In the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Moroccan-born striker, Youssef En-Nesyri will be the Malaguista taking part in the most important tournament at national team level. Beforehand, in South Africa 2010, there was Malaguista representation with a player on loan from Inter Milan, Victor Obinna (Nigeria), and two others, Denmark’s Patrick Mtiliga and Portugal’s Duda.
In Korea and Japan 2002, the first MCF players were called-up to the World Cup tournament. Darío Silva and Marcelo Romero were called-up by Uruguay, whilst ‘Koke’ Contreras was selected for the Spanish national squad line-up.
In the following list, you can see how, since the 1998 World Cup, there has always been a player who was part of Málaga CF either before or after. The 2006, 2010 and 2014 World Cups were the ones with the most Malaguista presence.
France 1998
Leković (Yugoslavia)
South Korea/Japan 2002
Wanchope (Costa Rica), Alberto Luque and Joaquín (Spain), Santa Cruz (Paraguay), Benachour (Tunisia), De los Santos, Munúa and ‘Chengue’ Morales (Uruguay)
Germany 2006
Saviola (Argentina), Boka (Ivory Coast), Wanchope (Costa Rica), Leko (Croatia), Joaquín (Spain), Onyewu (USA), Ochoa (Mexico), Mathijsen and Van Nistelrooy (Holland) and Santa Cruz (Paraguay)
South Africa 2010
Lacen (Algeria), Demichelis (Argentina), Baptista (Brazil), Boka (Ivory Coast), Onyewu (USA), Toulalan (France), Quincy Owusu-Abeyie (Ghana), Ochoa (Mexico), Ideye (Nigeria), Mathijsen (Holland), Santa Cruz (Paraguay), Lugano and Seba Fernández (Uruguay)
Brazil 2014
Lacen (Algeria), Demichelis (Argentina), Fabrice Olinga (Cameroon), Boka (Ivory Coast), Caicedo (Ecuador), Santi Cazorla (Spain), Ochoa (Mexico) and Lugano (Uruguay)
Russia 2018
Willy Caballero (Argentina), Monreal and Isco (Spain), Amrabat and En-Nesyri (Morocco) and Ochoa (Mexico)