A Champions League Final with International Flavor

April 26th, 2006 | by: WC Bob |

Even if you aren’t a fan of Arsenal or Barcelona, you probably will have some rooting interest when the teams meet up in the Champions League final on May 17 in Paris. Both teams possess rosters that are filled with some of the top players from around the world. Many of these players will be on display at the World Cup a few weeks after the Champions League final. While we were watching the Chinese pirated game online, we decided to scan the two teams’ rosters. Here is how things break down in terms of nationality of their starting 11s from this week’s games. Each team also has a number of nationalities on its bench. The game is truly global these days.

Belarus
Aleksander Hleb (Arsenal)

Brazil
Juliano Belletti (Barcelona)
José Edmílson (Barcelona)
Ronaldinho (Barcelona)
Gilberto (Arsenal)

Cameroon
Samuel Eto’o (Barcelona)

Cote d’Ivoire
Emmanuel Eboue (Arsenal)
Kolo Toure (Arsenal)

England
Sol Campbell (Arsenal)

France
Ludovic Giuly (Barcelona)
Mathieu Flamini (Arsenal)
Thierry Henry (Arsenal)

Germany
Jens Lehmann (Arsenal)

Mexico
Rafael Marquez (Barcelona)

Netherlands
Giovanni Van Bronckhorst (Barcelona)

Portugal
Deco (Barcelona)

Spain
Victor Valdez (Barcelona)
Carles Puyol (Barcelona)
Andres Iniesta (Barcelona)
Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal)
Jose Antonio Reyes (Arsenal)

Sweden
Freddie Ljunberg (Arsenal)

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tomas

Does arsenal even have an Englishman on their starting roster?
http://www.viuasfotos.com/euler.htm Euler

It’s like a World Cup but all mixed up.
Kris

Shevchenko got robbed. They should give referees trophies for winning games now a days. Like a golden whistle.
Mont

Nice post, really interesting. But you forgot a couple of players:

Netherlands
Van Persie (Arsenal)
Van Bommel (Barcelona)

Brazil
Motta (Barcelona)
http://rinaldodsouza.blogspot.com rinaldo

lmao…just one englishman? That’s supposed to be an English team in the final?
GEORGE

By the way, Deco is of brazilian origin…
Nick

Arsenal have 2 English players in the starting eleven. Ashley Cole was injured but will return for the final. I know thats still too little but its better than 1 :)
http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-cup-2006/big-question-which-current-coach-was-the-best-player.html#comments Pedro P

You’ve also left Larsson out, Bob…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FC_Barcelona
http://www.worldcupzone.blogspot.com Ade Lamidi

You also left out Robert Pires the Arsenal and French midfieldere.
Ceasar Lourenco

Peres is french (with one spanish and portuguese parent). :-)
http://www.worldcupblog.com Bob

The list I put together was only the starers from this week’s games so that is why guys like Larsson aren’t on it. Plenty of international players on both bench like Togo’s Adebayor for Arsenal.