USA to Curacao, Switzerland to Canada: Who are the 11 players from Yorkshire's clubs in the World Cup

For the first time, two Leeds United players could be on opposite sides in the tournament, but the first point of local interest revolves around Boro's former Hull City defender, Alfie Jones.

Last summer, the centre-back swapped Humberside for Teesside, and was an inspired signing. If you had told the 28-year-old Bristolian his season was over when he injured his ankle at home to Blackburn Rovers on Boxing Day, he would most likely have assumed his World Cup was too.

But despite not having played a minute for Boro since going under the knife, not having become a Canadian citizen until October, and only having one cap to his name, former Leeds manager Marsch put his faith in Jones.

“He's an experienced guy, he's an athletic guy and he's a smart guy,” said Marsch.

“He was having a really good season. Ultimately Middlesbrough got to the final (Championship play-off) match and lost to Liam (Millar) and Hull but I think if they would have had Alfie they would have secured an automatic (promotion) because he was playing that well.

“We know we have a good player, he also understands who we are and how to integrate. He's very mature.

“He's a good guy and he's fun to be around but he's also very mature and focussed on what it takes to be good at what he does.

“The injury has taken far too long (but) he's trending in a real good way, he's back in full training now and he's trending in a way that we think he'll be available.”

Marsch is taking risks with his central defenders as the first-choice pairing of Moïse Bombito and Rangers' Derek Cornelius saw their club seasons ended in October and November by a broken leg and a hamstring injury respectively.

Maybe Jones, who made his debut against Venezuela in November after Hull winger Millar found out his grandmother was born in Alberta, will be able to reflect that he got his injury at the right time after seeing Scotland's Tommy Conway and Australia's Riley McGree pick up injuries in the play-offs which not only hampered Boro's chances of playing in the Premier League, but also ended theirs of playing in the tournament. At least McGree had played in one before, starting every match in Qatar.

“I'm feeling really good now, I'm just trying to take each day as it comes and work to full fitness,” said Jones recently.

“It's been a very good couple of weeks, a very productive couple of weeks and I'm feeling very good at the moment.”

Group B is the one with most Yorkshire interest, with Millar set to face a Bosnia Herzegovina squad including Amir Hadziahmetovic, on loan at Hull last season.

Goalkeeper Owen Goodman, who spent 2025-26 on loan at Huddersfield Town, then Barnsley, is also in Marsch's squad. Leeds forward Noah Okafor is in Switzerland's squad after returning to the international fold in March.

Bizarrely, Curacao is the team with most Yorkshire-based players, with Sheffield United's Tahith Chong the most likely starter against Germany on June 14.

Rotherham United's Ar'Jany Martha and Middlesbrough's Sontje Hansen are also in the squad.

None of the England squad play for a Yorkshire club, although John Stones came through at hometown club Barnsley, and Leeds-born Erling Haaland will lead Norway's line. Ivor Pandur is likely to be on the opposition bench for England's opening game, after the Hull goalkeeper was selected by Croatia.

Leeds are the best-represented Yorkshire club, with Brenden Aaronson (USA), Gabriel Gudmundsson (Sweden) and Ao Tanaka (Japan) all called up. Sweden play Japan in Dallas on June 25, which could be the first time two Leeds players have faced each other at a World Cup.

Sweden are managed by former York City defender Graham Potter, one of two English coaches along with New Zealand's Darren Bazeley.

Marsch will be one of three former Leeds managers at the tournament, with Thomas Christiansen in charge of Panama – last season's Concacaf Nations League finalists and England's final group opponents – and Marcelo Bielsa making his swansong in charge of Uruguay.

This will be Bielsa's third World Cup, having taken Chile and his native Argentina there. Jock Stein, with Scotland in 1982, is the only previous man to lead a World Cup team having previously been in charge – albeit briefly – at Elland Road.

Sam Allardyce, Terry Venables, Howard Wilkinson and Don Revie never made it to a World Cup with England, nor Peter Reid with Thailand.

Yan Valerie is in Tunisia's squad, although Sheffield Wednesday are not expecting to see him back after spending the second half of last season on loan at Swiss club Young Boys.

Tyler Bindon, who spent 2025-26 on loan at Sheffield United, is in New Zealand's squad.

Here’s the 11 players from Yorkshire’s clubs on duty at this summer’s World Cup

​Hull City: Liam Millar (Canada), Ivor Pandur (Croatia)

Leeds United: Brenden Aaronson (USA), Gabriel Gudmundsson (Sweden), Noah Okafor (Switzerland), Ao Tanaka (Japan)

Middlesbrough: Alfie Jones (Canada), Sontje Hansen (Curacao)

Rotherham United: Ar'Jany Martha (Curacao)

Sheffield United: Tahith Chong (Curacao)

Sheffield Wednesday: Yan Valery (Tunisia)