Borussia Dortmund road to the World Cup: Which players will make the final squads?

Raphael Guerreiro

The Borussia Dortmund left-back was once the untouchable starter for Portugal, but that has changed in recent months. Considering the rise of PSG’s Nuno Mendes, it is possible that Raphael Guerreiro may not be a regular starter at the World Cup. However, he is expected to be a part of the Portugal squad as they look to make a deep run in the tournament.

Guerreiro has been plagued by injuries this season, but has shown glimpses of his quality whenever he has played. It will certainly be interesting to see if Fernando Santos decides to stick with the BVB star as his left-back in Qatar.

Gio Reyna

The ‘American Dream’ is set to head to the World Cup with the USMNT. As one of the most exciting and talented midfielders in the world, Gio Reyna will be among the first names on the team-sheet for his national team in Qatar. He also appears to be close to being back to his best form and the hope will be that he can stay fit over the course of the tournament.

Donyell Malen

Netherlands manager Louis van Gaal announced a preliminary World Cup list with 39 names last month, and Donyell Malen was included. However, his presence in the tournament is not certain yet.

Despite being a regular starter for the Netherlands up until last year’s European Championships, Malen lost his spot on the back of inconsistent performances in Dortmund and hasn’t played for the national team since April.

Considering Depay and Bergwijn are the most probable starters in the Netherlands attack, Malen could still be considered as a bench option. But the likes of Brian Brobbey and Cody Gakpo seem to be ahead in that race right now. So, chances are high that Malen may not receive a World Cup call-up.