Where the Active World Cup Winners Currently Play

62 gold medalists are still active, France hosts the most ahead of Spain and England

Written by Paul Kemp

Paul Kemp is an experienced sports writer covering Soccer, NBA and NHL. He also writes in depth reviews of sports betting sites based on his personal experience.

, | Updated: August 14, 2025

With the 2026 World Cup fast approaching, national-team head coaches are entering a critical phase in their preparations. As they assess their options for the final squad, they will be keeping a close eye on not only the players’ current form, but also on whose skills and mentality best fit their tactical plans. This summer, it has already been highlighted how the careers of past World Cup winners are still making their way into the headlines. About a month ago, 40-year-old Santi Cazorla extended his contract with Oviedo for another season after guiding his boyhood club back to La Liga. More recently, Bayern Munich legend Thomas Muller announced a move to Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS, joining the likes of Leo Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba in the USA. Inspired by such developments, Sportingpedia set out to examine the current landscape of active World Cup gold medalists, mapping out the clubs that employ them and the countries where they continue to play.

Key Takeaways:

No players from Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning squad are still active
59 World Cup winners are under contract, while 3 French champions are free agents
Active World Cup winners play in 14 countries across 17 different leagues
River Plate and Atletico Madrid each have four World Cup winners
PSG, Inter Miami, West Ham, Lyon, and Inter are the only other teams featuring multiple World Cup-winning players
France hosts 10 active World Cup winners, including eight from its 2018 squad
Spain is home to nine active champions, only two from its 2010 team
England hosts eight active gold World Cup medalists, Germany seven, including four from its 2014 squad
Argentina has six active champions, five from its 2022 World Cup-winning team
USA and Italy each have five active World Cup winners
Qatar and Mexico have two each as five countries have one active champion

Countries where active World Cup winners currently play

According to the data, there are currently 62 active World Cup winners from the four most recent tournaments, as no players from Italy’s 2006 triumph remain active. Of these, 59 are under contract with a club, while the other three, all from France’s 2018 squad, are free agents.

The footballers who have tasted glory on the biggest stage are defending the colours of clubs in 14 different countries across 17 leagues.

France is the leading destination for active World Cup winners, with 10 playing their club football there, including eight of France’s own 20 active champions. Spain follows with nine, though only two of its seven remaining 2010 winners still play in La Liga. England is home to eight active world champions, while Germany hosts seven, six of whom are from its 2014 winning side. Argentina is the base for six active World Cup winners, including five members of the 2022 squad who remain on home soil. The USA and Italy each have five, Qatar and Mexico each have two, while the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Portugal, Austria, and Australia each have one.

Football clubs with multiple World Cup Winners in their squads

Seven players from Spain’s 2010 World Cup-winning squad are still active, with Lazio’s Pedro the only one competing in any of Europe’s top leagues. Germany’s 2014 champions have nine active members, four of whom – Durm, Gotze, Neuer, and Ron-Robert Zieler – play in the Bundesliga. Jerome Boateng features in the Austrian Bundesliga, while the rest are spread across lower divisions or outside Europe. France’s 2018 winners count 20 active players, three of them currently without a club. All 26 members of Argentina’s 2022 triumph remain active, with many still representing top-level sides.

With four World Cup champions on their roster, River Plate and Atletico Madrid lead all other teams. PSG and Inter Miami follow with three each, while West Ham, Lyon, and Inter each have two.