World Cup preview? PSG v Arsenal Champions final has 29 call-ups | OneFootball

The big Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal takes place this Saturday (30), at 1 p.m.!

But this clash could very well serve as a "preview" of the World Cup kickoff!

The two teams will field 29 players called up for the 2026 World Cup, turning the European final into a luxury "warm-up" for the FIFA tournament that begins in two weeks.

The national teams of France, Portugal, and Spain will be the most represented on the Hungarian pitch:

France (6 called up)

They top the list with Ousmane Dembélé, Bradley Barcola, Désiré Doué, Warren Zaïre-Emery, and Lucas Hernández for PSG, while center-back William Saliba will be the only Frenchman in Arsenal’s squad.

Portugal (4 called up)

The Parisian club is providing almost an entire unit for Portugal, with Vitinha, João Neves, Nuno Mendes, and striker Gonçalo Ramos.

Spain (4 called up)

It will be split. Goalkeeper David Raya, defensive midfielder Martín Zubimendi, and midfielder Mikel Merino play for the Gunners, while Fabián Ruiz wears the PSG shirt.

Brazil will also play a prominent role, with three players in the final.

Brazil captain and the only PSG player called up by Dorival Júnior, center-back Beraldo was left out, while Marquinhos is looking to lift the continental trophy before heading to his third World Cup.

On the English side, he will face his Brazil backline teammate Gabriel Magalhães and forward Gabriel Martinelli.

The list of internationals also includes a true trip around the globe.

PSG have Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, South Korea’s Lee Kang-in, and Senegal’s Ibrahim Mbaye.

Arsenal, meanwhile, counter with Dutchman Jurriën Timber, German Kai Havertz, Belgian Leandro Trossard, Norwegian Martin Ødegaard, and Swede Viktor Gyökeres, as well as four England call-ups: Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze, and Noni Madueke.

Living up to the name and historical taboos

This final marks the first time in six years that the Champions League has brought together two genuine national champions from the same season, staying true to the format adopted in 1992/1993.

The last time this happened was in 2020, when Bayern Munich beat PSG itself in Lisbon.

Arsenal arrive on a high after ending a 22-year wait to win the Premier League, their last title having come in the historic unbeaten 2003/2004 campaign.

Paris Saint-Germain also wrapped up the French league title early, claiming their fifth straight Ligue 1 trophy and the 14th in their history.

In addition, Budapest will witness a rare historical element: a final between clubs from two different capitals after 55 years.

The last time was in 1971, when Ajax (Amsterdam) defeated Panathinaikos (Athens).

The weight of the trophy

For Arsenal, the match is a chance to embroider the first European champion’s star onto their shirt and give English football its 16th title in the tournament (with seven different clubs).

On top of that, the Gunners could seal a perfect season for England, which has already won the other two continental titles this season: Crystal Palace lifted the Conference League and Aston Villa raised the Europa League.

On the French side, PSG are chasing a second title and face the tough task of defending the crown they won last season.

Since the tournament’s revamp, only Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid have managed the feat of stacking consecutive trophies (2016, 2017, and 2018), which puts the Paris club in front of a gigantic challenge.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

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