%20rotate(-8.06)%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22336.19%20136.81%20330.16%2094.25%20326.06%2071.19%20326.44%2071.13%20335.22%2093.54%20352.29%20134.52%20373.95%20131.46%20362.7%2052.01%20350.02%2053.8%20356.05%2096.36%20360.15%20119.42%20359.77%20119.48%20350.99%2097.08%20333.91%2056.09%20312.25%2059.15%20323.51%20138.6%20336.19%20136.81%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22402.91%2059.3%20412.36%20126.02%20427.17%20123.92%20417.72%2057.21%20431.59%2055.24%20429.79%2042.51%20387.23%2048.53%20389.04%2061.27%20402.91%2059.3%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22463.51%20118.77%20458.69%2084.71%20474.68%2082.44%20479.51%20116.5%20494.36%20114.4%20483.11%2034.95%20468.26%2037.06%20472.96%2070.25%20456.96%2072.52%20452.26%2039.32%20437.4%2041.43%20448.65%20120.88%20463.51%20118.77%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22540.5%20107.87%20538.77%2095.68%20518.91%2098.49%20515.77%2076.29%20535.63%2073.47%20533.93%2061.5%20514.07%2064.32%20511.11%2043.42%20530.98%2040.61%20529.25%2028.42%20494.53%2033.34%20505.78%20112.78%20540.5%20107.87%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22299.03%20155.17%20301.29%20171.58%20542.78%20138.39%20540.5%20121.97%20299.03%20155.17%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E)
With the World Cup now just three days away, Arsenal players have been busy in action for their national teams. The Gunners will send 16 players to this year's tournament, breaking their own club record of 15 set two decades ago. Of this group, four were all on target in pre-tournament friendlies over the weekend, so will be going into the serious business brimming with confidence.
Kai Havertz
A week on from breaking the deadlock in the Champions League Final well, as the song goes, Kai Havertz scores again. This Saturday, he took even less time to score than in Budapest. Deployed as Germany's starting centre-forward, Havertz headed home inside two minutes at Soldier Field, connecting perfectly with Joshua Kimmich's free-kick. Antonee Robinson did lash home a jaw-dropping equaliser for the United States in Chicago, but Leroy Sané's goal ensured that die Nationalelf were victorious in Illinois.
Germany commence their World Cup campaign on Sunday against tournament debutants Curaçao in Houston, and Julian Nagelsmann has a decision to make about his striker. Nick Woltemade scored four times during qualifying, while Deniz Undav was on fire for Stuttgart this season, bagging 25 goals. However, Havertz is likely to be Nagelsmann's choice, a feeling only enhanced by his 22nd international goal in the Windy City over the weekend.
Martin Ødegaard
We doubt that any Arsenal player is more excited about the World Cup than Martin Ødegaard. This will be Norway's first appearance at the competition since 1998, the year the midfielder was born, while the Lions have not featured at any major tournament since Euro 2000. However, Ståle Solbakken boasts a star-studded squad, featuring Erling Braut Håland, Alexander Sørloth, Antonio Nusa and of course Ødegaard.
In Norway's final warm-up friendly on Sunday, it was the Arsenal captain who stroked home an equaliser to earn a 1-1 draw against Morocco in New Jersey. This, amazingly, was only his fifth international goal, and first-ever scored away from the Ullevål in Oslo. Well, considering they begin their World Cup campaign against Iraq in Foxborough on Tuesday, he'll be hoping this is the start of a spree.
Leandro Trossard
Another Arsenal man who will be key to his team's hopes this summer is Leandro Trossard. Belgium's golden generation-era may be over but, alongside Jérémy Doku and a fit again Romelu Lukaku, Trossard completes a pretty frightening front three, a trio being supplied by Kevin De Bruyne no less. Well, Rudi Garcia's side certainly looked imperious on Saturday, smashing Tunisia 5-0 at Stade Roi Baudouin, extending their unbeaten sequence to 13 matches.
It was Trossard who got the ball rolling in Brussels, tucking home from close-range, in true Trossard fashion really, having been set up by Doku. This was his 12th goal for Belgium, one of which was the crucial clincher in Cardiff last October that all but cemented the Red Devils' place at the World Cup. Now 31, this will be the first time Trossard has ever gone into a tournament as a key figure.
Viktor Gyökeres
Last, but by no means least, if any Arsenal player is going to make their mark at this World Cup, Viktor Gyökeres has to be a likely candidate. Last Thursday, he lashed home a long-range free-kick as Sweden drew 2-2 with Greece at the Nationalarenan in Solna. If you have not seen it, you can imagine how Gyökeres takes a free-kick, can't you?
Gyökeres is a bona fide national hero in Sweden, after firing them to this tournament in March. He scored a hat-trick during the play-off semi-final win over Ukraine, before lashing home the winner with three minutes to go as the Blågult defeated Poland in Stockholm five days later. This latest goal took his tally to 20 for the national team, needing just seven more to break into the all-time top ten.
Sweden manager Graham Potter now faces quite the dilemma in attack. For March's play-offs, Alexander Isak was injured, so he deployed Benjamin Nygren of Celtic and Newcastle's Anthony Elanga in-behind Gyökeres, forming a trio that instantaneously clicked. With Isak now back, does Potter stick with this front three against Tunisia in Monterrey on Sunday, or attempt to shoe-horn Isak back in? Either-way, Gyökeres will be key to Sweden's hopes this summer.
Add us as a preferred source on Google