Blues defender Jonas Knudsen will become the 10th Town player to appear at a World Cup finals when he starts for Denmark in this evening’s round-of-16 tie against Croatia in Nizhny Novgorod (ITV from 6.30, KO 7pm).
The 25-year-old, who will be winning his fourth full cap, was an unused sub in all the Danes’ group games but has been named at left wing-back for this evening’s match against the Croats.
Nine Blues players have previously won caps at a World Cup finals. John Wark and Alan Brazil represented Scotland in 1982 when Mick Mills was England’s captain with Paul Mariner and Terry Butcher were also in Ron Greenwood’s side.
Bontcho Guentchev featured for Bulgaria in 1994, Matt Holland was in Mick McCarthy’s Republic of Ireland team in 2002, Slovenian defender Amir Karic was still a Town player at the same tournament and most recently Tommy Smith played for New Zealand in 2010.