Clubs with the most number of players in the quarterfinals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup

The second round of the 2014 FIFA World Cup drew to a conclusion in magnificent fashion as Belgium beat USA in one of the most entertaining and pulsating matches of the tournament. Belgiums victory marked the first time in World Cup history that all group winners have reached the quarterfinals.With the worlds grandest football extravaganza featuring the best players from across the globe, we look at football clubs who have been best represented at this years event i.e. the clubsthat can boastof the most number ofplayers remaining in the last eight of the competition.Note: Summer transfers have not been taken into account. Representation is based on the last club a footballer played for before heading to Brazil.

#10 Inter Milan - 5

The last few seasons have been a wretched part of Inter’s long and illustrious history. But in Walter Mazzarri, the Italian giants have found the perfect man to infuse the right mix of youth and experience into their ageing squad. And the Italian has got down to his job rather swiftly.

Four out of five of Inter’s players left at the World Cup- Hernanes (Brazil), Rodrigo Palacio & Ricardo Alvarez (Argentina), Fredy Guarin (Colombia) have peaked at the right time under Mazarri. Argentine defender Hugo Campagnaro is the other Inter player to have made the cut for the quarterfinals stage.

#9 Tottenham - 5

Andre Villas Boas might have been sacked unceremoniously by the North Londoners last season, but the Portuguese manager left his indelible mark on the Spurs squad.

As many as five of his signings are flying the Tottenham flag high in Brazil, a statistic one rarely associates with Tottenham’s squad, which has traditionally been low-profile and bereft of world-class players.

Paulinho (Brazil), Hugo Lloris (France), Jan Vertonghen (Belgium) have all been integral members of their respective teams while Moussa Dembele and Nacer Chadli (Belgium) are yet to be fully utilised by Belgian manager Marc Wilmots, which in no way undermines their ability and talent.

#8 Feyenoord - 5

Feyenoord have been blessed with a golden crop of young native players who have successfully graduated from their academy and made the big step up from club football to the World Cup finals.

Defenders Stefan de Vrij, Bruno Martins Indi and Daryl Janmaat have been ever-present for the Oranje in their brilliant run to the quarterfinals so far. De Vrij has been most impressive and talk of offers from the likes of Manchester United have already started doing the rounds.

The other two Feyenoord players in the Oranje squad are Terence Kongolo and Jordy Clasie.

#7 Napoli - 5

Rafa Benitez would be enjoying a much needed break from management but the Spanish coach would be keeping a close eye on his Napoli players at Brazil 2014. Seven of the twelve who made the flight to Brazil have returned home, most after Italy’s exit.

An underperforming Gonzalo Higuain and centre-back Federico Fernandez are two Napoli players in the Argentine team. Colombia’s Juan Zuniga and Belgium’s Dries Mertens have impressed with their performances so far. The final Napoli representative, Henrique (Brazil) is yet to come off the bench for Brazil.

#6 Manchester City 5

The English champions are now a world-known entity, given their recent successes and the quality of players they’ve recruited. Originally sending ten players to the World Cup, the Citizens now have half of that contingent remaining in the quarterfinals.

Pablo Zabaleta is a key component of Alejandro Sabella’s team while centre-back Martin Demichelis is a valuable backup in the Argentine squad. City’s best international player Sergio Aguero has been unfortunately ruled out of competition due a recurring injury.

Belgian captain Vincent Kompany returned from injury against USA to lead his side into the last eight while Fernandinho has already scored once for hosts Brazil.

#5 Real Madrid - 5

One man who’ll be deeply disappointed with this statistic would be Real Madrid president Florentino Perez. The Madrid-based businessman derives pleasure out of the name and fame of his star-studded squads.

Spain’s shocking premature exit means that only five players are left to represent the European champions in the last-eight stage of the world’s biggest sporting carnival.

But the exceptional performances of Karim Benzema (3 goals, 2 assists) and Angel Di Maria (the late winner against Switzerland) would give great pleasure to all Madridistas. Marcelo (Brazil), Sami Khedira (Germany) and Raphael Varane (France) have also kept the Real Madrid boat sailing in Brazil.

#4 Chelsea - 6

The Latin American legacy left by Luiz Felipe Scolari lives on at Stamford Bridge as four of Brazil’s most important players at the World Cup ply their trade in West London.

Oscar, Ramires, Willian will be looking to reaffirm their indispensability to Jose Mourinho’s team with good performances for their national side while David Luiz has recently signed a five-year deal with French champions PSG.

Other Chelsea players remaining at the World Cup are Andre Schurrle, who scored the winner against Algeria, and Belgian magician Eden Hazard.

#3 Paris Saint Germain - 6

PSG’s meteoric rise to fame and fortune has to be attributed to the bucket-loads of cash that they’ve spent on building a stellar squad for the last 2-3 seasons. They might have allured some of the biggest stars in world football, but credit has to be extended to the management for trusting and promoting home-grown talent.

Three French players, Yohan Cabaye, Blaise Matuidi and Lucas Digne are a part of the French team which will take on Germany in the quarterfinals. Thiago Silva and Maxwell (Brazil) and Ezequiel Lavezzi (Argentina) are other PSG players still left in Brazil.

#2 Arsenal 7

Traditionally possessing a very English looking squad apart from a sizeable French group, Arsenal have changed their transfer policy over the years by scouting talent from all across Europe. Gunners fans now have the pleasure of watching their star footballers from three different European nations battle it out for a place in the semi-finals.

Arsenal players in the French camp include Olivier Giroud, Bacary Sagna and Laurent Koscielny. Mesut Ozil, Lukas Podolski and Per Mertesacker in the German squad and Thomas Vermaelen (Belgium) are the other Arsenal players in the last eight of the World Cup.

#1 Bayern Munich - 10

Germany’s less than impressive win over Algeria pushed them into their eighth consecutive quarterfinal at the World Cup finals. It also guaranteed a splendid representation of Bayern Munich in the last-8 of the competition.

Captain for club and country Philipp Lahm, Manuel Neuer, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Muller, Toni Kroos, Mario Gotze and Jerome Boateng all are Bayern stars who are guaranteed starters against France. Muller has been in blistering form for the Germans, having already scored a hattrick in the group stage.

Dutch sensation Arjen Robben too has been an unstoppable force so far and he along with Belgium’s Daniel van Buyten and Dante (Brazil) are the other Bayern players remaining at the World Cup.