The 10 Cardiff City Players Who Went to a FIFA World Cup
- Sam Hill
- 7 minutes ago
- 8 min read
For more than a century, Cardiff City have had international players from across the globe.
In total, 143 footballers have won senior international caps for their countries, while on the Bluebirds’ books, representing 33 different nations.
From local Welsh heroes to international stars from South America and Asia, the club has a proud history of producing and attracting players capable of competing at the highest level.
Yet only ten permanent Cardiff City players have been selected for a FIFA World Cup squad.
The journey began with five players who were part of Wales’ historic run to the quarter-finals of the 1958 FIFA World Cup and stretches all the way to 2022, where academy graduate Rubin Colwill stepped onto the pitch against England in Qatar.
Some were unused squad members. Others were central figures who captained their country and took on some of the world’s greatest players and nations.
Let’s take a look at the ten permanent Cardiff City players who have represented the Bluebirds at the world’s greatest tournament.
Graham Vearncombe - Sweden 1958
Nation: Wales
Cardiff Career: 1952-1964
Cardiff Appearances: 208
Position: Goalkeeper
Wales Appearances: 2
World Cup Record: Unused squad member
Cardiff-born goalkeeper Graham Vearncombe was one of three goalkeepers selected by manager Jimmy Murphy for Wales’ first-ever World Cup.
He and fellow Cardiff goalkeeper Ken Jones deputised Arsenal's Jack Kelsey, Wales ' undisputed No.1.
Although he did not feature in Sweden, his selection was a huge achievement for a player who spent over a decade at his hometown club.
Vearncombe won three Welsh Cups with Cardiff and was part of the side that earned promotion to the First Division in the 1959/60 season.
His final appearance for the club came in 1964, in a 2-0 victory over Bangor City to secure a third Welsh Cup winners' medal.
The homegrown talent spent his entire professional career with the Bluebirds before joining Merthyr Tydfil following his departure from the Welsh capital.
His name remains firmly rooted in Cardiff City’s rich history, and being selected for Wales’ first-ever World Cup among his proudest achievements.
Kenneth Jones - Sweden 1958
Nation: Wales
Cardiff Career: 1957-1958
Cardiff Appearances: 24
Position: Goalkeeper
Wales Appearances: 0
World Cup Record: Unused squad member
Remarkably, Jones was one of two Cardiff City goalkeepers selected in Wales' squad for the 1958 World Cup.
Jack Kelsey started every match in Sweden, but Jones' inclusion was a notable achievement in itself, especially given that he had not yet won a senior cap.
The Aberdare-born shot-stopper began his career with the Bluebirds, and despite his brief spell in the first team, developed a reputation for his long goal kicks, which were said to regularly reach the opposition goal.
After losing his place to Ron Nicholls, he joined Scunthorpe United in December 1958.
Jones went on to make 158 appearances in six years at Scunthorpe and remarkably received a vote for the 1959 Ballon d’Or.
His Cardiff career was brief, but his selection in the 1958 squad and extraordinary Ballon d'Or vote ensure his place in Welsh football history.
Ron Hewitt - Sweden 1958
Nation: Wales
Cardiff Career: 1957-1959
Cardiff Appearances: 64
Cardiff Goals: 27
Position: Striker
Wales Appearances: 5
International Goals: 1
World Cup Record: Three starts
Ron Hewitt played a significant role in Wales’ run to the quarter-finals of the 1958 FIFA World Cup.
The striker started three matches, including the famous 1-0 last-eight defeat to Brazil, when a 17-year-old Pelé scored the only goal of the game - the first of his international career.
Hewitt joined Cardiff City in 1957 for £7,000 from fellow Welsh side Wrexham.
He was prolific in his short time in South Wales, finishing as the top goalscorer in both of his two seasons with the Bluebirds.
His international debut came against Israel at Ninian Park in 1958 in the decisive World Cup qualifying play-off second-leg, which Wales won 2-0 to secure their place in Sweden.
The match took place on February 5, 1958. The following day, the Munich Air disaster occurred.
Wales’ manager Jimmy Murphy, who was also Manchester United’s assistant manager, did not take the flight due to his duties on the touchline with Wales.
Hewitt scored his only international goal two months later, netting a late equaliser against Northern Ireland at Ninian Park to rescue a point in the British Home Championship match at Ninian Park.
Colin Baker - Sweden 1958
Nation: Wales
Cardiff Career: 1953-1966
Cardiff Appearances: 298
Cardiff Goals: 18
Position: Wing-half
Wales Appearances: 7
International Goals: 0
World Cup Record: One appearance
Tremorfa-born Colin Baker spent his entire professional career with his hometown club, serving the Bluebirds for 13 years.
He initially signed as a part-time professional while completing his National Service in the Royal Air Force, before turning full-time in 1953.
Despite being uncapped at senior level, Baker was selected for Wales' squad for the 1958 FIFA World Cup.
He made his debut in Wales’ second group match against Mexico, after replacing Cardiff teammate Derrick Sullivan, who failed a late fitness test.
Baker nearly sealed a dream debut when he struck the crossbar in the first half, but was forced off late on and did not feature again in the tournament.
He went on to win seven caps for Wales, with his final appearance coming against Scotland in 1961.
An integral part of Cardiff's promotion to the First Division in 1959/60 and a three-time Welsh Cup winner, Baker remains one of the club's greatest servants and a proud member of Wales' first World Cup squad.
Derrick Sullivan - Sweden 1958
Nation: Wales
Cardiff Career: 1947-1961
Cardiff Appearances: 276
Cardiff Goals: 18
Position: Defender
Wales Appearances: 17
International Goals: 0
World Cup Record: Four appearances
Cardiff’s fifth representative in Jimmy Murphy’s famous 22-man squad was Derrick Sullivan, meaning the Welsh capital made up 22.7% of the Wales contingent at the 1958 FIFA World Cup.
Arguably, Sullivan was Cardiff’s biggest contributor to Wales' 1958 campaign.
The versatile defender featured in four of Wales' five matches and was a trusted member of the starting side throughout the tournament.
Newport-born Sullivan came through the ranks at Cardiff and made his debut against Newcastle United in April 1948.
He spent 14 seasons in South Wales, playing in every outfield position for the club bar goalkeeper and centre-forward before joining Exeter City in 1961.
A brilliant servant to the club, Sullivan won 17 caps for Wales and later returned to his hometown to play for Newport County, before finishing his career in non-league football with Hereford United and Ebbw Vale.
Kim Bo-kyung - Brazil 2014
Nation: South Korea
Cardiff Career: 2012-2015
Cardiff Appearances: 64
Cardiff Goals: 3
Position: Attacking Midfielder/Winger
International Appearances: 38
International Goals: 4
World Cup Record: Two substitute appearances
Kim Bo-kyung joined Cardiff City in 2012 for a reported £2.5 million, signing a three-year deal.
He made 28 appearances and scored two goals as the Bluebirds won the Championship title under Malkay Mackay to earn promotion to the Premier League.
The South Korean scored his first and only Premier League goal with an injury-time equaliser in a 2-2 draw against Manchester United at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Kim became the first non-Welsh Cardiff City player to be selected for a FIFA World Cup.
The creative midfielder made two substitute appearances in Brazil, coming off the bench against Russia and Belgium as South Korea finished bottom of their group.
After Cardiff’s relegation, Kim struggled for regular game time and made just two appearances in the first half of the 2014/15 season before leaving by mutual consent in January 2015 and reuniting with Malky Mackay at Wigan Athletic.
Gary Medel - Brazil 2014
Nation: Chile
Cardiff Career: 2013-2014
Cardiff Appearances: 35
Cardiff Goals: 0
Position: Midfielder/Centre-back
International Appearances: 161
International Goals: 7
World Cup Record: Started all four matches
Gary Medel joined Cardiff City from Sevilla in August 2013 for a then club record £11 million.
Nicknamed “The Pitbull”, Medel spent just one season with the Bluebirds, making 35 appearances in all competitions.
He started all four of Chile’s matches at the 2014 World Cup and was one of the standout performers of the tournament, operating as a 5’6 centre-half in a back 3 system.
Medel produced one of the gutsiest performances in tournament history in a last-16 tie with Brazil, playing 108 minutes with a torn thigh muscle before being stretchered off. Chile were ultimately eliminated 3-2 on penalties.
That commitment to his nation is symbolic of a player who went on to become the second-most capped footballer in Chile's history.
Following Cardiff's relegation back to the Championship, Medel joined Inter Milan in the summer of 2014.
Although his stay in South Wales lasted only one season, Medel remains one of the most accomplished internationals ever to wear the Bluebirds shirt.
Aron Gunnarsson - Russia 2018
Nation: Iceland
Cardiff Career: 2011-2019
Cardiff Appearances: 286
Cardiff Goals: 25
Position: Midfielder
International Appearances: 108
International Goals: 5
World Cup Record: Captain in all three matches
Few players are held in higher regard by Cardiff supporters in the modern era than Aron Gunnarsson.
The combative midfielder captained Iceland at their first-ever World Cup, starting all three group matches at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Iceland famously drew 1-1 with Argentina in their opening game, before defeats to Nigeria and Croatia saw them finish bottom of their group. However, reaching the World Cup remains a remarkable achievement in itself for a nation with a population of around 350,000.
Gunnarson joined the Bluebirds in July 2011 and became a mainstay in the side under multiple City managers, helping Cardiff secure promotion to the Premier League in both 2012/13 and 2017/18.
He also played the full 120 minutes in the 2012 Football League Cup final at Wembley, where Malky Mackay's side were narrowly beaten 3-2 on penalties by Liverpool.
A two-time promotion winner and a Player of the Year winner, Gunnarsson remains one of the most revered players of Cardiff City's modern era.
Mark Harris - Qatar 2022
Nation: Wales
Cardiff Career: 2006-2023
Cardiff Appearances: 95
Cardiff Goals: 10
Position: Forward
International Appearances: 17
International Goals: 0
World Cup Record: Unused substitute
Academy graduate Mark Harris was part of the Wales squad under Rob Page that ended a 64-year wait to return to the World Cup.
Harris joined his boyhood club at the age of 8 and progressed through the academy before turning a full-time professional during the 2016/17 season.
He made his first-team debut in January 2017, as a substitute, replacing Greg Halford in a 2-1 defeat to Fulham in the FA Cup, before making his league debut later that season against Wigan Athletic.
Harris had loan spells with Port Vale, Newport County and Wrexham before establishing himself in the Cardiff first team during the 2020/21 season under Neil Harris and Mick McCarthy.
In total, Harris spent seven seasons with the Bluebirds, making 95 appearances and scoring 10 goals.
Although he did not get off the bench in Qatar, his inclusion in Wales' 26-man squad represented a proud moment for himself and the club, making him Cardiff’s sixth Welsh representative at a World Cup.
Rubin Colwill - Qatar 2022
Nation: Wales
Cardiff Career: 2010-Present
Cardiff Appearances: 190
Cardiff Goals: 23
Position: Attacking Midfielder
International Appearances: 10
International Goals: 1
World Cup Record: One appearance
Academy graduate Rubin Colwill became the most recent Cardiff City player to appear at a World Cup.
He came on in the closing stages of Wales’ 3-0 defeat to England in the group stages, replacing Joe Allen in the 81st minute.
It was a lifelong dream fulfilled for Colwill, who, much like Harris, joined his boyhood club at the age of eight and reached football's biggest stage while still representing Cardiff City.
Rob Page had selected Colwill for the 2020 European Championships despite not having a senior cap as of yet, having been impressed by the then 18 year old's potential. He then handed him his senior international debut in June 2021 against France.
Colwill scored his first goal for Wales in a 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic at the Cardiff City Stadium in March 2022.
He became Cardiff's seventh Welsh representative at a World Cup, and fifth to get on the pitch.
Now vice-captain of the Bluebirds, Colwill has played a starring role in his boyhood club's instant return to the Championship and continues to write his own chapter in Cardiff City history.
Final Thoughts
Incredibly, Wales famous 1958 World Cup squad was made up of 22.7% Cardiff City representatives - the most of any club.
From the pioneering members of Jimmy Murphy’s squad to 21st-century international stars such as Gary Medel and Aron Gunnarsson, Cardiff City’s World Cup representatives showcase the club’s rich football heritage.
Some were one-club men, hometown heroes even.
Others arrived from overseas and left their own mark.
In total, ten Cardiff City permanent players have represented the Bluebirds on the biggest stage in world football.
And with academy products like Rubin Colwill setting the standard in the Welsh capital, Cardiff supporters will hope the next World Cup representative is not too far away.
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