Every Arsenal player’s performance at the 2022 World Cup – ranked

Well, wasn’t that the perfect conclusion?

Lionel Messi embraced, embarked and completed his ultimate fairytale in Qatar as a quite magnificent World Cup concluded with the game’s greatest-ever player lifting aloft the most lucrative prize after an all-time classic of a final.

Perfect.

For Arsenal supporters, their interest in the tournament ended after Bukayo Saka’s quarter-final elimination as the majority of the ten Gooners competing in the Middle East struggled to assert themselves.

Every Arsenal player’s performance at the 2022 World Cup – ranked

Here’s a ranking of each Arsenal’s player performance at the 2022 World Cup.

10. Gabriel Jesus (Brazil)

Minutes: 92

Goals: 0

Assists: 0

Struggled on his only start which saw him chastised by Brazilian supporters online and managed to pick up a knee injury that’ll keep him out of action for a prolonged period.

9. Ben White (England)

Minutes: 0

Clean Sheets: N/A

Exited the England camp having not featured for the Three Lions in the group stage. But hey, at least he avoided injury!

8. Aaron Ramsdale (England)

Minutes: 0

Clean Sheets: N/A

Saves: N/A

Good luck trying to usurp Jordan Pickford for a major tournament.

7. William Saliba (France)

Minutes: 27

Clean Sheets: 0

What a lucky man. Saliba had the privilege of experiencing that World Cup final in the flesh. Sure, he ended the bout on the losing side having not played a minute since Matchday 3 of the group stage, but at least he’ll head back to Arsenal nice and fresh!

6. Thomas Partey (Ghana)

Minutes: 270

Goals: 0 

Assists: 0

Steady enough in the middle of the park for Ghana, but he wasn’t his dominant self. Flattered to deceive for the most part and I’m sure some Ghanaians were disappointed by his levels of performance in Qatar.

5. Takehiro Tomiyasu (Japan)

Minutes: 186

Clean Sheets: 2 (both off the bench)

Carefully managed by the national team as he didn’t make a start until the knockout phase. Produced a couple of key cameo appearances off the bench, particularly in Japan’s 2-1 victory over Germany on Matchday 1.

4. Gabriel Martinelli (Brazil)

Minutes: 111

Goals: 0

Assists: 0

Martinelli was arguably Brazil’s best performer in their defeat to Cameroon to round off the group, but the winger was barely used by Tite in the knockout stages as the pre-tournament favourites crashed out in the quarter-finals on penalties.

3. Granit Xhaka (Switzerland)

Minutes: 360

Goals: 0

Assists: 0

Did an excellent job of riling up the whole of Serbia and performed impressively for the most part. Xhaka produced a stellar showing in a deeper position against Brazil, but his Switzerland side were blown away by Portugal in the round of 16.

2. Matt Turner (USA)

https://twitter.com/headdturnerr/status/1599332900922482689

Minutes: 360

Clean Sheets: 2

Saves: 8

A surprise Arsenal star. Turner didn’t concede an open play goal until the round of 16, but the Dutch put three past Ramsdale’s second in command to eliminate an exciting US side.

1. Bukayo Saka (England)

Minutes: 293

Goals: 3

Assists: 0 (1 penalty won)

I mean, there isn’t a debate, right? Saka was Arsenal’s best performer at the 2022 World Cup. He scored three times for an England side that would’ve fancied their chances of going all the way had Harry Kane opted to not put his second spot kick against the French into orbit. Saka scored in England’s round of 16 triumph over Senegal and he won the penalty that led to Kane’s equaliser in the last eight. Could be included in the official Team of the Tournament.