Villarreal players hit five at 2026 World Cup, behind Real Madrid | OneFootball

Villarreal’s World Cup contingent is delivering goals, with five making the club Spain’s second-biggest source of scorers behind Real Madrid’s 11.

According to MrChip, the club sit among the most prolific at the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The haul comes from a record seven Villarreal internationals at this World Cup, a first in the club’s history, and their impact has been anything but token.

First came Alex Freeman, who struck in United States’ win over Australia to end an eight-year wait for a Villarreal player to score at a World Cup.

Next, Nicolas Pepe hit a brace for Ivory Coast against Curaçao to seal victory and qualification for his national team.

Pape Gueye then came off the bench to net twice in Senegal’s rout of Iraq, a display that has further raised his profile and underlined his value to Villarreal.

Villarreal’s five place them alongside Arsenal and Liverpool, with PSG on 10, Sunderland and Crystal Palace on 7, and Inter Miami on 6 courtesy of Messi’s goal against Jordan.

For the club, this World Cup is a powerful shop window, boosting player visibility and the Villarreal brand ahead of a 2026/27 campaign that brings a Champions League return under Iñigo Pérez.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo