With one round of group fixtures still to be played at the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the USA, Canada and Mexico, six of the eight VfB representatives at the competition have already booked their spots in the knockout stages. Only Ermedin Demirovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Jeremy Arévalo (Ecuador) are yet to do so, with both nations needing to win their third matches to have any hope of advancing to the round of 32.
Accumulating the minutes
Arévalo is one of three VfB players yet to take to the pitch at the competition so far, in addition to Alexander Nübel and Angelo Stiller. The club’s other five representatives have managed a combined 428 minutes of action; Demirovic has the most with 175, followed by Bilal El Khannouss (163).
Deniz Undav has needed just 56 minutes to rack up three goals and two assists, meaning the 29-year-old has set a new VfB record at a World Cup.
Luca Jaquez overcomes Demirovic
There was a white-and-red head-to-head in Los Angeles, California on Thursday 18 June when Luca Jaquez and Switzerland defeated Demirovic’s Bosnia and Herzegovina side 4-1.
Demirovic was named in the starting line-up and was substituted off in the 85th minute, while Jaquez came off the bench a minute later to make his World Cup debut. With four points from their two opening games, Switzerland have now clinched a spot in the round of 32. They can even go through as Group B winners if they beat co-hosts Canada in their final match of the section.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, meanwhile, only have one point on the board so far, meaning victory is a must against underdogs Qatar if they are to progress to the next stage.
Two starts for El Khannouss
El Khannouss and Morocco drew 1-1 against Brazil in their opening game, and the VfB attacker played until the 83rd minute in their next outing, a 1-0 victory over Scotland in Boston on Saturday 20 June. With four points already, Morocco can go into their meeting with Haiti with a sense of calm.
Arévalo to make World Cup debut against Germany?
Arévalo has yet to take to the pitch at the competition. The VfB striker watched from the bench as Ecuador lost their opening game 1-0 against Côte d’Ivoire and were then held to a 0-0 stalemate against Curaçao. The South Americans therefore only have one point to show for their efforts so far, and only a win will do in their final group outing against Germany on Thursday 25 June.
By way of contrast, Germany’s VfB quartet comprising Nübel, Stiller, Jamie Leweling and Undav can go into the clash against ‘La Tri’ in New York without any pressure. Having won both assignments so far, beating Curaçao (7-1) and Côte d’Ivoire (2-1), Germany have already won Group E and secured their place in the round of 32.
