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Bundesliga dominates EURO 2008

The Bundesliga is the dominating league at EURO 2008: 55 Bundesliga players were called up into the 16 final squads of 23 players each for the tournament.

The figures are based on the 2007/08 season that will end on June 30 and excludes players from lower-league clubs.

"Well ahead of the Premier League"

The Bundesliga is well ahead of the English Premier League (42 players) in second place just as it had been at the 2006 World Cup, the Spanish Primera Division is third with 41 players.

"This is a proof of quality for the Bundesliga", League President Dr. Reinhard Rauball. DFL Chief Executive Officer for Competition Holger Hieronymus adds: "These figures prove that the Bundesliga is in good odour across all borders. We are delighted about this appreciation and hope that the Bundesliga players will call attention to themselves at the EURO.�

A rise by three per cent

Another interesting fact is that Joachim Löw's colleagues increasingly bank on Bundesliga palyers, too: the percentage of Bundesliga players has risen by three per cent, compared to the 2006 World Cup.

Altogether roughly twelve per cent of all players of the 15 European national teams play in the Bundesliga. The squads of Switzerland, Croatia and Czech Republic all have a particularly high percentage of Bundesliga players with more than 25 per cent each.

Bayern in third place

Another pleasant fact: French double winners Olympique Lyonnais and Greek runners-up Panathinaikos FC (ten players each) are the two only clubs with more players at EURO 2008 than FC Bayern München with nine players - more players than FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Arsenal FC or Chelsea FC.

And Bayern are not the only German club in the "Top ten": Werder Bremen (8 players) and Hamburger SV (6) are also among them.

The Bundesliga had already provided the most players for the 32 qualified countries with 84 players at the 2006 World Cup. The English Premier League had supplied 83 players. The Premier League had still been ahead of the Bundesliga at the 2002 World Cup.

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