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Not only will Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou be praying that his raft of first-team stars return injury-free following the current international break, but the 58-year-old will also likely be paying close attention to how those figures perform while representing their respective countries.
Although this halt to club action is not yet at an end, there have already been some standout performances from members of the Spurs squad in recent days, with that coming off the back of what has been a fine, unbeaten start to the new Premier League season back at N17.
Which Tottenham players are on international duty?
There are currently as many as 16 first-team players who are turning out for their respective nations, with the Welsh trio of Ben Davies, Joe Rodon and Brennan Johnson notably coming up against South Korean hero, Heung-min Son last week in what was a goalless draw in Cardiff.
Among those also earning a national team call-up was Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, with the 27-year-old – who had been heavily linked with a move to Atletico Madrid – perhaps catching the eye of Postecoglou after scoring against both San Marino and Finland for his native Denmark.
That latter strike saw the former Southampton man score with just minutes remaining to clinch a vital 1-0 win in European Championship qualifying, with the experienced asset having been heavily involved in proceedings after racking up 128 touches in total, while enjoying a stellar 96% pass accuracy rate.
Having been a mere bit-part player in the early weeks of the season in north London, the one-time Bayern Munich ace could well have provided Postecoglou with a reminder of his qualities following those two standout showings, with it perhaps something of a blessing in disguise that the Dane did not seal a move away last month.
Hojbjerg was not alone in having impressed over the weekend, however, with teammate Cristian Romero also proving a real shining light amid his sensational display in Argentina’s narrow 1-0 victory over Ecuador at the start of their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.
How did Cristian Romero perform for Argentina?
While it was talisman Lionel Messi who unsurprisingly stole the headlines with his curling, late free-kick in Friday’s triumph, the Inter Miami maestro himself admitted that it was the Spurs warrior who had been “man of the match” following what was an “amazing performance” from the 25-year-old.
Also described as the “best defender in the world right now” by his legendary compatriot, Romero was an immense presence in the backline for Lionel Scaloni’s side, with his 8.0 match rating, as per Sofascore, only bettered by Rodrigo De Paul for either side.
The ex-Atalanta man – who has been described as an “animal” in the past by former Tottenham ‘keeper Pierluigi Gollini – was his typically tenacious self after winning seven of his eight ground duels as well as four of his seven aerial duels, putting his body on the line repeatedly for the World Champions.
Not only a man mountain at the back, with seven tackles to his name in total, the £165k-per-week asset was also able to showcase his composure in possession after enjoying a 99% pass accuracy rate in total from his 87 touches, proving that he is not always something of “a reckless teenager” – as described by journalist Sam Dean earlier this year.
Reports in Argentina even quipped following that immense performance that Romero would return to England ‘overweight’ as he has Ecuador’s Enner Valencia in his back pocket, while the aforementioned Scaloni hailed that “very complete” display from his defensive star.
It is no doubt a positive for Postecoglou to see the all-action defender – and Hojbjerg – shining so brightly, with that likely to help maintain the strong momentum that the Lilywhites have built-up in the early weeks of the season.