No team has more players in the World Cup. In addition to queens of Europe, the FC Barcelona players also rule the world. Up to 18 Blaugrana are participating these days in the tournament hosted by Australia and New Zealand, a figure that no one had reached before. Half of them do it defending the Spain shirt, the other half in seven other teams.
Barça’s hegemony is such that only three of these 18 players have run out of minutes on the first day of the group stage. They are the substitute goalkeeper Cata Coll, the defense Laia Codina and the young María Pérez, from the subsidiary.
She is not the only Barça B player in this World Cup, something completely unusual. She also participates with Italy Giulia Dragoni, who at 16 years and 198 days has become the ninth youngest player to debut in a World Cup – the sixth to do so as a starter. Last summer she joined the blaugrana discipline, being the first foreigner to enter to reside in La Masia. Yesterday she made her debut with the Azzurri, in the victory (1-0) over Argentina, showing impudence and daring in midfield that was inappropriate for her age.
The other proper name of the opening day was that of Fridolina Rolfö. The Swedish soccer player lived the face and the cross in the victory against South Africa (2-1). She scored the first goal for her team, but she had to leave the field at 67 ‘due to problems with her knee. An injury that could make him undergo surgery after the World Cup. A headache for Barça, who would be left without her indisputable left-back.
In terms of results, it was a favorable day for the footballers of the culé team and practically all of them won. Crnogorcevic’s Swiss team beat the Philippines 0-2 and England also beat Haiti (1-0) with Bronze and Walsh. The three were starters and played the 90 minutes. Geyse also won with Brazil (4-0), but did not enter the field of play against Panama until minute 59.
Triumphs to which is added the one from Spain (3-0) in its debut last Friday against Costa Rica, with a goal and MVP for Aitana Bonmatí. There were four Barça footballers who made the starting eleven for the red: Bonmatí, Ona Batlle, Paredes and Paralluelo. In addition, Mariona Caldentey (63′) and Alexia (77′) had a few minutes in the second half.
For its part, Asisat Oshoala’s Nigeria, who also started and played the entire game, drew 0-0 against the current Olympic champion, Canada and the only defeat was experienced by Caroline Graham Hansen and Ingrid Engen with Norway. A disappointing opener in which they lost 1-0 to co-hosts New Zealand. Engen herself acknowledged after the game that she had not shown the best version of her.
Great premiere for most of the blaugrana participating in this World Cup. Tomorrow (10am, tdp) kicks off the second day of the group stage with the first duel between the blaugranas. Crnogorcevic’s Switzerland faces a needy Norway in which Engen and Graham Hansen are risking a large part of their chances of being in the round of 16.
