There have been athletes who have won the World Cup without participating in even a single second of the competition.

Some big stars, like Baresi and Alphonse Areola, lifted it and went on to have successful careers.

Some athletes, like Germany's Erik Durm, won the World Cup before completely disappearing from the sport.

Managers are putting the finishing touches on their squad lists for when the current international break ends, as the FIFA World Cup draws nearer and nearer.

Despite selecting a large team with the intention of having everyone contribute, some players may not be required in the majority of games and end up sitting on the bench for the duration of the tournament.

Even though they never played a single minute, some legendary players have won the World Cup. According to the Mirror, these six players won it without ever playing a single hand.

Athletes who have won the World Cup without participating in a single game

Franco Baresi

It is baffling to discover that Baresi never actually played a single minute when Italy won the 1982 World Cup. He earned all of his 81 caps after the Azzuri lifted the trophy that year. He was just 22 during the tournament in Spain.

Angelo Peruzzi

In 2006, the Italians won the World Cup again; this time, Angelo Peruzzi was on the sidelines. Peruzzi was an influential figure for Italy and was their first-choice goalkeeper during Euro 1996.

Raul Albiol

Raul Albiol is still a regular in the Spanish top flight. He was part of Spain's golden generation that won the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 Euros. Unfortunately, he did not play a single minute for Vicente del Bosque's side.

Erik Durm

Durm had a breakout season for Borussia Dortmund before the 2014 World Cup and became one of Germany's youngest players. But unfortunately, he didn't make it to the pitch and would earn just 7 caps for Germany.

Alphonse Areola

The West Ham goalkeeper was part of France's 2018 World Cup winning squad. However, since Hugo Lloris was captain, it wasn't easy to dislodge the Tottenham Hotspur star from the starting spot.

Adil Rami

Rami was another member of France's 2018 World Cup triumph. The form of Raphael Varane and Samuel Umtiti as a pair made it difficult for Rami to get a sniff in Russia. He earned his 36th and final cap later that year.