THE WORLD CUP, PAST AND PRESENT | OneFootball

AC Milan have as many as ten players representing their respective national teams at the World Cup. Among them is Ecuador international Pervis Estupiñan, who underlined his excellent recent form by scoring with a stunning long-range lob in a friendly against Guatemala, a match that Ecuador went on to win 3-0. Luka Modrić was also on target in Croatia's friendly against Slovenia at the Anđelko Herjavec Stadium in Varaždin, and will now turn his attention to Croatia's World Cup opener against England on 17 June. The World Cup, however, is already underway. The tournament remains one of football’s most captivating stages, steeped in history, legends and unforgettable stories. Among its most curious anomalies is Marco van Basten, widely regarded as the finest centre-forward of his generation. Despite dazzling Europe with both AC Milan and the Netherlands, he never truly shone at a World Cup.

At the 1990 World Cup in Italy, with Leo Beenhakker in charge, the Netherlands endured an underwhelming campaign. The dismissal of Frank Rijkaard, elimination at the hands of Germany in the Round of 16 and a physically below-par Van Basten all contributed to a disappointing tournament. Four years later, at the 1994 World Cup, which was expected to showcase the Dutch star at the height of his powers, Van Basten held onto hope that his injured ankle would recover in time. Ultimately, however, he was forced to give up on the dream. Over the years, many players have had the opportunity to play in and win a World Cup, including Ronaldinho. Born in 1980, the Brazilian made his World Cup debut at the age of 22 during the 2002 tournament in Korea and Japan. It proved to be a breakthrough campaign, with Ronaldinho contributing 2 goals and 3 assists as Brazil lifted the trophy, six years before his arrival at AC Milan.

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