coach – Volker Finke Captain – Samuel Eto’o Fils
Goalkeepers: Charles Itandje (Konyaspor/TUR), Ndy Assembe (Guingamp/FRA), Sammy Ndjock (Fetihespor/TUR), Loic Feudjou (Coton Sport, CMR)
Defenders: Allan Nyom (Granada/ESP), Dany Nounkeu (Besiktas/TUR), Cedric Djeugoue (Coton Sport,CMR), Aurelien Chedjou (Galatasaray/TUR), Nicolas Nkoulou (Marseille/FRA), Armel Kana-Biyik (Rennes/FRA), Henri Bedimo (Lyon/FRA), Benoit Assou-Ekotto (QPR/ENG), Gaetang Bong (Olympiakos/GRE)
Midfielders: Eyong Enoh (Antalyaspor/TUR), Jean II Makoun (Rennes/FRA), Joel Matip (Schalke 04/GER), Stephane Mbia (Sevilla/ESP), Landry Nguemo (Bordeaux/FRA), Alexandre Song (Barcelona/ESP), Cedric Loe (Osasuna/ESP), Edgar Sally (Lens/FRA)
Forwards: Samuel Eto’o (Chelsea/ENG), Eric Choupo Moting (Mainz/GER), Benjamin Moukandjo (Nancy/FRA), Vincent Aboubakar (Lorient/FRA), Achille Webo (Fenerbahce/TUR), Mohamadou Idrissou (Kaiserslautern/GER), Fabrice Olinga (Zulte-Waregem/BEL)
GROUP B SPAIN NETHERLANDS CHILE AUSTRALIA
None of these countries have released their squads for the tournament.
GROUP C COLOMBIA GREECE JAPAN COTE D’IVOIRE
JAPAN Coach – Alberto Zaccheroni Captain – Makoto Hasebe
Goalkeepers: Eiji Kawashima (Standard Liege), Shusaku Nishikawa (Urawa Reds), Shuichi Gonda (FC Tokyo).
Defenders: Masahiko Inoha (Jubilo Iwata), Yasuyuki Konno (Gamba Osaka), Yuto Nagatomo (Inter Milan), Masato Morishige (FC Tokyo), Atsuto Uchida (Schalke), Maya Yoshida (Southampton), Hiroki Sakai (Hannover), Gotoku Sakai (Stuttgart).
Midfielders: Yasuhito Endo (Gamba Osaka), Makoto Hasebe (Nuremberg), Toshihiro Aoyama (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Hotaru Yamaguchi (Cerezo Osaka).
Forwards: Keisuke Honda (AC Milan), Yoshito Okubo (Kawasaki Frontale), Shinji Okazaki (Mainz), Shinji Kagawa (Manchester United), Hiroshi Kiyotake (Nuremberg), Yoichiro Kakitani (Cerezo Osaka), Manabu Saito (Yokohama F Marinos), Yuya Osako (1860 Munich).
GROUP D ENGLAND COSTA RICA URGUAY ITALY
COSTA RICA
Coach – Jose Luiz Pinto
Captain – Bryan Ruiz
Goalkeepers: Keilor Navas (Levante), Patrick Pemberton (Alajuelense), Daniel Cambronero (Herediano)
Defenders: Johnny Acosta (Alajuelense), Giancarlo Gonzalez (Columbus Crew), Michael Umana (Saprissa), Oscar Duarte (Brugge), Waylon Francis (Columbus Crew), Heiner Mora (Saprissa), Junior Diaz (Mainz), Christian Gamboa (Rosenborg), Roy Miller (Red Bull New York), Kendall Waston (Saprissa)
Midfielders: Celso Borges (AIK), Christian Bolanos (Copenhaguen), Oscar Esteban Granados (Herediano), Michael Barrantes (Aalesund), Yeltsin Tejeda (Saprissa), Diego Calvo (Valerenga), Jose Miguel Cubero (Herediano), Carlos Hernandez (Wellingtong Phoenix)
Forwards: Alvaro Saborio (Real Salt Lake), Bryan Ruiz (PSV Eindhoven), Joel Campbell (Olympiacos), Randall Brenes (Cartagines), Marco Urena (Kuban Krasnodar)
ENGLAND
Coach – Roy Hodgson
Captain – Steven Gerrard
Goalkeepers: Fraser Forster (Celtic), Ben Foster (West Bromwich Albion), Joe Hart (Manchester City).
Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Luke Shaw (Southampton), Chris Smalling (Manchester United).
Midfielders: Ross Barkley (Everton), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Southampton), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), James Milner (Manchester City), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal).
Attackers: Rickie Lambert (Southampton), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Danny Welbeck (Manchester United).
Standby: John Ruddy (Norwich City), Jon Flanagan (Liverpool), John Stones (Everton), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Tom Cleverley (Manchester United), Andy Carroll (West Ham United), Jermain Defoe (Toronto FC)
URUGUAY
Coach – Oscar Tabarez
Captain – Diego Lugano
Goalkeepers: Fernando Muslera (Galatasaray), Martin Silva (Vasco da Gama), Rodrigo Munoz (Libertad) Defenders: Maximiliano Pereira (Benfica), Diego Lugano (West Bromwich Albion), Diego Godin, Jose Maria Gimenez (both Atletico Madrid), Sebastian Coates (Nacional), Martin Caceres (Juventus), Jorge Fucile (Porto)
Midfielders: Alejandro Silva (Lanus), Alvaro Gonzalez (Lazio), Alvaro Pereira (Sao Paulo), Walter Gargano (Parma), Egidio Arevalo Rios (Morelia), Diego Perez (Bologna), Sebastian Eguren (Palmeiras), Cristian Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid), Gaston Ramirez (Southampton), Nicolas Lodeiro (Botafogo) Forwards: Luis Suarez (Liverpool), Edinson Cavani (Paris St Germain), Abel Hernandez (Palermo), Diego Forlan (Cerezo Osaka), Christian Stuani (Espanyol) On Standby: Andres Scotti (Nacional), Alvaro Fernandez (Gimnasia-La Plata), Gonzalo Castro (Real Sociedad)
GROUP E SWITZERLAND FRANCE ECUADOR HONDURAS
HONDURAS Coach – Luis Fernando Suarez
Captain – Noel Valladares
Goalkeepers: Noel Valladares, Donis Escober (both Olimpia), Luis Lopez (Real Espana).
Defenders: Brayan Beckeles (Olimpia), Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic), Juan Carlos Garcia (Wigan), Maynor Figueroa (Hull), Victor Bernardez (San Jose Earthquakes), Osman Chavez (Qingdao Janoon), Juan Pablo Montes (Motagua).
Midfielders: Arnold Peralta (Rangers), Luis Garrido (Olimpia), Roger Espinoza (Wigan), Jorge Claros (Motagua), Wilson Palacios (Stoke), Oscar Garcia (Houston Dynamo), Andy Najar (Anderlecht), Mario Martinez (Real Espana), Marvin Chavez (Colorado Rapids).
Strikers: Jerry Bengtson (New England Revolution), Jerry Palacios (Alajuelense), Carlo Costly (Real Espana), Rony Martinez (Real Sociedad).
ECUADOR
Coach – Reinaldo Rueda
Captain – Antonio Valencia
Goalkeepers: Maximo Banguera (Barcelona, Ecuador), Adrian Bone (El Nacional), Alexander Dominguez (Liga de Quito)
Defenders: Gabriel Achilier (Emelec), Walter Ayovi (Pachuca), Oscar Bagui (Emelec), Frickson Erazo (Flamengo), Jorge Guagua (Emelec), Juan Carlos Paredes (Barcelona, Ecuador), Cristian Ramirez (Fortuna Duesseldorf).
Midfielders: Segundo Castillo (Al Hilal), Carlos Gruezo (Stuttgart), Renato Ibarra (Vitesse Arnhem), Fidel Martinez (Tijuana), Cristian Noboa (Dynamo Moscow), Pedro Quinonez (Emelec), Luis Saritama (Barcelona, Ecuador), Antonio Valencia (Manchester United)
Forwards: Jaime Ayovi (Tijuana), Felipe Caicedo (Al-Jazira), Jefferson Montero (Morelia), Joao Rojas (Cruz Azul), Enner Valencia (Pachuca), Armando Wila (Universidad Catolica)
GROUP F ARGENTINA NIGERIA BOSNIA IRAN
NIGERIA
Coach – Stephen Keshi
Captain – Vincent Enyeama
Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Lille/FRA), Austin Ejide (Hapoel Be’er Sheva/ISR), Chigozie Agbim (Gombe United/NGR), Daniel Akpeyi (Warri Wolves/NGR)
Defenders: Elderson Echiejile (Monaco/FRA), Efe Ambrose (Celtic FC/SCO), Godfrey Oboabona (Rizespor/TUR), Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves/NGR), Kenneth Omeruo (Middlesbrough/ENG), Juwon Oshaniwa (Ashdod FC/ISR), Joseph Yobo (Norwich City/ENG), Kunle Odunlami (Sunshine Stars/NGR)
Midfielders: Mikel Obi (Chelsea/ENG), Ogenyi Onazi (SS Lazio/ITA), Ramon Azeez (Almeria/SPA), Ejike Uzoenyi (Enugu Rangers/NGR), Gabriel Reuben (Beveren/BEL), Nosa Igiebor (Real Betis/SPA), Joel Obi (Parma/ITA), Michael Uchebo (Cercle Brugge/BEL), Sunday Mba (CA Bastia/FRA)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow/RUS), Shola Ameobi (Newcastle United/ENG), Victor Moses (Liverpool/ENG), Emmanuel Emenike (Fenerbahce/TUR), Obinna Nsofor (Chievo Verona/ITA), Peter Osaze Odemwingie (Stoke City/ENG), Babatunde Michael (Volyn/UKR), Nnamdi Oduamadi (Varese/ITA), Uche Nwofor (Heerenveen/NED)
BOSNIA-HERCEGOVINA
Coach – Safet Susic
Captain – Emir Spahic
Goalkeepers: Asmir Begovic (Stoke City/ENG), Asmir Avdukic (Borac Banja Luka/SER), Jasmin Fejzic (VFR Aalen/GER).
Defenders: Emir Spahic (Bayer Leverkusen/GER), Toni Sunjic (Zorya Lugansk/UKR), Sead Kolasinac (Schalke/GER), Ognjen Vranjes (Elazigspor/TUR), Ervin Zukanovic (Gent/BEL), Ermin Bicakcic (Eintracht Braunschweig/GER), Muhamed Besic (Ferencvaros/HUN).
Midfielders: Miralem Pjanic (Roma/ITA), Izet Hajrovic (Galatasaray/TUR), Mensur Mujdza (Freiburg/GER), Haris Medunjanin (Gaziantepspor/TUR), Senad Lulic (Lazio/ITA, Anel Hadzic (Sturm/AUT), Tino Susic (Hajduk/CRO), Sejad Salihovic (Hoffenheim/GER), Zvjezdan Misimovic (Guizhour Renhe/PRC), Senijad Ibricic (Erciyesspor/TUR), Avdija Vrsaljevic (Hajduk/CRO).
Forwards: Vedad Ibisevic (VfB Stuttgart/GER), Edin Dzeko (Manchester City/ENG), Edin Visca (Istanbul BB/TUR).
IRAN
Coach – Carlos Quieroz
Captain – Javad Nekounam
Goalkeepers: Daniel Davari (Eintracht Braunschweig/GER), Alireza Haghighi (Sporting Covilha, on loan from Rubin Kazan), Rahman Ahmadi (Sepahan/IRN), Sousha Makani (Foolad Khuzestan/IRN).
Defenders: Khosro Heidari (Esteghlal/IRN), Hossein Mahini (Persepolis), Steven Beitashour (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN), Pejman Montazeri (Umm Salal/IRN), Jalal Hosseini (Persepolis/IRN), Amir Sadeghi (Esteghlal/IRN), Mohammad Reza Khanzadeh (Zob Ahan/IRN), Ahmad Alenemeh (Naft/IRN), Hashem Beikzadeh (Esteghlal/IRN), Ehsan Hajsafi (Sepahan/IRN), Mehrdad Pooladi (Persepolis/IRN).
Midfielders: Javad Nekounam (Al Kuwait/KUW), Andranik Teymourian (Esteghlal/IRN), Reza Haghighi (Persepolis/IRN), Ghasem Hadadifar (Zob Ahan/IRN), Bakhtiyar Rahmani (Foolad/IRN), Alireza Jahanbakhsh (NEC Nijmegen/NED), Ashkan Dejagah (Fulham/ENG).
Forwards: Masoud Shojaei (Las Palmas/ESP), Mohammad Reza Khalatbari (Persepolis/IRN), Mehdi Sharifi (Sepahan/IRN), Reza Ghoochannejhad (Charlton/ENG), Karim Ansarifard (Persepolis, on loan at Tractor Sazi/IRN), Sardar Azmoun (Rubin Kazan/RUS).
GROUP G
GHANA USA PORTUGAL GERMANY
GHANA
Coach – Kwesi Appiah
Captain _ Asamoah Gyan
Goalkeepers: Fatau Dauda (Orlando Pirates), Adam Kwarasey (Stromsgodset), Stephen Adams (Aduana Stars).
Defenders: Samuel Inkoom (Platanias), Daniel Opare (Standard Liege), Harrison Afful (Esperance), Jeffrey Schlupp (Leicester), John Boye (Rennes), Jonathan Mensah (Evian), Jerry Akaminko (Kisehirspor), Rashid Sumalia (Mamelodi Sundowns).
Midfielders: Michael Essien (AC Milan), Sulley Muntari (AC Milan), Rabiu Mohammed (Kuban Krasnodar), Kwadwo Asamoah (Juventus), Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu (Udinese), Afriyie Acquah (Parma), Christian Atsu (Vitesse), Albert Adomah (Middlesbrough), Andre Ayew (Marseille), Mubarak Wakaso (Rubin Kazan).
Strikers: Asamoah Gyan (Al Ain), Kevin-Prince Boateng (Schalke 04), Abdul Majeed Waris (Valenciennes), Jordan Ayew (Sochaux), David Accam (Helsingborg).
USA
Coach – Juergen Klinsmann
Captain – Landon Donovan
Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa/ENG), Tim Howard (Everton/ENG), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Defenders: DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla/MEX), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin/GER), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City/ENG), Timmy Chandler (Nurnberg/GER), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders FC), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Clarence Goodson (San Jose Earthquakes), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim/GER), Michael Parkhurst (Columbus Crew), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)
Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes/FRA), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana/MEX), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg/NOR), Maurice Edu (Philadelphia Union), Julian Green (Bayern Munich/GER), Jermaine Jones (Besiktas/TUR), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Sunderland/ENG), Terrence Boyd (Rapid Vienna/AUT), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Aron Johannsson (AZ Alkmaar/NED), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
GERMANY
Coach – Joachim Low
Captain – Philipp Lahm
Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Roman Weidenfeller (Borussia Dortmund) and Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover)
Defenders: Erik Durm (Borussia Dortmund), Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Kevin Grosskreutz (Borussia Dortmund), Benedikt Howedes (Schalke), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Marcell Jansen (Hamburg), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal), Shkodran Mustafi (Sampdoria), Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund).
Midfielders: Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen), Julian Draxler (Schalke), Matthias Ginter (Freiburg), Leon Goretzka (Schalke), Mario Gotze (Bayern Munich), Andre Hahn (Augsburg), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Max Meyer (Schalke), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich).
Forwards: Lukas Podolski (Arsenal), Andre Schurrle (Chelsea), Miroslav Klose (Lazio), Kevin Volland (Hoffenheim).
GROUP H BELGIUM ALGERIA RUSSIA KOREA
RUSSIA
Coach – Fabio Capello
Captain – Igor Denisov
Goalkeepers: Igor Akinfeev (CSKA Moscow), Yury Lodygin (Zenit St Petersburg), Sergey Ryzhikov (Rubin Kazan).
Defenders: Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg), Alexey Berezutskiy (CSKA Moscow), Vasili Berezutskiy (CSKA Moscow), Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow), Andrey Eshchenko (Anzhi Makhachkala), Sergey Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow), Alexey Kozlov (Dynamo Moscow), Dmitry Kombarov (Spartak Moscow), Andrey Semenov (Terek Grozny), Georgi Schennikov (CSKA Moscow).
Midfielders: Vladimir Bystrov (Anzhi Makhachkala), Yury Gazinskiy (Krasnodar), Denis Glushakov (Spartak Moscow), Igor Denisov (Dynamo Moscow), Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow), Yury Zhirkov (Dynamo Moscow), Alexey Ionov (Dynamo Moscow), Pavel Mogilevets (Rubin Kazan), Alexander Samedov (Lokomotiv Moscow), Victor Faizulin (Zenit St Petersburg), Oleg Shatov (Zenit St Petersburg), Roman Shirokov (Krasnodar).
Forwards: Artem Dzyuba (Rostov), Maxim Kanunnikov (Amkar Perm), Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg), Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow), Pavel Pogrebnyak (Reading).
SOUTH KOREA
Captain – Lee Chung-yong
Coach – Hong Myung-bo
Goalkeepers: Jung Sung-ryeong (Suwon Bluewings), Kim Seung-gyu (Ulsan Horang-i), Lee Bom-young (Busan I’Park)
Defenders: Kim Jin-soo (Albirex Niigata), Yun Suk-young (QPR), Kim Young-kwon (Guangzhou Evergrande), Hwang Seok-ho (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Hong Jeong-ho (Augsburg), Kwak Tae-hwi (Al Hilal), Lee Yong (Ulsan Horang-i), Kim Chang-soo (Kashiwa Reysol).
Midfielders: Ki Seung-yeung (Swansea, on loan to Sunderland), Ha Dae-sung (Beijing Guoan), Han Kook-young (Kashiwa Reysol), Park Jung-woo (Guangzhou R&F), Son Heung-min (Bayer Leverkusen), Kim Bo-kyoung (Cardiff City), Lee Chung-yong (Bolton Wanderers), Ji Dong-won (Augusburg).
Forwards: Koo Ja-cheol (Mainz), Lee Keun-ho (Sangju Sangmu), Park Chu-young (Arsenal), Kim Shin-wook (Ulsan Horang-i).
