Albion will have two of their World Cup stars back with them for the first pre-season friendly on English soil.

Australian goalkeeper Mathew Ryan and Nigerian central defender Leon Balogun return for the Seagulls' Premier League preparations prior to the game at AFC Wimbledon on July 21.

Colombian winger Jose Izquierdo will be back slightly later after the South Americans progressed further in Russia.

Ryan, Balogun and Izquierdo are currently on extended leave during the training camp for their team-mates in Austria this week and Saturday's opening pre-season friendly against St Gallen in Switzerland (2pm).

Ryan's Australia and Balogun's Nigeria were knocked out in the group stages, but Izquierdo's Colombia reached the last 16 before losing on penalties to England.

Izquierdo will be reunited with his Albion team-mates on July 24, the date of their second English friendly away to Charlton (7.45pm).

Manager Chris Hughton believes Izquierdo will benefit from his World Cup experience in his second season with the Seagulls after a promising debut campaign in which he finished third in the scoring chart with five goals.

His form for Albion earned him a late call-up into Jose Pekerman's Colombian squad.

Izquierdo started their opening defeat by Japan, then stayed on the bench for wins against Poland and Senegal and the exit against England.

Pekerman made four changes in normal time and extra-time against Gareth Southgate's semi-finalists, surprisingly without calling on Izquierdo's pacey attributes and capacity for spectacular goals.

Hughton told The Argus: "I was very much expecting him to come on.

"But it's great experience for him, particularly because his circumstances were different.

"He didn't play any minutes at all from qualifying, he has gone from not being involved to playing in the first game."

Ryan played in his second World Cup, but it was also recent signing Balogun's first after he missed out on Brazil in 2014 through injury.