Mar 30, 2026, 11:21 AM
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With Arsenal sitting top of the Premier League and on course for their first league title since 2004, they find themselves amid an injury crisis.
Ten of Mikel Arteta's first-team squad have pulled out of international fixtures this window with different injury issues, with a trio of players exiting Thomas Tuchel's England squad on Saturday.
Whether or not those ten are available come Arsenal's FA Cup quarterfinal against Southampton on April 4 has not yet been confirmed.
ESPN takes a look at which Arsenal players have actually played for their nation this March and how other Premier League sides compare to their mass group of withdrawals.
- Zubimendi becomes 10th Arsenal player to pull out of international duty
Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke have all left the England camp. Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Who did play?
It wasn't all injuries and gloom for Arteta's side with a number of first-team players in action.
Viktor Gyökeres bagged a stunning hat trick for Sweden in their World Cup playoff semifinal against Ukraine last week and will lead the line in the final on Tuesday against Poland.
Christian Nørgaard and Ben White were also on the scoresheet for Denmark and England in their respective fixtures while Riccardo Calafiori played 90 minutes in Italy's playoff semifinal win against Northern Ireland.
Kai Havertz also started for Germany in a 4-3 win against Switzerland with Cristhian Mosquera making his Spain debut in a friendly against Serbia,
Out of the fold for the senior squad, Myles Lewis-Skelly turned out for England's Under-21 team in a draw against Andorra with youngster Max Dowman playing for the U19 side.
Before eventually pulling out of their respective squads, Martín Zubimendi played 13 minutes for Spain and Piero Hincapié was on the pitch for 72 minutes for Ecuador against Morocco.
Arsenal's mass international exodus
Top of the Premier League and top of this list for international withdrawals in the league is by far and away Arsenal.
Gabriel Magalhães: "After the game... [Gabriel] complained of pain in his right knee," Brazil said.
William Saliba: The second half of Arsenal's defensive duo withdrew from the France squad with a "left ankle injury."
Jurriën Timber: Timber missed the Carabao Cup final with an injury and Netherlands deemed that the defender had not yet sufficiently recovered to be considered for action.
Eberechi Eze: Another player who missed the Carabao Cup final, Eze could be out for a while due to a "calf injury" and was unable to take any part in England's March friendlies.
Declan Rice: Not involved in England's first game of the international window against Uruguay, Rice returned to Arsenal for a "medical assessment."
Bukayo Saka: Like Rice, Saka was a a part of the England group rested for the Uruguay game, he also pulled out for a "medical assessment."
Noni Madueke: Madueke was forced off in the first-half of England's draw with Uruguay and Tuchel's comments after the game failed to quell fears on the severity of the problem.
"I'm worried, of course, because I think he was a difference-maker today. [I'm] very sad and upset and hopefully it's not a big injury," Tuchel said.
Hincapié: After playing against Morocco, Hincapié left the Ecuador camp after an evaluation on "medical and imaging tests," according to the south American nation.
Leandro Trossard:Belgium said that Trossard was not fit enough to play any part in their March friendlies, despite playing the lion's share of Arsenal's Carabao Cup final defeat to Man City just before the international window.
Zubimendi: The tenth and final withdrawal (so far) was Spain's Zubimendi. The midfielder played the closing stages of their friendly against Serbia but then withdrew from the squad right after with "discomfort in his right knee."
How do other sides compare?
Man United's attacking duo have pulled out from international contention this March. Michael Regan/Getty Images
Like their Premier League points tally, Arsenal's rivals are left in the dust in terms of international withdrawals.
Thus far, Pep Guardiola's Man City have just the one player who has pulled out in John Stones.
"John Stones is returning to Manchester City for assessment after picking up an issue in training prior to Friday night's 1-1 draw with Uruguay," England said.
Top four-chasing Liverpool have also had just one player return from international duties with Federico Chiesa back on Merseyside after Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso said he had some "physical issues", an unfortunate theme of his time in England.
Michael Carrick's Manchester United revival is still going strong as they sit six points clear of Liverpool in third. And with their Champions League hopes not yet a certainty strikers Benjamin Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo remained at the club during the March international window as a "precaution" in Mbeumo's case and for Sesko to "fully recover from an issue."