Clubs' Bill: Between Real Madrid's Gains and the Fears of Al-Nassr and Al-Ahly.. Barcelona the "Losing Winner" of the World Cup Battles

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Clubs stand to gain plenty from the 2026 World Cup, but not everyone is happy or set to benefit.

The World Cup battles across the United States, Mexico and Canada are over, and the trophy sits in the hands of Spain's senior national side. That final whistle marked the start of a very different race, one played out in the corridors of the world's clubs.

Technical staffs are ready to blow the whistle on the new 2026-2027 season. Yet many of the world's clubs face a complicated reckoning, forced upon them by the biggest edition in World Cup history.

This was no passing footballing event for millions of fans to enjoy. The 2026 World Cup was an earthquake, and its aftershocks rattled the preparation plans of Europe's giants and countless other clubs.

Not everyone felt the tremors, though. Some clubs walked away from the World Cup on American soil with plenty to show for it, gains that will serve them one way or another in the new campaign.

Over the coming lines, we will run through the most prominent "winners and losers" from the 2026 World Cup.

Barcelona

Barcelona: The Giant That Is Both "Winner and Loser" at the Same Time

Catalan giants Barcelona entered the 2026 World Cup with a full 14 players, nine of whom reached the final two days of the competition. Their new English signing Anthony Gordon made it that far too.

Gordon featured for England, while Jules Koundé wore the France shirt, in the match to determine third and fourth place.

The 2026 World Cup final, meanwhile, boasted eight Barcelona players in the Spain ranks, as follows:

* Goalkeeping: Joan García.

* Defence: Pau Cubarsí and Eric García.

* Midfield: Pedri González, Pablo Gavi and Dani Olmo.

* Attack: Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres.

Having 10 "influential" Barcelona players go all the way to the final two days of the 2026 World Cup carries a cost: heavier physical loads and a shorter rest period before the new season kicks off.

Barcelona also came away with other "losses" from the World Cup on the American continent, beyond the physical toll. They are:

- 1/ The knee injury to Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong. Reports suggest he could be absent for four to five months, pending an official statement from Barcelona.

- 2/ The poor psychological state of Brazilian star Raphinha Díaz, given the poor level he displayed at the 2026 World Cup, the recurrence of his injury at the time and the leaking of some problems in his personal life.

- 3/ The poor physical condition shown by some players, especially the Spanish duo Pedri González and Lamine Yamal, despite their crowning as world champions.

But there is no need to worry, dear Barcelona fan. Not everything is bad, because the Catalan giants also came away with plenty of gains from the 2026 World Cup.

Chief among them is the wonderful morale of the Spanish stars after being crowned World Cup champions, plus Yamal being freed from international pressures.

Then there is the impressive level shown by 19-year-old defender Pau Cubarsí, along with the wealth of experience that will serve him well in the challenges ahead. It was all capped by his winning of the "Best Young Player" award at the 2026 World Cup.

The Catalan giants also secured important guarantees over their new summer signing Anthony Gordon, who shone in the knockout rounds of the World Cup despite a slow start.

Money played its part in those gains too. The club received important compensation from FIFA, thanks to a large number of its players reaching the final two days of the global showpiece.

Barcelona can now sell striker Ferran Torres, who scored the goal that crowned Spain as World Cup champions, for a large sum should he choose not to renew his contract.

Barcelona, in other words, were a special case at the 2026 World Cup. This was the club that came away both "a winner and a loser" from the competition.

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Real Madrid: The Biggest Winners from the 2026 World Cup

From Barcelona, we turn to their historic rivals Real Madrid, widely regarded as the biggest winners of all from the 2026 World Cup.

Real Madrid's gains from the World Cup on American soil boil down to three crucial points, as follows:

* Firstly: Real Madrid's big stars have rediscovered their best physical and technical form.

* Secondly: Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho got his wish, with as many Real Madrid stars as possible back early.

* Thirdly: Spanish left-back Marc Cucurella, the club's new summer signing, dazzled throughout.

Take the first point. Stars such as "Frenchman Kylian Mbappe, Brazilian Vinicius Junior and Englishman Jude Bellingham" delivered truly wonderful performances after a disastrous 2025-2026 season.

The technical and physical shape of this trio bodes well for a superb season ahead, provided Mourinho deploys them properly.

On to the second point. Mourinho once said he hoped the national teams containing the Meringues' stars would crash out early from the 2026 World Cup, giving them a spell of rest to prepare well for the new campaign.

Sure enough, most of the national teams featuring Real Madrid's stars did exit early. Only a handful of names reached the final two days of the competition, and they are:

- 1/ France: Kylian Mbappe and Ibrahima Konate.

- 2/ England: Jude Bellingham.

- 3/ Spain: Marc Cucurella.

As for Cucurella, he produced wonderful defensive displays as ever, with clear attacking progress too. That reassures Real Madrid about a left-back position that has caused them plenty of grief lately.

Julian Alvarez Diego Simeone

Atlético Madrid.. Out of the World Cup with "frustration and a battle"

A third Spanish party deserves a mention alongside Barcelona and Real Madrid: the capital's club Atletico Madrid, who provided nine players to the final of the 2026 World Cup.

Believe it or not, dear reader, Atletico were the most represented club in the final of the 2026 World Cup, as follows:

* Spain: Marc Pubill, Marcos Llorente and Alex Baena.

* Argentina: Juan Musso, Nahuel Molina, Thiago Almada, Nico Gonzalez, Giuliano Simeone and Julian Alvarez.

A slight change occurred during the tournament. Gonzalez's loan from Italian club Juventus ended, while Atletico signed Alejandro Grimaldo.

Anyway, Atletico are perhaps like Catalan giants Barcelona, having come out of the 2026 World Cup as "winner and loser" at the same time.

Their losses, though, appear to outweigh their gains at the World Cup on the American continent, for the following:

* 1/ Many of their stars sidelined with their national teams, or failing to shine significantly.

* 2/ The frustration of their Argentine stars, after losing the final of the 2026 World Cup.

* 3/ The crisis of Argentine striker Julian Alvarez, which erupted during the global tournament.

Alvarez used the 2026 World Cup to openly announce his wish not to continue with Atletico Madrid, and his desire to achieve his dream.

Those statements came just as Catalan giants Barcelona were looking to sign Alvarez this summer, igniting the anger of the Spanish capital club's management, who began to attack the player and the Catalan giants.

Rodri Manchester City 2025-26

Manchester City: The World Cup Restores the Prestige of City's Midfield

Now to the English clubs, and Manchester City in particular, who have lost the most important architect of their success: Spanish manager Pep Guardiola.

Guardiola announced his departure at the end of the 2025-2026 season, closing out 10 years of glory with the Sky Blues.

Yet amid the sorrow of that exit, the Citizens reaped a series of gains at the 2026 World Cup, as follows:

* Firstly: Spanish midfielder Rodri rediscovered his outstanding technical level, crowned "Best Player" at the 2026 World Cup.

* Secondly: new English signing Elliot Anderson impressed at the World Cup, banking vital experience before he officially pulls on the first-team shirt.

Rodri's return to form and Anderson's rapid growth should restore the prestige of a Manchester City midfield that went missing over the last two seasons.

WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND - MARCH 6: Cody Gakpo, Andrew Robertson, Mohamed Salah, Rio Ngumoha and Ryan Gravenberch celebrate 1st goal during the Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool on March 6, 2026 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)

Liverpool: A World Cup that adds to the English giant's fears

Staying in England, the 2026 World Cup proved that Liverpool were among the biggest losers.

Why? The answer boils down to two key points.

* Firstly: the poor performances of their stars at the 2026 World Cup.

* Secondly: the display of Egyptian Pharaoh Mohamed Salah at the 2026 World Cup.

Not a single Liverpool player stood out at the World Cup on American soil. Quite the opposite. Dutchman Virgil van Dijk and Argentine Alexis Mac Allister, for example, hit shocking levels.

Salah told a different story. Having announced his Liverpool exit at the end of the 2025-2026 season, he produced a level far better than expected.

He showed tactical discipline and adapted to the new roles handed to him by head coach Hossam Hassan, dropping deeper on the pitch rather than staying out wide.

For Liverpool and their fans everywhere, the signs were far from positive, based on what we saw at the 2026 World Cup across American, Mexican and Canadian soil.

Marquinhos of Paris Saint-Germain lifts the UEFA Champions League trophy

Paris, European champions besieged between "frustration and poor performance"

Our look at the winners and losers of the 2026 World Cup now heads to the French capital, home of European champions Paris Saint-Germain.

PSG came out of the tournament nursing a string of setbacks, even as several of their biggest stars kept up their brilliant form. Chief among them was France's Ousmane Dembélé.

Fabián Ruiz deserves a mention too. The Spain midfielder rediscovered much of his best after a difficult, injury-hit season, and drew a huge lift from watching his country lift the 2026 World Cup.

The losses are another matter. PSG's problems from the tournament on American soil boil down to a handful of key points.

* Firstly: Severe physical exhaustion. Paris finished their season late, on 30 May 2026, after reaching the Champions League final.

* Secondly: Deflation among many of their players, the French in particular, after Les Bleus had to settle for fourth place at the 2026 World Cup despite going in as the strongest title favourites.

* Thirdly: Poor showings from the Portuguese pair João Neves and Vitinha.

Neves stirred up plenty of controversy of his own. He claimed Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo is "a player like everyone else now", a remark that drew fire from fans of the Madeira rocket.

Michael Olise Bayern Munich 2025-26

Bayern Munich.. Michael Olise the Only "World Cup Gain"

Bayern Munich, meanwhile, walked away "winners" from the 2026 World Cup, and they had one man to thank: France's Michael Olise.

Olise carried his brilliant 2025-2026 club form straight into the tournament on American soil. Seven assists earned him the Best Playmaker award.

Real Madrid want him badly. According to numerous reports, the Spanish giants are ready to stump up between 200 and 250 million euros to get the deal done.

Olise's heroics in the United States, then, hand Bayern Munich a win either way:

* Proof that his 2025-2026 season was no flash in the pan, and that he will do the team a huge service next campaign if he stays with the first team.

* Or a massive windfall from selling him to Real Madrid in the current summer window, off the back of the level he showed at the 2026 World Cup.

Not everything went the German giants' way, mind. Their biggest World Cup blow was the catastrophic showing of the Mannschaft, a side featuring six of the club's stars.

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Arab Clubs.. "Varying" Losses for Al-Nassr and Al-Ahly of Cairo

We can't close this report without turning to the Arab clubs, because two of them stand to be hit hard by the 2026 World Cup. They are:

* Firstly: Al-Nassr of Saudi Arabia.

* Secondly: Al-Ahly of Egypt.

The World Cup will shape these two in very different ways. The first is tied to the frustration of its players. The second flows from the brilliance of its stars.

Take Al-Nassr first. Their most important players at the World Cup on American soil were the Portuguese duo, Cristiano Ronaldo and Joao Felix.

Ronaldo suffered a knockout blow to his career, bowing out of the sixth World Cup of his career without lifting the title.

He was 41 when Portugal crashed out in the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, ending a "last dance" he can never make up for.

His tournament also drew a fierce backlash, with critics claiming he had become a burden on the Portuguese side and the reason it was tactically hamstrung.

Al-Nassr, then, could open the new 2026-2027 season saddled with the frustration of their most important player and great captain.

Al-Ahly tell the opposite story. Their stars lit up the tournament for Egypt and dragged the nation into the round of 16 for the first time in history.

That brilliance has triggered a flood of offers for the Cairo giants' players, among them goalkeeper "Mostafa Shobier, Marwan Attia and Emam Ashour".

So Al-Ahly could lose several of their biggest names in the current summer transfer window. Or they could start the new season in "a poor state" if the board hangs on to them against their wishes.

Now we wait, to see how these clubs and others get on in 2026-2027, once the dust of the World Cup settles.