With all the World Cup squads now confirmed and ready for the big kick off tomorrow, here are a few Rovers related connections:
Two former Rovers players will be there (Elliot Anderson, Jarell Quansa)
- This is the third time that two players who have played for Rovers will have been selected for an England World Cup tournament, after Alan Ball and Terry Cooper in 1970, and Rickie Lambert and Fraser Forster in 2014
Dean Henderson of Shrewsbury Town
- 32 players at this World Cup have played against Rovers in the League, including eight England players (Dean Henderson, James Trafford, Ezri Konsa, Dan Burn, Morgan Rogers, Harry Kane, Ivan Toney, Ollie Watkins)
- Eight others have appeared against Rovers in other games (cups, friendlies), including a ninth England player (Declan Rice)
- Four managers have played against Rovers (Graham Potter, Darren Bazeley, Roberto Martinez, Nestor Lorenzo)
- These 40 opponents and four managers represent 18 different countries; after England, there are five Scots, five New Zealanders and five Ghanaians
Nestor Lorenzo is the only player/manager involved who has played against Rovers and also played in a World Cup Final
- Five players and two managers (Dominic Hyam, Ben Waine, Brandon Thomas-Asante, Tommy Smith, Thelo Aasgaard, Graham Potter, Roberto Martinez) have scored against Rovers
- Three players who have opposed Rovers dropped out at the last minute through injury or non-selection: Niall Mason (Qatar), Billy Gilmour (Scotland), Jamie Knight-Lebel (Canada)
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Dan Burn of Wigan Athletic
When Rovers played Wigan, on 16th September 2017, the Latics fielded two of the current England squad (Dan Burn and Ivan Toney
- So far, one Rovers player (Alan Ball) and seven opponents have played in a World Cup Final, one Rovers player (Ball), 15 opponents in League (plus 11 in cups) have played in a semi-fina
- The only player to be sent off at The Mem and play in a World Cup semi-final was Bontcho Guentchev (Luton Town and Bulgaria)
With thanks to Stephen Byrne, who compiled these stats
