Ramiz Zerrouki leads Eredivisie midfielders at 2026 World Cup

The 2026 World Cup opens today with Mexico versus South Africa. Several Eredivisie midfielders will feature, including Ramiz Zerrouki, Zidane Iqbal, Juninho Bacuna, Tyrese Noslin, Hwang In-Beom, Ajdin Hrustic, Jamiro Monteiro, Ryan Thomas, Ivan Perisic and Paul Wanner. Ramiz Zerrouki spent last season on loan at FC Twente from Feyenoord, playing 35 games and helping Twente qualify for European football. With his Feyenoord contract expiring next summer, the tournament offers a platform to attract suitors, and he is set to feature for Algeria. Zidane Iqbal, a former Manchester United youth, spent most of the season with Jon Utrecht, making seven senior appearances for the Utrecht first team. The 23‑year‑old central midfielder has been a regular for Iraq, played 12 qualifying games and scored twice, and is expected to feature in a group with Senegal, France and Norway. Juninho Bacuna endured relegation with FC Volendam and joined the club on loan from Gaziantep in January, adding 15 Eredivisie appearances. The 28‑year‑old will aim to help Curacao in its debut tournament, having earned 50 caps and 14 goals for the national side. Tyrese Noslin, a Telstar winger, celebrated Eredivisie survival with 39 games, three goals and four assists, after helping the club win promotion the previous season. He has seven caps for Curacao and will add to that tally at the World Cup. Hwang In-Beom featured in 24 games for Feyenoord, scoring once and providing five assists, and made 15 appearances in South Korea’s qualification campaign. The South Korean midfielder enters the tournament with solid Dutch league experience. Ajdin Hrustic, out of contract this summer, was a bright spot for Heracles with four goals and seven assists in 30 appearances, despite the club’s relegation. He will look to aid Australia in a group containing Türkiye, the United States and Paraguay. Jamiro Monteiro of PEC Zwolle, who can also play wide, has been part of the Cape Verde squad since 2016 and logged 23 games, two goals and three assists this season. Fellow PEC Zwolle midfielder Ryan Thomas, who returned from PSV in 2022, made 28 appearances, 27 as starts, and will join Monteiro for New Zealand. Ivan Perisic, at 37, played 43 games for PSV, scoring 10 goals and delivering 14 assists, and will line up for Croatia, likely in his final World Cup. Paul Wanner, a 20‑year‑old PSV midfielder, made 32 appearances with five goals and four assists in his debut season and will make his World Cup debut with Austria.