La Liga to be most represented league at WC Final

Moscow, July 12: The outcome by Thursday of the FIFA World Cup semi-final stage after the victories of the French and Croatian squads and the defeat of Belgium and England, has driven the Spanish La Liga to overtake the English Premier League (EPL) as the national league with the most footballers at this weekend's Moscow World Cup final.

Prior to the semi-final stage, the EPL and London's Tottenham had the most players lined up. But the tables have now turned and it is La Liga in the lead and six European teams featuring three players each: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico de Madrid, PSG, Monaco, and Marseille, reports Efe.

The semi-final's score has left French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris as the sole representative of the Tottenham team, managed by Argentinian Mauricio Pochettino, who also had Belgium's Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen and midfielder Mousa Dembele, and England's Danny Rose, Kieran Trippier, Eric Dier, Dele Alli and Harry Kane, the World Cup's top scorer with six goals.

The EPL now stands in fourth place and left with six players in all, lagging behind La Liga which has 10, France's Ligue 1 with nine and Italy's Serie A with seven players respectively.

At the Final match, Barcelona FC will have the Frenchmen Samuel Umtiti and Ousmane Dembele along with Croatian Ivan Rakitic; Real Madrid with Frenchman Raphael Varane and the Croatians Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic; Madrid's Atletico will watch Lucas Hernández and Antoine Griezmann, with their 'Bleus' kit on.

Thomas Lemar, the Monaco player has already signed with Madrid's red and white striped team, and the red and white chequered, Sime Vrsaljko.

The Seville FC will also have its midfielder, Steven Nzonzi, present at the final. IANS