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Wrexham fans will be keeping a close eye on proceedings this summer as two of the club's players are set to appear at the World Cup.
For the first time ever, the Red Dragons will have two active players competing in football's greatest tournament, after Scotland called upon club captain Dom Hyam and New Zealand selected fellow defender Liberato Cacace. The duo follow in the footsteps of Dennis Lawrence, the only previous Wrexham player to have graced a World Cup stage, when he represented Trinidad and Tobago at the 2006 tournament held in Germany.
Wrexham were still competing in the National League when the last World Cup took place in Qatar, making their representation by two players this summer a powerful reflection of the club's extraordinary ascent. Here's a look at how Hyam and Cacace performed in their respective pre-tournament warm-up games.
Dom Hyam
Scotland
Hyam earned just his fourth senior international cap when he featured in Scotland's last warm-up fixture. The Wrexham centre-back came off the bench as his side cruised to a 4–0 win over Bolivia in New Jersey.
The seasoned defender had also played the second half of Scotland's 4–1 friendly triumph over World Cup newcomers Curaçao. The 30-year-old received his first international call-up in 2023, then waited almost three years for his next appearance, which came against Côte d'Ivoire in March.
Hyam was an unexpected addition to Steve Clarke's squad and is anticipated to serve as defensive backup this summer, having not seen any action in Scotland's opening World Cup game against Haiti.
Group Stage Fixtures
Haiti vs. Scotland—Saturday, June 13 (9 p.m. ET)
Scotland vs. Morocco—Friday, June 19 (6 p.m. ET)
Scotland vs. Brazil—Wednesday, June 24 (6 p.m. ET)
Liberato Cacace
New Zealand
Cacace is a well-established international with 37 senior caps for New Zealand to his name. The 25-year-old started both warm-up fixtures against Haiti and England as the All Whites suffered consecutive losses. He played only the opening 45 minutes against Haiti but ramped up his preparations by lasting a full hour against England.
The ex-Empoli defender is New Zealand's undisputed first-choice left back and is expected to play in all three group-stage games this summer. The All Whites head into the tournament as the lowest-ranked side in the competition and are making only their third-ever World Cup appearance. New Zealand famously remained the only undefeated team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, drawing all three of their group matches before being knocked out.
"It's every young player's dream to compete at a World Cup," Cacace told BBC Sport. "I've always dreamed of playing in one, and now, with everything I've been through, I hope I can pull on the shirt once more and represent my country on the grandest stage of all.
"On paper, you might say it's a more manageable group, but every single game matters. We'll take it one match at a time and hopefully turn a few heads around the world."
Group Stage Fixtures
Iran vs. New Zealand—Monday, June 15 (9 p.m. ET)
New Zealand vs. Egypt—Sunday, June 21 (9 p.m. ET)
New Zealand vs. Belgium—Friday, June 27 (11 p.m. ET)