Arsenal are missing 10 players due the World Cup break this November and December. The Gunners went into the Premier League’s hiatus five points clear of second-place Manchester City. Arsenal have not won the Premier League since 2003-04 and fans are dreaming of the first title in nearly two decades.
The 10 Arsenal players competing in the FIFA World Cup will be a part of seven teams in the Middle East. Arsenal have the 15th-most members from the same club playing in this year’s World Cup. Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, and Tottenham Hotspur are the only Premier League teams to have more players competing in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Arsenal’s Premier League title rival, Newcastle United, are the only team fighting for the trophy with fewer players in Qatar.
Arsenal will resume their Premier League season on December 26 against West Ham. Fans are debating whether or not Arsenal can win the match and remain five points ahead of Man City in the standings.
Several players from the core of Arsenal’s starting XI are away at the World Cup. The Gunners, fortunately, did not lose captain Martin Odegaard, who is in the Arsenal training camp during the Premier League break. Odegaard is also Arsenal’s top scorer.
Which Arsenal players are at the 2022 FIFA World Cup?
Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus is the highest-profile player from the club to play in the tournament. Jesus is a part of the Brazil squad, who is the bookmakers’ favourite to win the World Cup. Jesus may play for the sportsbooks’ favourites to win the tournament, but Arsenal’s other players in Qatar will hope to achieve football immortality.
Jesus isn’t the only Arsenal star playing for Brazil. Forward Gabriel Martinelli is also in the squad. He will hope to get playing time, but Brazil have plenty of attacking options.
Switzerland midfielder Granit Xhaka is in the squad and will be key to the team’s chances of progression to the knockout stages. Meanwhile, fellow midfielder Thomas Partey will represent Ghana.
Arsenal defenders William Saliba and Takehiro Tomiyasu will represent France and Japan, respectively. In addition, backup goalkeeper Matt Turner will line up in goal for the United States. The former New England Revolution player isn’t a regular or Mikel Arteta but remains the No 1 for Gregg Berhalter’s USMNT.
Three Arsenal players will wear the England shirt in Qatar. Defender Ben White, winger Bukayo Saka, and goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale are in the Three Lions squad. Arteta will have plenty of players staying behind to train and prepare for the next part of the Premier League campaign.
What are Arsenal’s World Cup plans?
Arsenal will play two friendlies to stay fresh during the World Cup 2022 break. The Gunners will resume their Premier League campaign after Christmas. They will resume the Europa League tournament in February.
The friendlies help keep Arsenal’s players in match sharpness and hopefully enable them to continue the fight for the Premier League title. The friendlies won’t take place until after the World Cup’s group and last 16 finish. The timing will give some of Arsenal’s players in Qatar the chance to return to the London club.
Arsenal’s first friendly will take place Thursday, December 8. The game will see Arsenal play Lyon in Dubai. The Gunners will play AC Milan five days later. Both matches will be held at the Al Maktoum Stadium.
