The domestic season may be over but we’re about to head into a ridiculously hectic period of international football with players joining up with their countries for a round of friendlies, major tournaments and World Cup qualifiers.
By our reckoning, 18 members of Mikel Arteta’s 23/24 campaign first team squad will be involved at a senior level in the coming weeks. The remaining 12, which includes those who spent the season away on loan, can relax on the beach.
As a reminder, these are the dates of the two big tournaments…
Euro 2024, Germany
Starts: 14 June
Ends: 14 July
Copa America, USA
Starts: 20 June
Ends: 14 July
Mikel Arteta will return to London Colney for the start of pre-season in the second week of July with players returning in drips and drabs for 10 days before they head Stateside for three fixtures.
‘Big’ friendlies with Manchester United (SoFi, LA) and Liverpool (Lincoln Field, Philly) have already been confirmed for 28 July and 1 August. We expect a third game, against lower calibre opposition, to also happen in LA ahead of the United showdown.
Germany | Kai Havertz
Friendlies
- vs Ukraine, 3 June
- vs Greece, 7 June
Euro 2024
- vs Scotland, 14 June
- vs Hungary, 19 June
- vs Switzerland, 23 June
Scotland | Kieran Tierney
Friendlies
- vs Gibraltar, 3 June
- vs Finland, 7 June
Euro 2024
- vs Germany, 14 June
- vs Switzerland, 19 June
- vs Hungary, 23 June
Spain | David Raya
Friendlies
- vs Andorra, 5 June
- vs Northern Ireland, 8 June
Euro 2024
- vs Croatia, 15 June
- vs Italy, 20 June
- vs Albania, 24 June
Italy | Jorginho
Friendlies
- vs Turkey, 4 June
- vs Bosnia & Herzegovina, 9 June
Euro 2024
- vs Albania, 15 June
- vs Spain, 20 June
- vs Croatia, 24 June
Poland | Jakub Kiwior
Friendlies
- vs Ukraine, 7 June
- vs Turkey, 10 June
Euro 2024
- vs Netherlands, 16 June
- vs Austria, 21 June
- vs France, 25 June
England | Bukayo Saka, Aaron Ramsdale, Declan Rice
Friendlies
- vs Bosnia & Herzegovina, 3 June
- vs Iceland, 7 June
Euro 2024
- vs Serbia, 16 June
- vs Denmark, 20 June
- vs Slovenia, 25 June
France | William Saliba
Friendlies
- vs Luxembourg, 5 June
- vs Canada, 9 June
Euro 2024
- vs Austria, 17 June
- vs Netherlands, 21 June
- vs Poland, 25 June
Belgium | Leandro Trossard
Friendlies
- vs Montenegro, 5 June
- vs Luxembourg, 8 June
Euro 2024
- vs Slovakia, 17 June
- vs Romania, 22 June
- vs Ukraine, 26 June
Ukraine | Oleksandr Zinchenko
Friendlies
- vs Germany, 3 June
- vs Poland, 7 June
- vs Moldova, 11 June
Euro 2024
- vs Romania, 17 June
- vs Slovakia, 21 June
- vs Belgium, 26 June
Brazil | Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Martinelli
Friendlies
- vs Mexico, 9 June
- vs USA, 13 June
Copa America
- vs Costa Rica, 25 June
- vs Paraguay, 29 June
- vs Colombia, 3 July
Estonia | Karl Hein
Friendlies
- vs Switzerland, 4 June
- vs Faroe Islands, 8 June
Japan | Takehiro Tomiyasu
WC qualifiers
- vs Myanmar, 6 June
- vs Syria, 11 June
Ghana | Thomas Partey
WC qualifiers
- vs Mali, 6 June
- vs Central African Republic, 10 June
Norway | Martin Odegaard
Friendlies
- vs Kosovo, 5 June
- vs Denmark, 8 June
Egypt | Mo Elneny
WC qualifiers
- Vs Burkina Faso, 6 June
- Vs Guinea-Bissau, 10 June
NOT SELECTED
Ben White
Jurrien Timber
Cedric Soares
Emile Smith Rowe
Fabio Vieira
Eddie Nketiah
Gabriel Jesus
Reiss Nelson
Arthur Okonkwo
Nuno Tavares
Sambi Lokonga
Marquinhos
Impressed with the variety of nationalities we have! One per country apart from England and Brazil, both of who have a decent chance of winning, though let’s see…
Unless England exits through the South Gate again.
England… winning. Such a strange sound those yeo words together in one sentence. Like “pizza” and “mustard”. Or “City” and “fairness”
I’m sure Ben White will be staring at the tv screen, consumed by nervous energy, biting his nails and praying for the right result.
But that’s enough about the final of love island. I’m really looking forward to the Euros.
I’m surprised ESR and Eddie were not selected for the u21s again, since the qualifications appear to be “was once under 21”. I guess they didn’t play enough last season?
Nope, it’s for Players born on or after 1 January 2002
Ah that makes sense, only players that were under 21 one-and-a-half years ago.
Lower calibre opposition…spurs?
Surely not that low?
I honestly don’t think you’d measure sh*t in “calibre”. They’re more.. fluid. 🙂
Cedric and Elneny are out of contract before the interlul begins I think
Their current contracts run until 30 June.
FFS, I forgot we have Marquinhos!
Is that a direct quote from Edu?
TIL (or “Today I learned”) that Denmark are playing Norway in a friendly next Saturday. I had no idea. Thanks, Arseblog! That said, I couldn’t give a *censored* about the Euros. I’m Ben White. I don’t watch football 🙂 Sorry.. on to my (utterly boring) question. We keep calling Kai “Havertz” – not “HaFerts” as would normally be the german pronounciation. V sounds like F. Any german gooners in? My german is pretty decent, but isn’t he “Hafertz”? Some drunk gooner told me (also a drunk gooner at the time) it was because he’s of some.. other-than-german descent, so his… Read more »
Or Hawertz? Used to do training in Germany with my boss who’s name was Vaughan which every German pronounced as Vaughan. 🤷🏼♂️
*Waughan, damn predictive text
havertz all day long…
(i‘m only swiss-german)
Still the best german speaking country at football [Euro 24 pending…]
My pet peeve is “Haysus”
Or Charles Watts making Nwaneri rhyme with Ranieri.
timber deserves a call up this is an outrage
I rather like the sentiment behind him not getting called up. He would be gutted, no doubt, bur this is ample opportunity to put the last year behind and get ready and ridiculously fit for the new one.
Himself, GJ9, and Ben White are now players with points to prove next year. I am smacking my lips already at what we could see from them!
His twin brother just missed the cut and that has provoked some debate.
He fell on a selector
Unless he’s Messi, you can’t call up someone who has played 30 minutes of competitive football since August. I actually think the Netherlands should have called up Bjen Van Wit.
The sarcasm here is going to be lost on everyone.
Sambi’s gonna be pissed. Toys out of the pram whenever his name isn’t first on the national team sheet.
Is the Sesko talk heating up or am i dreaming. When all the rags jump on a story there’s usually something there.
Break out the Arseblog “give a fuck-o-meter”! Mine is around where Ben White’s is which is to say far below zero
Lalalalala
Ok , I admit, I’m a Pasdy
Oops
A Paddy