The Hunt Started with a Stupid Bet
You know how these things go. I was just kicking back last week, scrolling through some old soccer threads, when my buddy Mike—you know, the guy who still thinks Özil should have stayed—he texts me out of nowhere. He scoffed, saying there was no way anyone outside Valdebebas knew the Club World Cup roster yet. He was so sure, he bet me a crate of that fancy imported beer I like that I couldn’t dig up the list, or at least a super close version, before the official announcement dropped next month.
I hate being told I can’t do something. I took that bet instantly. And that’s when the whole messy process kicked off. This wasn’t just about winning the beer; this was about proving that if you dig hard enough, the info is out there, just fragmented and waiting to be pieced together.
Chasing Ghosts and Old Contacts
My first move wasn’t hitting the big news sites. That’s for rookies. I dove deep into the obscure corners of the internet. I started monitoring the logistics chatter—not the player talk, but the flight schedules, the hotel booking requests, the whole infrastructure setup that happens weeks before the team moves. Usually, the first sign of a definite traveling squad isn’t a headline, it’s a bulk reservation adjustment at some high-end hotel in the host country, indicating exactly how many rooms (and thus how many essential personnel) are needed.
I spent two days straight, sifting through terrible quality screenshots from forums I hadn’t visited since the Mourinho era. Total dead end. I needed something solid. I realized I had to bypass the public info entirely and leverage the network I’d built over the years.
I remembered an old contact—let’s call him “Javi”—who used to work security logistics at Barajas Airport, specifically handling charter flights for major clubs. We hadn’t spoken since he moved back to Valencia, which must be seven years ago now. I tracked down his old number, half-expecting it to be disconnected. It rang. He answered, sounding totally confused why I was calling at 1 AM his time.
I didn’t waste time with small talk. I laid out the situation: I needed to know which specific personnel files had been submitted for the team’s travel permits for the specific window of the tournament. I explained the bet—the ridiculous lengths I was willing to go for a twelve-pack of beer. Javi laughed, a long, weary laugh. He didn’t have direct access anymore, but he pointed me towards someone in the ground crew agency—a new guy, maybe a bit naive, who handled the preliminary passport checks and manifest submissions for the traveling party.
The Scramble for the Manifest
Getting to the new guy wasn’t easy. It involved a whole lot of careful messaging, pretending I was working for an outsourced catering firm needing to confirm dietary restrictions for “Mr. Modrić and the team.” It was pure theater, but it worked just enough to get the guy to slip up.
He didn’t send me the whole list—that would be insane. What he provided was a series of encrypted names pulled from the initial visa application request list, specifically categorized as ‘Playing Staff (First Team).’ I had to cross-reference these coded names against the standard club ID system. This took forever.
I spent the next day comparing every single encrypted ID to the public-facing roster numbers. This is where you find the real gold. If a player is injured or out of favor, their logistics ID usually isn’t submitted this early, if at all. The list I managed to compile was based purely on who the club was spending the time and paperwork on to ensure their transit was secure.
Here’s what I pieced together, confirming 23 main players (plus the required youth/backup goalkeepers who always travel but often don’t make the matchday 23):
- Goalkeepers: Courtois, Lunin, Kepa, Fran (The youth guy is always a toss-up, but Fran was on the preliminary paperwork).
- Defenders: Carvajal, Militão (Big shock he’s included this early, but the paperwork is there!), Alaba, Nacho, Lucas V., Fran García, Rüdiger, Mendy.
- Midfielders: Bellingham, Kroos, Modrić, Camavinga, Valverde, Tchouaméni, Ceballos, Arda Güler.
- Forwards: Vini Jr., Rodrygo, Joselu, Brahim.
The Conclusion: Is This the Final List?
So, the roster leaked through sheer logistics paperwork, not through a journalist’s scoop. You look at that list, and it makes sense, right? But here’s the crucial part, the bit Mike didn’t account for: Militão and Arda Güler.
Militão’s inclusion on the preliminary travel manifest suggests they are either highly optimistic about his recovery timeline for the late stages of the tournament, or he’s going solely for morale and training purposes—but he’s included in the playing staff count. Güler being there is less surprising, but solidifies his role as an official, travel-ready first-team option.
Is this the absolute final list that Carlo will submit on the matchday sheet? Probably not 100%. Football is crazy. Someone could pick up a knock tomorrow. But is this the squad that the club committed resources to and submitted travel documentation for? Absolutely. I verified the core 20 names three different ways, all pointing back to that ground crew leak.
I’ve already sent Mike the screenshot of my compiled list. The silence has been deafening. That imported beer is mine. This whole experience reminded me that sometimes the best information doesn’t come from the headlines, but from the guy handling the passports at 4 AM. You just have to be willing to pester them enough.