The 2022 FIFA World Cup kicks off this weekend, with Arsenal having quite a good representation of players out in Qatar hopeful of winning football’s biggest prize on the international stage.
With Bukayo Saka set to star for England and William Saliba expected to feature heavily for France, there’s a good chance that one lucky Arsenal player could return to north London in December with a World Cup winners medal strapped around their necks. Yet for some of the club’s top names, they won’t even be out in Qatar this winter.
From missing out on the final squad selection to their nations not even qualifying for the competition, Arsenal in total will have just ten first-team members out in Qatar whilst the rest of the team enjoy a much-needed break in what is slowly becoming one of the Gunners’ best seasons in recent memory.
Indeed, Mikel Arteta’s side are expected to play some friendlies during this World Cup break, and here is the best XI Arsenal could use in the coming weeks whilst some of their top players are out in the Middle East competition in Qatar.
Gabriel misses out on Brazil call-up as Tierney and Holding start in defence
Arsenal’s World Cup participants were arguably very easy to predict given which nations had qualified and who was playing regularly for the Premier League leaders. However, one player who will be feeling shattered about not making the competition is Gabriel Magalhaes.
The Brazilian centre-back has been a rock for the Gunners this season alongside Saliba. And whilst Brazil’s defence pool is one of the deepest in international football, Gabriel missing out feels especially harsh, with the 24-year-old yet to represent his country at any level.
As for the rest of the defence, uncapped English defender Rob Holding joins Kieran Tierney in the backline, with Scotland once again missing out on the World Cup as recent Arsenal debutant and Estonia international Karl Hein starts in goal with Matt Turner and Aaron Ramsdale off in Qatar.
Zinchenko and Odegaard miss out on World Cup qualifying alongside Elneny
Every football fan was rooting for Ukraine in the play-off stage of UEFA qualifying for the World Cup, with Arsenal’s £32m new left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko the captain of the eastern European nation. However, it was Wales who pipped the spot, with the former Manchester City star joining the likes of Martin Odegaard and Mohamed Elneny at home.
Indeed, Albert Sambi Lokonga was also not named in Belgium’s World Cup squad. Yet such is Arsenal’s midfield depth that the youngster doesn’t even make our XI, as does Cedric Soares, who missed out on a call-up from Portugal despite over 30 appearances from the 2016 Euro winners.
With Reiss Nelson and Fabio Vieira regulars at youth level for their respective countries, it makes sense why the duo were not named for the World Cup by their senior teams, with the pair not regulars for Arsenal to warrant call-ups for a competition as big as Qatar. Though their time will no doubt come in the years to come.
Smith Rowe injury rules forward out of England contention for Qatar
If there was ever an Arsenal academy graduate who had a realistic chance of joining Saka in the England squad, that player would have been Emile Smith Rowe, who made his senior debut for the Three Lions last year and scored on his debut in 10-0 win against San Marino.
Sadly, the 22-year-old has spent the majority of the season out on the sidelines, with the versatile attacker playing just 47 minutes of football all campaign as Smith Rowe went under the knife to repair a reoccurring groin injury, a procedure which, in theory, should greatly reduce his worrying amount of injuries.
As well as Smith Rowe, Eddie Nkeitah will also remain at home for the World Cup, with the all-time England U-21 goalscorer yet to catch Gareth Southgate’s eye despite an impressive season with Arsenal as their main cup competition striker.
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