The whole world will come to a standstill this Sunday to focus all its attention on the final of the World Cup that will be played Spain and Argentina in New York. A decisive and vibrant duel that will determine the new champion of global football and that will make Borja Iglesias or Giuliano Simeone the eighth member with a spell at Real Zaragoza that conquers the biggest title in the king of sports. An honorable privilege that until now was reserved only for seven players who wore the white shirt within their sporting career.
The first two players to win this achievement were Jorge Valdano and Marcelo Trobbiani who were proclaimed champions in the historic 1986 World Cup in Mexico where Argentina was guided to glory by Diego Armando Maradona. Valdano was in the ranks of Zaragoza for five seasons (1979-1984) before leaving for Real Madrid and precisely went as a white player to the 1982 World Cup in Spain. While Trobbiani arrived at Real Zaragoza as a star signing in the 1980-1981 season, but left in the middle of the season for Argentina after a terrible performance.
Subsequently, Andreas Brehme was the next member to join this list. After lifting the World Cup with Germany in Italy 1990, the full-back arrived at Real Zaragoza from Inter Milan in 1992 and spent a season in the Aragonese capital before leaving for his native country.
The next two members of this list are Brazilians. Cafu, two-time world champion in the United States 1994 and Korea-Japan 2002, played for Real Zaragoza in the 1994-1995 season and lifted the Cup Winners’ Cup despite being a substitute for Alberto Belsué at right-back. While Edmilson, champion with the Brazilian country in 2002, played in the white ranks for two seasons (2009-2011) occupying the midfield in the First Division.
SPAIN 2010
The latest to join this list were members of the unforgettable Spanish national team of 2010. David Villa, who played in the white ranks for two seasons (2003-2005) and scored up to 38 goals, and Gerard Piqué, who was on loan at Real Zaragoza in the 2006-2007 season, were key pieces in the team that managed to embroider the first star in the Spain shirt under the orders of Vicente del Bosque.
In this way and from this Sunday, one more member will be added to this list of players who have passed through Real Zaragoza and have managed to achieve world glory. Borja Iglesias, who played in the Aragonese capital in the 2017-2018 campaign, and Giuliano Simeone, who played in the 2022-2023 season at the Aragonese club, will be proclaimed world champions some time after leaving a pleasant memory among the fans of the Zaragoza club, despite being on loan and playing in the Second Division with the Aragonese team.
