It seems barely fathomable that it’s been nearly four years since Andre Schürrle crossed for Mario Götze to steer past Argentina’s Sergio Romero in the 113th minute of the 2014 FIFA World Cup final.
Germany will get the defence of their title underway in less than 100 days. Naturally, as the home of the world champions, the Bundesliga will provide more than a few players for Joachim Löw’s squad in Russia.
Who else might be going? James Rodriguez was the top scorer in Brazil for Colombia; Robert Lewandowski plundered a European record 16 goals in qualifying for Poland. bundesliga.com runs the rule over the Germany-based players who could star for countries from every corner of the world…
Australia
In contention: Mathew Leckie (Hertha Berlin)
Argentina
In contention: David Abraham (Eintracht Frankfurt), Lucas Alario (Bayer Leverkusen), Santiago Ascacibar (VfB Stuttgart), Franco Di Santo (Schalke), Emiliano Insua (Stuttgart)
A Lionel Messi hat-trick against Ecuador on the final day of CONMEBOL qualifying punched Argentina’s ticket to the tournament at the last. Who will now join him on the plane? Lucas Alario and Emiliano Insua have both been called up in the last year, and the former is in fine form, with a direct hand in seven of Bayer Leverkusen’s last 10 goals.
Belgium
In contention: Michy Batshauyi (Borussia Dortmund), Koen Casteels (Wolfsburg), Landry Dimata (Wolfsburg), Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Orel Mangala (Stuttgart), Divock Origi (Wolfsburg)
Michy Batshuayi has hit the ground running since joining Dortmund from Chelsea, with seven goals in as many Bundesliga games. He’s favourite to keep Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku company in the attacking berths. Thorgan Hazard, meanwhile, is proving that Eden might not be the only world class player in the family…
Brazil
In contention: Naldo (Schalke), Rafinha (Bayern Munich), Douglas Santos (Hamburg), Walace (Hamburg), Wendell (Leverkusen), William (Wolfsburg)
In Douglas Santos, Walace and William, the Bundesliga boasts three players who won Gold for Brazil at the 2016 Olympics alongside Neymar. Further back, Schalke stalwart Naldo has arguably been the best centre-back in the league this season. He may be without a cap since 2009, but Brazil coach Tite says he’s considering the 35-year-old’s cause.
Colombia
In contention: Jhon Cordoba (Cologne), James Rodriguez (Bayern)
James Rodriguez top scored at the 2014 World Cup with six goals on Colombia’s road to the quarter-finals. The attacking midfielder has hit the ground running since joining Bayern Munich from Real Madrid, and will be the first name on Jose Pekerman’s teamsheet.
Croatia
In contention: Josip Brekalo (Wolfsburg), Josip Elez (Hannover), Tin Jedvaj (Leverkusen), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim), Marko Pjaca (Schalke), Ante Rebic (Frankfurt)
Denmark
In contention: Emil Berggreen (Mainz), Jacob Bruun Larsen (Stuttgart), Thomas Delaney (Werder Bremen), Yussuf Poulsen (RB Leipzig), Frederik Sörensen (Cologne), Jannik Vestergaard (Gladbach)
England
In contention: Leon Bailey* (Leverkusen), Ademola Lookman (Leipzig), Reece Oxford (Gladbach), Jadon Sancho (Dortmund)
*Leon Bailey has only played for Jamaica’s U23 team to date, and while there is debate as to his eligibility, England are reported to be pursuing the possibility.
Ademola Lookman, Reece Oxford and Jadon Sancho may only be capped at youth level for England, meanwhile, but stranger things have happened: Theo Walcott made the 2006 World Cup squad aged 17 with just 13 senior appearances to his name…
France
In contention: Jean-Kevin Augustin (Leipzig), Kingsley Coman (Bayern), Abdou Diallo (Mainz), Simon Falette (Frankfurt), Josuha Guilavogui (Wolfsburg), Sebastien Haller (Frankfurt), Vincent Koziello (Cologne), Benjamin Pavard (Stuttgart), Corentin Tolisso (Bayern), Dayot Upamecano (Leipzig)
Benjamin Pavard has pulled alongside Bayern pair Kingsley Coman and Corentin Tolisso as looking like a dead cert for Didier Deschamps’ World Cup squad. The VfB Stuttgart defender has been ever-present for his club this season, and has featured in France’s last two friendlies.
Germany
In contention: Karim Bellarabi (Leverkusen), Julian Brandt (Leverkusen), Jerome Boateng (Bayern), Kerem Demirbay (Hoffenheim), Diego Demme (Leipzig), Yannick Gerhardt (Wolfsburg), Matthias Ginter (Gladbach), Serge Gnabry (Hoffenheim), Mario Gomez (Stuttgart), Leon Goretzka (Schalke), Mario Götze (Dortmund), Marcel Halstenberg (Leipzig), Kai Havertz (Leverkusen), Jonas Hector (Cologne), Benjamin Henrichs (Leverkusen), Mats Hummels (Bayern), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern), Max Kruse (Bremen), Bernd Leno (Leverkusen), Philipp Max (Augsburg), Max Meyer (Schalke), Thomas Müller (Bayern), Manuel Neuer (Bayern), Marvin Plattenhardt (Hertha Berlin), Sebastian Rudy (Bayern), Andre Schürrle (Dortmund), Lars Stindl (Gladbach), Niklas Sule (Bayern), Jonathan Tah (Leverkusen), Sven Ulreich (Bayern), Kevin Volland (Leverkusen), Sandro Wagner (Bayern), Julian Weigl (Dortmund), Timo Werner (Leipzig)
Naturally, as the home of the world champions, the Bundesliga has an embarrassment of riches to contribute to Joachim Löw’s squad. Die Nationalmannschaft could send three or four squads to the tournament and still be in with a chance of defending their title.
Attention now turns to whether Manuel Neuer – the world’s best goalkeeper – and gifted BVB attacker Marco Reus will be fit in time. Reus missed the 2014 World Cup, as well as EURO 2016, with injury.
Iceland
In contention: Afred Finnbogason (Augsburg)
What a story. The smallest nation ever to qualify for a World Cup finals tournament, and Augsburg’s Alfred Finnbogason was central to their success with three goals in qualifying. Only Robert Lewandowski and Nils Petersen have outscored Finnbo in the Bundesliga this season, meanwhile…
Japan
In contention: Takuma Asano (Stuttgart), Genki Haraguchi (Hertha), Makoto Hasebe (Frankfurt), Shinji Kagawa (Dortmund), Yoshinori Muto (Mainz), Yuya Osako (Cologne), Gotoku Sakai (Hamburg)
Shinji Kagawa and his Bundesliga-based Japanese cohorts qualified for the final in Russia in some style, losing just two of their 18 games. Dortmund star Kagawa and Hertha Berlin-owned Genki Haraguchi – neither of them strikers – plundered six and five goals respectively.
Mexico
In contention: Marco Fabian (Frankfurt), Carlos Salcedo (Frankfurt)
The USA’s loss was Mexico’s gain in CONCACAF qualifying. Christian Pulisic and Co. could only finish fifth in the final section, which Mexico won five points clear of Costa Rica. Carlos Salcedo’s El Tri even beat the USMNT 2-1 in Ohio. Frankfurt teammate Marco Fabian was injured for that game, but his recent return to fitness means he is all-but guaranteed his place in Russia.
Morocco
In contention: Amine Harit (Schalke)
Nigeria
In contention: Leon Balogun (Mainz), Victor Osimhen (Wolfsburg), Anthony Ujah (Mainz)
Peru
In contention: Claudio Pizarro (Cologne)
Something of a club rather than a national hero, Claudio Pizarro last scored for Peru in June 2015. However, the 39-year-old’s strike in Cologne’s 3-2 loss against Stuttgart on Matchday 25 means he has now scored a Bundesliga goal in each of the last 20 – Yes: TWENTY - calendar years. Peru coach Ricardo Gareca has also said his experience would be valuable among his otherwise youthful group.
Poland
In contention: Jakub Blaszczykowski (Wolfsburg), Marcin Kaminski (Stuttgart), Bartosz Kapustka (Freiburg), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern), Pawel Olkowski (Cologne), Lukasz Piszczek (Dortmund), Eugen Polanski (Hoffenheim)
Robert Lewandowski may have five Bundesliga titles to his name, and two Torjägerkanonen, but he’s never been to the World Cup. A European record 16 goals in qualifying suggest he’ll do some serious damage when he finally gets there…
READ: No pain, no gain for Robert Lewandowski
Portugal
In contention: Bruma (Leipzig), Raphael Guerreiro (Dortmund), Renato Sanches (Bayern)
Lewandowski will have some serious competition from Cristiano Ronaldo in his bid to become the tournament’s top scorer. Bruma and Raphael Guerreiro are among those likely to be pumping balls into the box for the Real Madrid ace, the latter a constituent part of the team that won EURO 2016…
Senegal
In contention: Salif Sane (Hannover)
Serbia
In contention: Mijat Gacinovic (Frankfurt), Aleksandar Ignjovski (Freiburg), Milos Jojic (Cologne), Luka Jovic (Frankfurt), Gojko Kacar (Augsburg), Filip Kostic (Hamburg), Matija Nastasic (Schalke), Milos Pantovic (Bayern), Milos Vejkovic (Bremen)
South Korea
In contention: Koo Ja-cheol (Augsburg), Seo Young-jae (Hamburg)
Spain
In contention: Juan Bernat (Bayern), Ignacio Camacho (Wolfsburg), Javi Martinez (Bayern), Omar Mascarell (Frankfurt), Jorge Mere (Cologne), Thiago Alcantara (Bayern)
Spain rather underwhelmed in Brazil four years ago, failing to make it out of the group stages. In Thiago Alcantara, the 2010 champions now have the perfect successor to Xavi Hernandez, though – a chance Barcelona squandered in letting the midfielder join Bayern in 2013. He, Javi Martinez and Juan Bernat will have the added spring in their step of being Bundesliga champions, too.
Sweden
In contention: Luwig Augustinsson (Bremen), Albin Ekdal (Hamburg), Emil Forsberg (Leipzig), Branimir Hrgota (Frankfurt), Alexander Isak (Dortmund), Robin Quaison (Mainz)
Switzerland
In contention: Manuel Akanji (Dortmund), Roman Bürki (Dortmund), Josip Drmic (Gladbach), Nico Elvedi (Gladbach), Breel Embolo (Schalke), Gelson Fernandes (Frankfurt), Marwin Hitz (Augsburg), Gregor Kobel (Hoffenheim), Fabian Lustenberger (Hertha), Admir Mehmedi (Wolfsburg), Yvon Mvogo (Leipzig), Yann Sommer (Gladbach), Renato Steffen (Wolfsburg), Denis Zakaria (Gladbach), Steven Zuber (Hofenheim)
Switzerland were incredible in qualifying, winning a perfect nine out of nine games before running into Portugal on the final day. Vladimir Petkovic’s team are in safe hands: their three first-choice goalkeepers – Yann Sommer, Marwin Hitz and Roman Bürki – all ply their trade with aplomb in Germany’s top flight.
Tunisia
In contention: Mohamed Gouaida (Hamburg)