The English Football League has signed off for the summer as attention turns to the international game and the most watched sporting event on the planet: the FIFA World Cup in North America.
It’s a tournament which will be watched by fans throughout in bars and venues throughout the city, with many putting their United and Wednesday rivalries aside for a brief fleeting moment to unite with the hope of cheering England on to their first piece of silverware since 1966.
However, it’s not just the Three Lions matches that Blades and Owls fans will keep an eye on with members from both squads jetting off to get involved at North America - along with a whole host of familar faces from years gone by.
With all that in mind, we’ve decided to compile a list of Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday stars past and present that are set to compete on the world stage - as well as a few slightly less obvious links to the clubs.

5. Che Adams - Scotland
Scotland striker Ché Adams first made a name for himself at Sheffield United after being signed from non-league side Ilkeston F.C. He's since gone on to play for Birmingham Cityand Southampton while scoring four times against the Blades. He's currently playing in Serie A with Torino scoring eight times in 36 matches across all competitions last term. | Getty Images

6. Emiliano Martinez - Argentina
Cast your minds back to the days of Dave Jones and Stuart Gray being in the dugout and you might remember a young Emiliano Martinez playing between the posts during a loan spell from Arsenal. You'd be forgiven for forgetting the Aston Villa man now after all he's not done too much (other than win a World Cup). | Getty Images
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7. Graham Arnold - Iraq
Iraq boss Graham Arnold never managed Sheffield United, but he famously rejected the chance to manage them in June 2013. After a video conference interview, the former Australia boss pulled out of the running, publicly describing the Blades' footballing blueprint as "prehistoric". | AFP via Getty Images

8. Harry Souttar - Australia
Harry Souttar, who boasts an impressive record of 11 goals in 37 caps for Australia, played 20 times for the Blades in defence during a loan spell from Leicester City in the 2024/25 campaign before his season was cut short due to injury. He's only just returned from an ACL problem but could be an important player for the Socceroos. | Getty Images


