Eighteen Foxes Set For International Duty In June

Internationals
31 May 2019
4 Minutes
Up to 18 players from Leicester City's first team, Development Squad and Academy ranks could be in international action this summer.

- Eighteen Leicester City players are in contention to appear for their national sides this month
- Ben Chilwell and Harry Maguire are in England's UEFA Nations League squad
- James Maddison, Harvey Barnes, Demarai Gray and Hamza Choudhury are set for the U21 Euros
- Another 12 City players could feature for their countries in a busy month on the international stage

Over the coming month, a number of Foxes stars will contest matches in the UEFA Nations League, Africa Cup of Nations and the UEFA U21 European Championship.

It all began on Thursday evening as City centre-back Çağlar Söyüncü starred for Turkey during a 2-1 international friendly success over Greece in Antalya.

Söyüncü, 23, played the full 90 minutes in the first of two warm-up fixtures for Şenol Güneş' men before they resume their UEFA EURO 2022 qualifying campaign.

On Sunday evening, the former SC Freiburg defender, now capped 23 times for his country, could feature against Uzbekistan in another home friendly match (7pm BST kick-off).

Next Thursday, meanwhile, it will be time for England to commence their bid to win the inaugural UEFA Nations League finals in Portugal, starting against the Netherlands.

Defensive duo Harry Maguire, 26, and Ben Chilwell, 22, have been named in Gareth Southgate's final 23-man senior squad ahead of the competition's showpiece finals event.

The Three Lions face Ronald Koeman's Dutch side at Estádio D. Afonso Henriques in Guimarães in the Semi-Final after winning Group A4 before Christmas (7:45pm BST).

Schmeichel played all 38 matches for City in the Premier League during the 2018/19 season.

Both sides will be in action once again on Sunday - against Portugal or Switzerland - in either a Third-Place Play-Off or Final, kicking off at 2pm BST and 7:45pm BST respectively.

Beforehand, though, City No.1 Kasper Schmeichel, 32, could earn a 46th cap for Denmark in a EURO 2020 qualifier against the Republic of Ireland on Friday 7 June (7:45pm BST).

The Danes are currently third in qualification Group D following their 3-3 draw with Switzerland in Basel in March, which included a thrilling six-minute, three-goal comeback.

Leicester's international representation continues on Saturday 8 June, meanwhile, as Croatia's Filip Benković, 21, comes up against Wales duo Danny Ward, 25, and George Thomas, 22.

Benković, who has been selected for both Croatia's senior and Under-21s squads this summer, is yet to earn a full cap for the beaten 2018 FIFA World Cup finalists.

The potential meeting of Foxes team-mates - another EURO 2020 qualifier - will be staged at Stadion Gradski vrt in the Croatian city of Osijek and will kick off at 2pm BST.

Another clash of Leicester colleagues could occur on Saturday as Nigeria, including Wilfred Ndidi, 22, and Kelechi Iheanacho, 22, tackle 20-year-old Admiral Muskwe's Zimbabwe.

A venue and kick-off time is yet to be announced for the fixture, which will act as a preparation match for both sides ahead of June's Africa Cup of Nations finals in Egypt. 

Söyüncü's busy summer of international action also continues on the same day, as Turkey host world champions France at Konya Büyükşehir Stadium in EURO 2020 qualifying.

Evans has represented his country's senior side since 2006.

The 7:45pm BST kick-off sees the top two in Group H go head-to-head after both sides secured victories from their opening two matches in March.

Lastly on Saturday 8 June, City defender Jonny Evans, 31, is in contention to earn a 79th Northern Ireland cap in Tallinn against Estonia in Group C (5pm BST).

Michael O'Neill's men currently top their pool following successive home victories over Estonia and Belarus earlier in the calendar year.

The following Sunday, as well as the final act in the Nations League, Academy star Sidnei Tavares, 17, could feature for Portugal's Under-18s in a friendly against Japan (kick-off TBC).

Schmeichel's potential second Denmark outing of the summer sees Åge Hareide's men host EURO 2020 qualifying rivals Georgia at Parken on Monday 10 June (7:45pm BST).

Evans' N. Ireland (vs. Belarus) and Söyüncü's Turkey (vs. Iceland), as well as Thomas and Ward's Wales (vs. Hungary) have away qualifiers on that day too (7:45pm BST kick-offs).

Tavares, on the other hand, could appear for Portugal's Under-18s in a meeting with Norway. On Wednesday 12 June, meanwhile, there may well be yet another clash of Leicester stars.

Benković's Croatia Under-21s host 21-year-old Daniel Iversen's Denmark for a 5:30pm BST kick-off, before a friendly for Nigeria (Ndidi and Iheanacho) against Senegal (kick-off TBC).

Academy graduate Choudhury has six England U21 caps to his name.

The following day, Monday 17 June, sees the U21 European Championship's group stages get underway in Italy with six of the Club's youngsters likely to appear throughout the contest.

It'll feature James Maddison, 22, Harvey Barnes, 21, Demarai Gray, 22, Hamza Choudhury, 21, (England), Alex Pașcanu, 20, (Romania), Iversen (Denmark) and Benković (Croatia).

City's English quartet will tackle France (Tuesday 18 June, 8pm BST), Romania, including Pașcanu, (Friday 21 June, 5:30pm BST) and Benković's Croatia (Monday 24 June, 8pm BST).

In a match which may see Pașcanu and Benković line up against one another, Romania and Croatia meet on Tuesday 18 June (5:30pm BST).

Denmark, featuring goalkeeper Iversen, face Germany (Monday 17 June, 8pm BST), Austria (Thursday 20 June, 5:30pm BST) and Serbia (Sunday 23 June, 8pm BST).

Elsewhere, on Friday 21 June, Muskwe's Zimbabwe will participate in the much-awaited AFCON curtain-raiser against host nation Egypt in Cairo - a 9pm BST kick-off in Group A.

They will also meet Uganda, at Cairo International Stadium, on Wednesday 26 June (6pm BST) and DR Congo, on Sunday 30 June (8pm BST). 

For Ndidi and Iheanacho's Nigeria, on the other hand, their AFCON journey begins with a fixture against Burundi in Alexandria on Saturday 22 June (6pm BST).

The Super Eagles will then remain in Alexandria to tackle Guinea on Wednesday 26 June (3:30pm BST) and Madagascar on Sunday 30 June (5pm BST) in Group B.

Make sure to check back to LCFC.com for full previews and round-ups of Leicester City's international stars over the month of June!