If you’re looking for Premier League stars among the World Cup semi-finalists, start at the back rather than up front.
Across the last four teams there are 41 Premier League players, yet relatively few of the forwards are based in England.
France, Spain and Argentina collectively include 20 footballers who played in England’s top division last season.
Add England’s own numbers: 21 of the 26 players in the Three Lions squad come from the Premier League — a figure that counts Anthony Gordon, who turned out for Newcastle last season before moving to Barcelona, but not Marcus Rashford, who spent the campaign on loan at the Nou Camp from Manchester United.
The Premier League is by far the best-represented domestic competition in the semis. La Liga is next with 29, including 17 within Spain’s ranks.
Break the Premier League contingent down by position, though, and a clear pattern appears.
This year’s semi-finalists are loaded with England-based defenders: Argentina call on Tottenham’s Cristian Romero and Manchester United’s Lisandro Martínez; France have Arsenal’s William Saliba and Aston Villa’s Lucas Digne; Spain use Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella and Tottenham’s Pedro Porro.
In England’s 2-1 quarter-final win over Norway, the goalkeeper and all six starting outfield defenders played in the Premier League last season.
Nearly 95% of England’s defensive minutes at this tournament have been logged by Premier League players. The shares are also substantial for Argentina (46.8%), Spain (45.5%) and France (43.1%).
Up front, the picture changes.
In their 2-0 quarter-final win over Morocco, France started Desire Doue (Paris St-Germain), Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid) and Ousmane Dembele (Paris St-Germain), with Michael Olise (Bayern Munich) often joining the attacks.
Spain’s 2-1 victory over Belgium featured Alex Baena (Atletico Madrid), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad) and Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), regularly supported by Dani Olmo (Barcelona).
Argentina’s 3-1 defeat of Switzerland paired Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid) with Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) up top, while two of the four midfielders behind them — Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister and Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez — hail from the Premier League.
For England, only the right-sided choice — Noni Madueke or Arsenal team-mate Bukayo Saka — will be playing in the Premier League next season after Gordon’s switch to La Liga. So, is England’s top flight trailing other leagues for elite attackers?
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, eliminated with Norway in the quarters, might argue not, and midfielder Mikel Merino — of Arsenal — has arguably been Spain’s standout in the knockouts.
Even so, against Norway only one of England’s starting front four — Madueke — is set to play in the Premier League next season.
None of Spain’s starting front four will do so — Merino has mainly been an impact sub — and France’s Premier League involvement up front has largely come via brief cameos from Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki and Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta.
In short, Premier League clubs are supplying many of the defenders still in contention for the trophy, even if most of the star forwards ply their trade elsewhere.