Andoni Iraola has confirmed Liverpool’s World Cup players have been granted a three-week break, with six players already on post-tournament holidays.
Eight Liverpool players have been involved at this summer’s World Cup, but only two remain in action as the tournament reaches the semi-finals.
While Alexis Mac Allister and new signing Victor Munoz remain in the United States, there were early exits for Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch, Cody Gakpo, Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and later Alisson.
None of those six players are expected back at the AXA Training Centre for day one of pre-season on Tuesday.
Instead, Iraola has maintained protocol with a three-week break for players upon the conclusion of their time at the World Cup – as has long been the case for Liverpool with major international tournaments.
“I think it is what it is, we cannot change it. I think players deserve a break,” he told reporters on Friday.
“The ones that have been in the World Cup deserve these three weeks so they can enjoy their time with friends, family, thinking of other things.
“Even physically, some of them need a rest after a very busy season.”
When Liverpool’s World Cup players are due back
Virgil Van Dijk of Netherlands and team mates applaud the fans after the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group F match between Netherlands and Japan at Dallas Stadium (Credit: Craig Mercer/ Alamy Live News)
With a three-week break, that would see Wirtz due back around July 21, Van Dijk, Gravenberch, Gakpo and Isak on July 22 and Alisson on July 27.
By that point, Liverpool will have already embarked on their post-season tour of the United States, where they will be based on Chicago ahead of friendlies against Sunderland, Wrexham and Leeds in three different cities.
The likelihood is that all six will report back separately to the US camp, before taking in initial fitness tests and then gaining minutes on the pitch.
Mac Allister and Munoz are already guaranteed to miss the tour and are instead guaranteed to be due back around August 9/10.
Argentina's Lionel Messi (10) celebrates scoring his side's first goal against Austria with teammates during the World Cup Group J soccer match in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Monday, June 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
That means they will only be available for the final warmup friendly of pre-season, which sees Liverpool host Italian side Como on August 16.
Iraola can work with around 15 first-team players from the start of the summer while the club’s recruitment team remain busy in their efforts to add to his squad.
But there is also an expectation that Iraola will promote a number of youngsters from the academy, with 15-year-old Josh Abe among those primed to join the senior setup in America.