The 2022 World Cup is coming up. While only one player each from VfL Bochum and FC Schalke 04 made it into a World Cup squad, eleven Dortmund players will be there.
The controversial 2022 World Cup in Qatar starts next week. Five of the eight groups include players from the Revier clubs. While Bochum and Schalke are only sending one player to Qatar, eleven Dortmund players are on the plane. An overview:
Group B
This is the first duel between colleagues. With Gio Reyna (USA) and Jude Bellingham (England), two players from Borussia Dortmund will meet in a direct duel. Also alongside Reyna for the USA: his predecessor at BVB, Christian Pulisic (Chelsea FC) and the ex-Schalkers Weston McKennie (Juventus) and Haji Wright (Antalyaspor). The other teams in the group are Wales and Iran.
Group E
The Germany group is, of course, peppered with professionals from the Ruhr area. Niklas Süle, Nico Schlotterbeck, Julian Brandt, Karim Adeyemi and young Youssoufa Moukoko make up the Dortmund block in the DFB eleven. There are no Schalkers (for the first time since 1994) or Bochumers in Hansi Flick’s line-up, but there is plenty of Revier history with Manuel Neuer, Thilo Kehrer, Leroy Sane (formerly of Schalke 04), Armel Bella-Kotchap (ex-Bochum) and Matthias Ginter and Jonas Hofmann (BVB). Leon Goretzka played for Bochum and Schalke, including his youth Ilkay Gündogan even played for all three Revier Bundesliga clubs.
The only Schalke player and the only Bochum player to make it to Qatar will already meet the Germans in the group stage. Maya Yoshida and Takuma Asano are in Japan’s line-up. Also in the group are Spain and Costa Rica.
Group F
The Belgians also rely on power from the Ruhr area. With Thorgan Hazard and Thomas Meunier, two Dortmund players are among them. Former team-mate Axel Witsel and the former Dortmund player on loan Michy Batshuayi are also in the line-up of the red devils. In their group, the Belgians would have faced Canada and Croatia as well as ex-Schalker Amine Harit, who was actually nominated for the Moroccan national team. However, the Olympique Marseille man is likely to be ruled out after suffering a serious knee injury.
Group G
Switzerland’s squad has always featured plenty of Bundesliga experience. With Gregor Kobel, Borussia Dortmund’s goalkeeper is in the line-up. He will have to duel with Yann Sommer for the regular spot. The Gladbach player is actually the number one, but is currently still injured. Also in the Swiss squad: ex-Dortmund player Manuel Akanji (Manchester City) and ex-Schalker Breel Embolo (AS Monaco). Brazil is one of the top favourites in the group. Serbia and Cameroon are also in the group.
Group H
For the Ghanaians, Christoper Antwi-Adjei from Bochum hoped for a nomination until the very end. However, interim national coach Otto Addo, who is also co-coach of Borussia Dortmund, decided against the Bochum player. Instead, ex-Schalker Abdul-Rahman Baba, among others, is in the line-up. Ghana will face Portugal with Dortmund’s Raphael Guerreiro, Uruguay and South Korea.