Are there any semi-professional or amateur players at the 2022 World Cup?
By Max Parsons
One of the pulls of the FIFA World Cup is seeing the world's biggest footballing stars gather to kick a ball around at the same prestigious table - the sport's top table.
Alongside the likes of Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema, however, will be names that very few have ever heard of turning out for their nations in Qatar - and stories of equal pinch-yourself proportions.
While they're not guaranteed game time, there is every chance for non-professional players to stake their claims and be counted when those squads are announced. So, what amateur footballers could we see at the 2022 World Cup?
Semi-professional and amateur players at the 2022 World Cup
19-year-old Jonathan Gomez has had a hugely promising start to his career and is visibly catching the eye in various corners of the globe.
The full-back plies his trade with Real Sociedad's semi-professional B side, who play in Spain's third tier (boasting a level not too dissimilar to that of England's fourth and fifth flights), and has already made his international debut - twice. At just 18 years of age, Gomez was given his maiden appearance for the USMNT in a friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina before switching allegiances four months later and having a run out for the Mexican national side earlier this year.
Barcelona's secondary side also features in Spain's Primera Federacion and could expect to send two players to Qatar this winter.
18-year-old Diego Almeida has represented Spain at various youth levels but made his Ecuador debut last December, while fellow Blaugrana defender Alpha Diounkou - despite not having yet made his senior international debut - has impressed enough to be called up to the Senegal side for Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches as recently as June, putting him in the running for a wildcard selection.
Chaim El Djebali is another name to keep an eye out for, strutting his stuff in Lyon's prestigious youth network. Now playing for the French club's reserve side in the country's lowly fourth tier (from which clubs would harbour very little hope of competing to reach the English Football League from the doldrums of our footballing pyramid), the Tunisian midfielder made his international debut in September and can feel hopeful of his inclusion in his country's World Cup squad.
Those names will be dreaming of furthering their potentially glorious stories and emulating the World Cup successes of semi-professional and amateur players before them.
What was the first professional World Cup?
Although the inaugural World Cup in 1930 was the first instance of professionalism being openly accepted in international football tournaments (partly born out of the International Olympic Committee's refusal to allow paid players to compete in the 1932 LA-held Olympics, forcing FIFA to pave the way for their own event - thank God), a lot of World Cup history has been written by the everyman.
Famous amateur and semi-professional players in World Cup history
The first scorer of a World Cup goal, Lucien Laurent, put France 1-0 up in the 1930 edition's curtain raiser against Mexico while on unpaid leave from a Peugeot factory in Sochaux, for example.
An American team in the 1950 World Cup shocked the world by overcoming England 1-0, with the winning goal coming from Joe Gaetjens, a dishwasher, and the clean sheet being kept by professional hearse-driver Frank Borghi - it was the coffin of English dignity he would subsequently drive following that historic result.
The Three Lions themselves also have semi-professional heroism to remember fondly. Sir Tom Finney, at the insistence of his father, committed his professional career to the plumbing trade with his inimitable flair and unwavering passion for the beautiful game holding sidepiece status - a sidepiece that would prove an unrepeatable tail.
The 'Preston Plumber' went on to be recognised as one of England's greatest forwards throughout his career - all while maintaining plumbing as a profession - and represented his country at three World Cup tournaments.