World Cup qualifiers and preparations for this summer’s finals are in store next week for a host of our Gunners as the international break comes to an end.
A trio of stars are in make-or-break World Cup playoff semi-final action, with one forward in America and three other players in Spain.
quartet withdraw
With many stars playing, four of our squad have withdrawn from international duty.
After going off in the first half against Uruguay, Noni Madueke will not participate in England’s second international friendly against Japan at Wembley.
Noni will be returning to the Sobha Realty Training Centre alongside Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, who didn’t feature against the South Americans on Friday.
The trio make up eight withdrawals from Thomas Tuchel’s squad, including former Gunner Aaron Ramsdale, Fikayo Tomori, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, John Stones and Adam Wharton.
Lastly, Piero Hincapie has withdrawn from the Ecuadorian national team following their 1-1 draw with Morocco in Madrid.
Piero will return to north London instead of heading to Eindhoven, where Ecuador will face the Netherlands.
Read more
Superb Gyokeres hat-trick fires Sweden to win
showdowns in Europe
Elsewhere, Viktor Gyokeres, Riccardo Calafiori and Christian Norgaard are hoping to get their nations to the World Cup in Mexico, USA and Canada.
Fresh from his fine hat-trick, Viktor’s Sweden will host Poland in a rematch of the 2022 World Cup playoffs.
Christian was also in the goals, heading home for Denmark in a 4-0 win over North Macedonia. The Danes will now head to Prague to take on Czechia after they downed Ireland.
Lastly, Riccardo is in action in Bosnia and Herzegovina after Italy dispatched Northern Ireland 2-0 in Bergamo.
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What our Gunners need to reach the World Cup
More Gunner goals?
Fresh from his first England goal, Ben White will be hoping to be involved once more as the Three Lions face Japan at Wembley.
Ben prodded home from close range in the draw against Uruguay in his first appearance for his country since 2022.
Kai Havertz also made a return to his national team, starting for Germany for the first time since 2024 in a 4-3 win over Switzerland. Germany now face Ghana in Stuttgart on Monday.
Cristhain Mosquera will be hoping to add to his debut for Spain when La Roja face Egypt. The defender came off the bench late on in the 3-0 win over Serbia for his maiden cap.
Gabriel Martinelli and Brazil will round off the internationals for our Gunners when they face Croatia in Egypt in the early hours of Wednesday, April 1.
Our first match back from international duty will be the Emirates FA Cup quarter-final against Southampton at St Mary’s on Saturday, April 4 at 8pm.
FULL LIST OF CONFIRMED INTERNATIONAL GAMES
*all times UK
Wednesday, March 25
England U19 0-2 Serbia U19
Max Dowman started, played 88 minutes
Thursday, March 26
Denmark 4-0 North Macedonia
Christian Norgaard netted late on in the victory
Italy 2-0 Northern Ireland
Riccardo Calafiori played the full 90 minutes, kept a clean sheet
Ukraine 1-3 Sweden
Viktor Gyokeres netted a hat-trick
Brazil 1-2 France
Gabriel Martinelli played 62 minutes
Friday, March 27
Andorra U21 1-1 England U21
Lewis-Skelly played the full 90 minutes
England 1-1 Uruguay
Madueke started, White scored off the bench
Switzerland 3-4 Germany
Havertz started, played 62 minutes
Spain 3-0 Serbia
Mosquera made debut, Zubimendi played 13 minutes, Raya unused sub
Morocco 1-1 Ecuador
Hincapie started, played 72 minutes
Monday, March 30
Germany (Havertz) v Ghana
Friendly | Stuttgart | 7.45pm
Tuesday, March 31
Portugal U19s v England U19s (Dowman)
Euro U19 Qualifier | Guimaraes, Portugal | 4pm
England U21s (Lewis-Skelly, Setford) v Moldova U21s
Euro U21 qualifier | Norwich | 7pm
Bosnia and Herzegovina v Italy (Calafiori)
World Cup qualifier | Zenica | 7.45pm
Czech Republic v Denmark (Norgaard)
World Cup qualifier | Prague | 7.45pm
Sweden (Gyokeres) v Poland
World Cup qualifier | Solna | 7.45pm
England (White) v Japan
Friendly | London | 7.45pm
Spain (Mosquera, Raya, Zubimendi) v Egypt
Friendly | Cornella | 8 p.m
Wednesday, April 1
Brazil (Martinelli) v Croatia
Friendly | Orlando USA | 1am
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