Some Chelsea players have been called up and have played some games for their country, many of them were dazzling, the others not so much. Some players played in friendlies and others played in competitive games. This piece discusses the players’ performances by the numbers. This would only include players who have played up to 30 minutes during this break.
Kai Havertz, Germany
The CFC No. 29 was good for Germany. His shooting was off, but his passing was great. He completed 30/35 passes he attempted and 3/3 long balls. He completed the only cross he attempted and created three chances, including a big chance. He set up the goal for Niclas Fulkrug. His work rate was very good, contesting 11 duels, but just winning three of them. He also made three passes into the final third. He took three shots but got none of them on target, missing a penalty. He got dispossessed five times and completed 1/2 dribbles.
Kalidou Koulibaly, Senegal
Koulibaly represented his country in the 2023 AFCON Qualifiers against Mozambique, and he wasn’t great. He completed 57/65 passes but just 1/6 long balls. He made two fouls, and won just 1/5 ground duels he contested, winning 3/8 total duels. He made two clearances and won just 1/3 tackles he attempted. He made an impressive eight passes in the final third, and four recoveries. Against Mozambique in the second leg, he completed 36/47 passes and 7/16 long balls. He won 2/4 duels and made five defensive actions, including 2/2 tackles. The Blues’ defender also made six passes into the final third.
Christian Pulisic, United States of America
Unfortunately, there aren’t detailed statistics available for Pulisic’s CONCACAF Nations League Group A fixture against Grenada and El Salvador twice, but he put in a Man of the Match performance against Grenada, scoring a goal and setting up two goals while wearing the armband. He was taken off after 64 minutes. A true captain’s performance by the Chelsea forward. He also led the United States to a win against El Salvador twice but returned no direct goal involvement in those games. In the El Salvador games, Pulisic played the full 90 minutes.
Hakim Ziyech, Morocco
Ziyech wasn’t great against Brazil, though he helped his team to a historic win against Ramon Menezes’s men. He completed 28/43 passes and 1/5 long balls. He created just one chance but completed 0/5 crosses. He made four defensive actions, including two interceptions and two tackles. His work rate was high, winning 6/12 duels. He did win four fouls though but completed 0/4 dribbles. He took five shots, none of them on target. He completed an impressive 11 passes into the final third and got dispossessed just once. This suggests that his poor dribbling numbers can be attributed more to being fouled regularly, rather than poor execution. He also made six recoveries. Against Peru, he again tried many things that didn’t come off. The former Ajax attacker completed 45/58 passes, and 6/13 long balls. He completed 2/3 dribbles and won 8/14 duels. He completed 0/7 crosses and won three fouls. He won 3/3 tackles and made an incredible 18 passes into the final third and five recoveries.
Romelu Lukaku, Belgium
Lukaku was superb for Belgium. He scored a hat trick, taking 3/4 shots on target. He also finished the three clear cut chances that he got. In addition to the goals, he made two clearances, and won 2/5 aerial duels he contested. In the game against Germany, he scored again, taking 1/3 shots on target, and winning 2/7 aerial duels. He also committed a penalty. Lukaku is on loan at Inter Milan.
Kepa Arrizabalaga, Spain
Arrizabalaga was solid for Spain. Making the two saves that were needed and securing the clean sheet for his country against a Erling Haaland-less Norway. Against Scotland he wasn’t as good, making only one save and allowing two goals. He completed 20/25 passes, and 2/6 long balls. The Blues No. 1 won 2/2 duels and two fouls.
Enzo Fernandez, Argentina
Enzo played 60 minutes against Panama for his country, his passing and tackling were fantastic in that game, as usual. The Argentine International completed 76/81 passes, including 7/9 long balls. He created a chance, blocked three shots and made a whopping 15 passes into the final third. He won 7/11 ground duels and 2/3 aerial duels. He won 4/4 tackles, won two fouls and made five ball recoveries. A truly dominant performance from the Blues midfielder. He had a slightly less dominant performance against Curacao in another friendly. He completed 41/44 passes, and 3/3 long balls. He won 1/3 ground duels and 0/2 tackles, but he scored in the 50 minutes he was on the pitch against Curacao.
Joao Felix, Portugal
Felix has featured in both games for Portugal this international break, and had good outings in both. In the game against Liechtenstein, he took 1/3 shots on target, and completed 1/4 dribbles. He completed 41/49 passes and created two chances. He also won 5/10 duels and 2/3 tackles. In the game against Luxembourg, he scored a great header, took 1/2 shots on target and won 3/5 duels. He made three defensive actions and completed 32/37 passes. He also made seven passes into the final third and eight recoveries across the two games.
Mykhailo Mudryk, Ukraine
Mudryk didn’t have a good game against England. He played 61 minutes, completed 1/2 dribbles and won 1/10 total duels he contested.
Levi Colwill, England U21
The west London side’s loanee started for England U21 in a friendly. He played the full 90 minutes and had a good performance, keeping a clean sheet. He completed 82/93 passes he attempted and 6/14 long balls. He won 2/4 ground duels and contest no aerial duels. He made the second most number of defensive actions (6), making three clearances and three interceptions. He was fouled twice. Colwill is on loan with Brighton and Hove Albion.
Noni Madueke, England U21
Madueke represented England U21 though he didn’t start. He came on for 24 minutes and definitely made his mark. He scored a goal and set up two goals. He completed 6/9 passes, which included two chances that were big chances. He completed the only dribble he attempted and won 2/3 duels as well. Madueke had an outstanding showing, even for an U21 outing.
Benoit Badiashile, France U21
On the other side of the pitch, facing against Madueke, was another Chelsea January arrival in Badiashile. Still keeping in mind that this is U21 level, Badiashile had an excellent performance. He completed an impressive 68/71 passes, and a mind-blowing 8/9 long balls. He won all his duels, winning 2/2 ground duels and 2/2 aerial duels. With a 96% passing accuracy, 100% duel win rate and four defensive actions made, Badiashile, like Madueke, showed that he’s clearly above the level he played in. He also played 90 minutes against Spain U21 and kept a clean sheet.
Denis Zakaria, Switzerland
Zakaria completed 46/51 passes, completing 1/3 long balls. He won 4/8 ground duels and 2/3 aerial duels. He made six defensive actions, including 2/4 tackles won. He made seven passes into the final third and seven ball recoveries. In the game against Israel, Zakaria had an assist. He completed 44/48 passes, and 1/2 long balls. He created two chances, including a big chance. The Chelsea midfielder won 4/6 duels and made four defensive actions. He committed zero fouls.
Mateo Kovacic, Croatia
Kovacic was great for Croatia. His passing and ball retention were very good. He completed 68/93 passing, including 2/2 long balls. He created three chances and won 6/9 duels. He completed 3/3 dribbles and made three defensive actions. He made five passes into the final third, but missed a clear cut chance. Against Turkey, Kovacic was outstanding. Kovacic scored a brace! He completed 62/70 passes. He completed 3/3 dribbles and won 7/17 duels, losing all his three aerial duels contested. He made eight defensive actions and won 3/6 tackles. He also made 12 passes into the final third and seven recoveries.
Ben Chilwell, England
Ben Chilwell was also very good for England against Ukraine. He completed 47/57 passes, including 1/5 long balls. He completed a whopping 4/8 crosses. He created three chances, including a big chance. He won 2/4 duels, completed the only dribble he attempted and made two defensive actions.
Lewis Hall, England U19
There aren’t detailed stats on Hall’s performances for his country, but he played 90 minutes against Hungary U19 and Iceland U19, in different positions too. This highlights his versatility.
Charlie Webster, England U19
Like Hall, there aren’t detailed stats on Webster’s performances for his country too, but he played a combined 74 minutes against Hungary U19 and Iceland U19 each. He scored against Hungary U19.
Andrey Santos, Brazil
Santos featured for Brazil’s Senior team still aged 18. He completed 13/21 passes, including 2/2 long balls. He took two shots, failed to complete the only dribble he attempted, and won 6/12 duels. He made four defensive actions and three passes into the final third.