The 2022/23 season is now underway, and it will not be long before it pauses and takes a backseat for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The tournament will commence on November 20, with the hosts taking on Ecuador in the first game.
There are many international players in Wolves’ squad at the moment, and there’s a good chance there will be big Molineux representation at the tournament.
Here are all the Wolves stars who have a chance to play in the tournament.
The 17 Wolves players that have a chance to play at the 2022 World Cup
Jose Sa – Portugal
Sa is yet to earn a cap for Portugal, but enjoyed a fantastic campaign last term and is easily good enough to be playing for his country. He just needs to keep performing at club level to assure his place on the plane.
Nelson Semedo – Portugal
Semedo competes with Joao Cancelo at right-back, and should go to Qatar assuming he shows a decent level for Wolves.
Pedro Neto – Portugal
He was robbed of a chance to play at Euro 2020, so Neto will be determined to make it into Portugal’s World Cup squad.
Daniel Podence – Portugal
Podence will need a strong start to the season with Wolves if he is to get a seat on the plane for Portugal. There’s a lot of good players in his position.
Goncalo Guedes – Portugal
A new signing for Wolves, Guedes will be looking to feature more prominently for Portugal at the World Cup after not getting any minutes at Euro 2020.
Matheus Nunes – Portugal
Wolves’ club record signing Nunes has made a great start at Molineux and is set to stand out for his new club. He’ll surely make Portugal’s squad for Qatar.
Ruben Neves – Portugal
Arguably Wolves’ best player, Neves is practically certain to go to Qatar. His form with Wolves could mean the difference between bench role and starter.
Joao Moutinho – Portugal
Moutinho has 145 caps for his country – only Cristiano Ronaldo has more. The veteran will likely go and play his final international tournament in Qatar.
Conor Coady – England
Technically still a Wolves player, although Everton will likely buy their loanee next year. It will be fascinating to see how Coady fares at Goodison Park. Ultimately, he’s gone there to continue playing regular football ahead of the tournament.
Maximilian Kilman – England
Kilman has been very unlucky not to have received an England call-up yet. His form dipped at the wrong time last season. But he’s started 2022/23 very well, and Gareth Southgate will hopefully be watching him closely. He’s shown he can play in a variety of systems and positions, and could potentially be a wildcard pick.
Hwang Hee-chan – South Korea
He’s struggled for Wolves this calendar year. But Hwang is still one of South Korea’s best players. He is practically nailed-on to go to Qatar. Hopefully he can improve his form ahead of the tournament.
Raul Jimenez – Mexico
Despite having struggled a bit since his return from a fractured skull, Molineux number nine Jimenez is a shoe-in to go to Qatar with Mexico. The star has almost 100 caps for his country, and is one of their best and most experienced players.
Leander Dendoncker – Belgium
Dendoncker is not really a regular in the Belgium starting XI, but he rarely misses a squad these days. His versatility stands him in good stead, and it’d be a shock if Roberto Martinez overlooked him this winter.
Rayan Ait-Nouri – France
Ait-Nouri is not yet capped at senior level. The France squad is packed with talent, but Ait-Nouri has the potential to be a wildcard pick for Didier Deschamps if does well enough for Wolves.
Jonny Castro Otto – Spain
Jonny has three caps for Spain, but has not played for his country since 2018. It will be difficult for him to get in, but if he’s playing regularly for Wanderers he’s in with a chance. Like Dendoncker, his versatility could be to his advantage.
Adama Traore – Spain
Traore has struggled to get a proper chance with Spain since making his debut in 2020. He’s got eight caps, but Luis Enrique has seemingly not been fully struck by him. Traore will need a big first half of the season with Wolves to be considered for the squad. Regular game time could be crucial for him.
Theo Corbeanu – Canada
Back in March, Canada qualified for the World Cup finals for the first time since 1986. Wolves youngster Corbeanu is a full Canada international and has six caps for his country. He’s on loan with Blackpool for 2022/23, and he’ll need to be playing week in, week out at Bloomfield Road in order for manager John Herdman to select him.