Chelsea players playing the World cup qualifiers and friendlies: The season’s last international break has arrived, with a mix of important World Cup qualifiers and friendly matches dominating the football schedule in the coming days.
As usual, a number of Chelsea players have joined their national teams, with some expecting to return to Cobham next week after helping their country qualify for Qatar 2022.
In Europe and Africa, there are World Cup play-off matches, whereas the Americas have more qualifications. Scotland’s play-off semi-final against Ukraine has been postponed until June, thus Billy Gilmour, like the rest of Europe, will be playing in friendlies this week.
World Cup Qualifying – UEFA
Italy: Jorginho and Emerson Palmieri — Italy faces North Macedonia in a World Cup play-off semi-final on Thursday in Palermo. If they win that game, they will play Portugal or Turkey for a place in the World Cup on Tuesday, away from home.
Wales: Ethan Ampadu — The Welsh face Austria in a play-off semi-final in Cardiff on Thursday, hoping to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1958. If they won, they were supposed to host the winner of the Scotland versus Ukraine play-off, but as the match has been rescheduled for June, Wales will play in any play-off final that month. Instead, they’ll play a yet-to-be-determined friendly next week.
World Cup Qualifying – CAF
Senegal: Edouard Mendy – Two-legged play-off finals will determine the five African World Cup participants. Senegal will face Egypt, whom they recently defeated on penalties in the Africa Cup of Nations final, in which Mendy played a key role. The first leg is on Friday in Cairo, with the return match on Tuesday in Diamniadio’s new 50,000-seat national stadium.
Ghana: We can’t confirm if Baba Rahman is playing because they haven’t revealed their squad in order to ‘confuse’ their opponents in Nigeria. The first leg takes place at home on Friday, with the second leg taking place away on Tuesday.
World Cup Qualifying – CONCACAF
USA: Christian Pulisic — CONCACAF qualifying ends this international window, with the US needing at least five points from their three games to clinch a top-three finish and a spot in Qatar. On Friday, they go to Mexico, on Monday, they face Panama at home, and on Thursday, they travel to Costa Rica (UK times). In Mexico and Costa Rica, they have never won a World Cup qualifier.
World Cup Qualifying – CONMEBOL
Brazil: Thiago Silva – Although Brazil has already qualified for the World Cup, they will play Chile at home on Thursday and Bolivia away in the early hours of next Wednesday morning UK time.
Friendlies
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Croatia: Mateo Kovacic – Friendlies in Doha against Slovenia on Saturday and Bulgaria on Tuesday.
England: Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher – Friendlies at Wembley against Switzerland on Saturday and Ivory Coast on Tuesday. Reece James has withdrawn through injury.
France: N’Golo Kante – Friendlies against Ivory Coast in Marseille on Friday, and South Africa in Lille on Tuesday.
Germany: Toni Rudiger, Kai Havertz, and Timo Werner – Friendlies at home to Israel in Sinsheim (home of Hoffenheim) on Saturday, and away to the Netherlands in Amsterdam on Tuesday. Rudiger’s next appearance will be his 50th cap for his country.
Spain: Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso – Friendlies at home to Albania in Barcelona on Saturday and at home to Iceland in A Coruna on Tuesday.
Albania: Armando Broja – Friendlies away to Spain in Barcelona on Saturday and at home to Georgia in Tirana on Tuesday.
Belgium: Michy Batshuayi – Friendlies away to Ireland in Dublin on Saturday and at home to Burkina Faso in Anderlecht on Tuesday. No players with 50 caps or more have been selected by Roberto Martinez, hence Romelu Lukaku’s absence.
Scotland: Billy Gilmour – Friendly at home to Poland on Thursday and another on Tuesday away to either Wales or Austria.
