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With the World Cup fresh in collective memories, star players will be shifting their focus onto appearing for their national teams in major continental tournaments this week. With qualification rounds of 2016 Euro Cup and the next Africa Cup of Nations around the corner, many countries are taking on each other in warm-up friendlies starting from Wednesday.
England face Norway in a friendly to be held at Wembley on Wednesday, and head to Switzerland for their first Euro Cup qualifier on Monday. Gary Cahill is the sole Chelsea representative in Roy Hodgson’s side.
Chelsea squad players on international duty
Germany face Argentina in a friendly match tonight, an exciting re-match of the World Cup final, and given the form Andre Schurrle is in, he was always going to be taken by Joachim Loew. On Sunday, Germany face Scotland in Dortmund for their maiden Euro Cup qualifier.
Petr Cech has travelled to Prague and will be hoping to impress for Czech Republic when they take on USA in a friendly on Wednesday and Netherlands in a Euro Cup qualifier on Tuesday.
Spain meet France in a friendly encounter on Thursday, and will pit new signing Loic Remy against Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas and Cesar Azpilicueta. The latter three will most likely feature in a Euro Cup qualifying match against Macedonia on Monday. On Sunday, France will face a Serbian team which will contain Branislav Ivanovic and Nemanja Matic.
Belgium face Australia on Thursday in a friendly match, and later take on Israel in a Euro Cup qualifying match next Tuesday, and their roster includes the names of Thibaut Courtois and Thorgen Hazard. Eden Hazard will not play a role in the friendly match, but could return to the national team for the more important qualifier against Israel.
All eyes will be on new coach Dunga as Brazil return to action after the drubbings received in the last stages of the World Cup in their own backyard. They are playing two friendly matches in the USA soon – against Colombia on Friday and against Ecuador next Tuesday. Ramires, Oscar and Willian have been included for these games, while new signing Filipe Luis has been recalled after appearing for his country for the last time in 2013 Confederations Cup.
John Obi Mikel and Kenneth Omeruo will be appearing for Nigeria as they begin their campaign for the defence of their Africa Cup of Nations crown, facing Congo on Saturday and South Africa next Wednesday.
Mohammed Salah, recently part of a controversy about compulsory military service in his country, is part of his nation’s squad in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers as Egypt take on Senegal on Friday and Tunisia next Wednesday.
International Call-ups for Players on Loan
Christian Atsu (Ghana)
Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso)
Mario Pasalic (Croatia)
International Call Ups for Youth Players
Kurt Zouma (France U-21)
Marco van Ginkel, Nathan Ake (Netherlands U-21)
Andreas Christensen (Denmark U-21)
Nathaniel Chalobah, Jamal Blackman (England U-21)
Lewis Baker, John Swift, Fankaty Dabo (England U-20)
Izzy Brown, Ola Aina, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Charlie Colkett, Alex Kiwomya (England U-19)
Jacob Maddox, Jay DaSilva (England U-17)
