Arsenal has always had a wealth of talented international players who have performed great for their home nation. The current squad is no exception. As the FIFA 2022 World Cup approaches in Qatar in November, let’s look at who is likely to make an international appearance from the Gunners for this tournament.
Come November, we will have to turn to the World Cup to get our dose of football after all. The EPL is being put on hold from November until the 25th of December to accommodate this momentous competition. Usually, it would take place in the summer and have no impact on club football. So, let’s use this time to think about who we can expect to see play for their country from Arsenal in the upcoming World Cup.
Bukayo Saka – England
If you wanted to participate in some betting at Fubo or other sportsbooks, Bukayo Saka would be one of our top choices for England’s first goal scorer. He remains an incredible talent and has proven himself time and time again both for Arsenal and England. We also feel that he will have something to prove after missing the final penalty against Italy in Euro 2020.
Aaron Ramsdale – England
In goalkeeper terms, Ramsdale is still incredibly young but already has a great career after his start with Sheffield United. He has been playing with Arsenal since 2021 and is currently the team’s first goalkeeper.
Ramsdale has also played for England in some capacity since 2018, where he has represented the team at the Under 18, 19, 20 and 21 levels. For the senior squad, Ramsdale made his debut in a 10-0 thrashing against San Marino in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
Takehiro Tomiyasu – Japan
Tomiyasu has been a hit signing for Arsenal since joining the team in 2021 and was also named the player of the month in September. He is a talented and hard-working centre-back and has also had decent success with the Japanese national team.
He has played for the Japanese international team since 2018 where he competed in the Kirin Challenge Cup. At such a young age, Tomiyasu was also the first teenager to start in the first team since Ryo Miyaichi. He continues to be a regular for the first team and if healthy, is certain to play in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Bernard Leno – Germany
The German first goalkeeping position has long been held by legendary keeper Manuel Neuer. He remains the top pick and has made over 110 appearances for the German first team. Regardless, we are hopeful that our Bernard Leno will get at least some playing time as the reserve keeper.
Leno has played on and off as the starting keeper for Arsenal, although recently he has been replaced by England international Aaron Ramsdale. Whether or not he makes an appearance in the 2022 FIFA World Cup depends on the health and availability of Manuel Neuer.
Thomas Partey – Ghana
Partey has only been playing for the Gunners since 2020, but he has promise and has been named the Arsenal player of the month previously as well. His Arsenal career so far has been hampered by injury, but he has always been a bright spark with a lot of potential.
Partey has played for the Ghana national team since 2016 when he was called up for the Africa Cup of Nations. In 2018, he notably scored his first international hat-trick in a win against Congo in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
Granit Xhaka – Switzerland
Xhaka is one of the most decorated Swiss national players and has represented them since 2009. In 2009, he played for the Under-17 team that won the UEFA Under-17 World Cup. Currently, he has won over 100 caps for the Swiss first team and has also played for them at the 2014 World Cup, 2018 World Cup and both the 2016 and 2020 Euro Championships.
Funnily enough, Xhaka was never guaranteed to play for Switzerland, and he did originally consider playing for Albania. Apparently, the Swiss international team had been ignoring his efforts.
As you can see, the Gunners have some great international talent. We can’t wait for the World Cup to see them play and watch how they shape up against the best national teams in the world. The tournament should be incredible. It should also be intriguing and something different due to the Middle Eastern location, and the time of year it is being held.