​At the outset of the Round of 16, Liverpool could point to just two players in action: Alexis Mac Allister with Argentina and the club’s new signing Víctor Muñoz with Spain, though the 22-year-old has often sat on the bench. The scarcity of Liverpool representatives is striking, with no Liverpool names on England’s squad perhaps the most noticeable and, for some, the most unsettling feature (even if it might make England easier to root against for others). Part of the reason for this paucity lies in teams failing to qualify for the tournament; Hungary’s Dominik Szoboszlai and Miloš Kerkez are notable examples among the big-name absences. Injuries also play a role: Hugo Ekitiké, for instance, misses the latter stages because of fitness issues.
Among the squads, the Netherlands boasted the greatest Liverpool influence, with captain Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch, and Cody Gakpo contributing meaningfully to a solid tournament that unfortunately ended sooner than they would have hoped. The same pattern held for Alisson Becker with Brazil, whose side never quite clicked, and for Florian Wirtz’s Germany, once seen as among the favorites but who ultimately faded from that perch. Liverpool’s departures—Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, and Ibrahima Konaté (who was not selected)—signal a notable gap in experience within the current group, even though Salah and Robertson have already been claimed as Liverpool players by many.
Overall, it feels strange as a spectator to have so few club-based loyalties directing the World Cup so far; this isn’t the usual dynamic seen in recent major tournaments. On one hand, it could reflect the depth of the rebuild Liverpool faces, given the heavy spending of last summer and the noticeable turnover of experienced players at the outset of this campaign. There’s a sense that a robust talent base is more resilient when more players are active at the highest level of international play. Yet there are also upside to having fewer Reds under the brutal heat and humidity in the late stages: more physical rest and greater mental preparedness, afforded by extended downtime. For a squad that navigates one of the most congested calendars in world football, taking the option to give Liverpool players fewer minutes abroad can be a prudent choice if it helps them be at their best when they return home.
Undoubtedly, the player most affected by the grueling travel and load has been Alexis Mac Allister, whose form has often dipped after extensive international duties and travel. It’s perhaps unsurprising that his name remains one of the only two Liverpool representatives to reach the competition’s latter rounds. Taken together, the campaign presents a mixed bag: players hunger to shine on the world stage, evident in the energy with which goals and progression are celebrated, even among sides that have not been the season’s search engine for SEO. The broader takeaway is a blend of concern and optimism—concern over the thinning of a Liverpool-heavy presence and the consequent need for a rebuilding phase, and optimism that individual glimmers of form abroad could translate into a renewed squad strength upon their return.