16 Arsenal players were called up for international duty over the March break, let’s have a look at how they’re all getting on.
The March international break is now underway, with 16 Arsenal players initially receiving a call-up from their countries.
Among them, Myles Lewis-Skelly received his first call-up from England, and Martin Odegaard returned to the Norway squad for the first time since his injury with the team in September.
Kieran Tierney also made a long-awaited comeback with Scotland, with his injury at Euro 2024 keeping him out of the September, October, and November breaks.
There are some notable absentees, including injured quartet Bukayo Saka, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Gabriel Jesus, and Kai Havertz. Loanee Albert Sambi Lokonga hasn’t been selected after his own injury problems this season, and Gabriel Martinelli has also been left out after recently returning to fitness.
The same is true for Ben White, who is reportedly back in contention for England minutes but just wasn’t quite back to full fitness for this one.
Jorginho continues to miss out for Italy, and Ethan Nwaneri has only stepped up to the England u21s this time, rather than making the jump straight to the first team.
Arsenal March international call-ups
Oleksandr Zinchenko (Ukraine), David Raya and Mikel Merino (Spain), Gabriel Magalhaes (Brazil), William Saliba (France), Kieran Tierney (Scotland), Declan Rice and Myles Lewis-Skelly (England), Jurrien Timber (Netherlands), Jakub Kiwior (Poland), Riccardo Calafiori (Italy), Thomas Partey (Ghana), Martin Odegaard (Norway), Leandro Trossard (Belgium), Karl Hein (Estonia), and Nuno Tavares (Portugal) were all initially called up.
Tavares pulled out before Portugal’s first game due to injury, and Calafiori withdrew after Italy’s first match due to an injury setback of his own. Brazil’s Gabriel also pulled out after picking up a yellow card that sees him suspended for their second match.
Arsenal March international fixtures and results
Thursday, March 20th
- Netherlands 2-2 Spain – Nations League quarter-final – Merino played 12 minutes and scored Spain’s late equaliser. Timber was absent from this match due to illness, and Unai Simon started over Raya, letting two goals in.
- Croatia 2-0 France – Nations League quarter-final – Saliba played 90 minutes for France.
- Italy 1-2 Germany – Nations League quarter-final – Calafiori completed the full 90 minutes for Italy but suffered an injury right at the end of the match that subsequently forced him to pull out of the international break.
- Ukraine 3-1 Belgium – Nations League pro/rel play-off – Zinchenko played 90 minutes and provided an assist for Ukraine, Trossard played 80 minutes for Belgium.
- Greece 0-1 Scotland – Nations League pro/rel play-off – Tierney came on as a substitute for 14 minutes for Scotland.
Friday, March 21st
- Brazil 2-1 Colombia – World Cup qualifier – Gabriel played the full 90 minutes for Brazil but picked up a yellow card that earned him a suspension for their next game against Argentina. As a result, he pulled out of the international break.
- Ghana 5-0 Chad – World Cup qualifier – Partey played 83 minutes for Ghana.
- England 2-0 Albania – World Cup qualifier – Lewis-Skelly played 89 minutes for England, scoring a debut goal and winning the Player of the Match award. Rice played 82 minutes and provided an assist for England’s other goal.
- Poland 1-0 Lithuania – World Cup qualifier – Kiwior played 90 minutes for Poland, helping them to a clean sheet.
Saturday, March 22nd
- Moldova 0-5 Norway – World Cup qualifier – Odegaard played 90 minutes for Norway and provided an assist.
- Israel 2-1 Estonia – World Cup qualifier – Hein played 45 minutes for Estonia and scored an own goal.
Sunday, March 23rd
- Scotland 0-3 Greece – Nations League pro/rel play-off – Tierney played 35 minutes as a substitute for Scotland.
- Spain 3-3 Netherlands (5-4 on penalties) – Nations League quarter-final – Merino played 36 minutes as a substitute and scored in the penalty shootout. Raya didn’t feature, and Timber remained absent with the same illness that kept him out of the first leg.
- France 2-0 Croatia (5-4 on penalties) – Nations League quarter-final – Saliba played 120 minutes and helped France to a clean sheet.
- Belgium 3-0 Ukraine – Nations League pro/rel play-off – Zinchenko played 90 minutes for Ukraine and Trossard played 69 minutes for Belgium.
Monday, March 24th
- Madagascar 0-3 Ghana – World Cup qualifier – Partey played 90 minutes for Ghana and scored a brace.
- England 3-0 Latvia – World Cup qualifier – Rice and Lewis-Skelly both played 79 minutes, with Rice providing his second assist of the break and Lewis-Skelly helping England to their second clean sheet.
- Poland 2-0 Malta – World Cup qualifier – Kiwior played 90 minutes and helped Poland to keep a clean sheet.
Tuesday, March 25th
- 17:00 – Moldova vs Estonia – World Cup qualifier
- 19:45 – Israel vs Norway – World Cup qualifier