- Only seven Crystal Palace stars have featured in World Cup
- 13 current squad members selected for this year’s tournament
- Who has the most appearances on the grandest stage?
Crystal Palace have often possessed world-class talent that shines brightest on the domestic stage. Take, for example, Wilfried Zaha, who terrorised Premier League full-backs for a decade but rarely got to showcase his skills on the grandest international stage of all.
Historically, the Eagles haven’t sent as large contingents of players to the World Cup as the traditional “Big Six” clubs. For a long time, seeing a Palace player step onto a World Cup pitch was a genuine rarity for the Selhurst Park faithful.
However, with Oliver Glasner spearheading a modern revolution in South London, all of that has changed. The club smashed records by sending an astonishing 13 active players to the 2026 World Cup.
That’s even more than 15-time European champions Real Madrid. But who paved the way before this historic tournament?
Here are the Crystal Palace players who have clocked the most World Cup appearances while actively registered with the club.
NOTE: This ranking reflects players contracted to the football club at the time of their tournament appearance.
Gregg Berhalter (USMNT)
Long before he became the manager of the USMNT, Gregg Berhalter was a reliable centre-back making history for Palace.
When the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan rolled around, no active Eagles star had ever actually played a single minute on a World Cup pitch. Berhalter changed that when he was called into action for the United States during the knockout rounds.
He played the full 90 minutes in the dramatic 2-0 round-of-16 victory over arch-rivals Mexico and started again in the narrow 1-0 quarter-final loss to Germany. Though his time in South London was relatively brief, his place in the Eagles’ international history books is forever secure.
Joachim Andersen (Denmark)
A towering presence at the back for Palace, Joachim Andersen took his excellent club form directly into the 2022 tournament in Qatar with Denmark.
The ball-playing centre-back was one of the first names on the teamsheet for the Danes, starting all three group stage matches against Tunisia, France, and Australia.
While Denmark’s tournament ended in a disappointing group-stage exit, Andersen’s individual consistency on the world stage highlighted exactly why Palace fought so hard to keep him at the heart of their defence.
Jordan Ayew (Ghana)
A player whose work rate was always appreciated by the Holmesdale End, Jordan Ayew brought that same tireless energy to the world stage with Ghana.
While on Palace’s books, Ayew was a crucial part of the Black Stars’ squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He featured in all three of Ghana’s intense group stage matches, including the highly anticipated, emotionally charged grudge match against Uruguay.
Ayew’s versatility and tactical discipline made him a favourite of both club and country during his memorable stint with the South London outfit
Mile Jedinak (Australia)
Nobody quite embodied the never-say-die spirit of Palace quite like Mile Jedinak. The iconic midfielder captained both the Eagles and Australia with immense pride.
During the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Jedinak was the absolute heartbeat of the Socceroos while leading Palace in the Premier League. He played every single minute of Australia’s three group games against Chile, the Netherlands, and Spain.
He even got himself on the scoresheet, coolly slotting away a penalty against the Dutch in a thrilling 3-2 defeat. While Jedinak also played in the 2010 and 2018 tournaments, his three appearances in 2014 represent the absolute peak of an active Palace player dominating on the world stage.
| Rank | Player | Country | World Cup(s) | Active Appearances |
| 1 | Mile Jedinak | 🇦🇺 Australia | 2014 | 3 |
| =1 | Jordan Ayew | 🇬🇭 Ghana | 2022 | 3 |
| =1 | Joachim Andersen | 🇩🇰 Denmark | 2022 | 3 |
| 2 | Gregg Berhalter | 🇺🇸 United States | 2002 | 2 |
