Will Brighton have another World Cup winner in 2026? | OneFootball

Brighton have 11 senior internationals away in this break, with four in the final stage of World Cup qualifying, reviving talk of another Brighton player lifting the trophy. According to NY Times, Brighton’s presence could be significant.

Yankuba Minteh cannot be among them, Gambia failed to qualify. He joins a friendly against Senegal on Tuesday, their first since they were stripped of the Africa Cup of Nations crown in favour of Morocco.

Brighton could take up to 12 players, seeking to emulate Alex Mac Allister, a 2022 winner who later helped the club reach Europe. They had eight in 2022, six have since moved on, leaving Kaoru Mitoma set for Japan again, who qualified with a 2-0 over Bahrain in March 2025. Mitoma had one goal and three assists in seven.

Qualified contingent also includes Diego Gomez with Paraguay, the Netherlands duo Bart Verbruggen and Jan Paul van Hecke, and Belgium’s Maxim De Cuyper. Jason Steele’s surprise call into Thomas Tuchel’s 35-man England squad puts the 35-year-old in contention, while Danny Welbeck looks an outsider.

Pascal Gross, first capped at 32 in 2023, has been recalled by Germany after rejoining Brighton in January, his form praised by Fabian Hurzeler.

The last four European places will be settled in play-offs next week. Brighton interest spans Italy’s Diego Coppola, Sweden’s Yasin Ayari, Türkiye’s Ferdi Kadioglu and the Republic of Ireland, who face Czech Republic without injured Evan Ferguson.

Matt O’Riley has missed out for Denmark after scant minutes. Brajan Gruda’s loan to RB Leipzig has yet to bring a Germany call, Facundo Buonanotte’s Argentina hopes have faded after limited minutes, Tom McGill has slipped out of Canada contention, and Cameroon’s exit rules out Carlos Baleba.

Source: NY Times