The 2022 World Cup has wrapped up, but its reverberations may still be felt across the Premier League as clubs gear up for the upcoming campaign. The tournament, which lasted six weeks and concluded with Spain edging Argentina 1-0 in the final held in New Jersey, featured more than 150 players from England’s top flight. The sheer volume of international duty raises the question: how will the time spent on the world stage influence the fortunes of their clubs once the domestic season resumes? Manchester City emerged as the most represented club at the tournament, boasting sixteen squad members who earned a place on various national teams.
Among them was Spain’s captain Rodri, who started every match for his country, delivered consistently solid performances, and was ultimately named the tournament’s Player of the Tournament. City also fielded promising young talents such as Marc Guehi, Nico O’Reilly, recent acquisition Elliot Anderson, and French prospect Rayan Cherki, all of whom advanced to the knockout stages and helped their sides reach the last four. Arsenal followed closely behind with thirteen players participating.
The Gunners’ contingent included the Spanish midfield duo Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi, as well as an English quartet comprising Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke. Their involvement meant that a significant portion of Arsenal’s first‑team roster was absent from club training for an extended period. Other clubs that reached double‑digit representation were Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Manchester United. While the numbers alone are noteworthy, the total minutes logged on the pitch provide a deeper insight into potential fatigue and injury risk.
Manchester City topped that metric as well, accumulating a combined 5,595 minutes of play across all their internationals. Arsenal came in second with 4,224 minutes, and Tottenham occupied third place with 3,318 minutes.
When it comes to individual workloads, Aston Villa’s goalkeeper Emi Martinez should be highlighted. He featured in every minute of Argentina’s campaign, including four periods of extra‑time, amassing a staggering 810 minutes. Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister, also representing Argentina, logged the second‑most minutes at 749, while City’s Rodri was not far behind with 726.
These figures matter because FIFA regulations require a minimum three‑week rest period for players after the World Cup before they can rejoin club activities. Consequently, those whose teams progressed deep into the tournament will return to pre‑season later than teammates whose nations exited early, potentially disrupting preparation schedules.
The Premier League kicks off just over four weeks from now, on Friday 21 August, with Arsenal’s season‑opening clash against Coventry live on Sky Sports. While City’s players logged the most minutes, most of them escaped serious injury during the tournament.
Their relative fitness advantage could prove crucial as the season begins. Conversely, several clubs suffered notable setbacks. Aston Villa lost midfielder Amadou Onana to an anterior cruciate ligament tear—a serious injury that typically sidelines a player for six to nine months. Arsenal’s centre‑back William Saliba sustained a back problem during France’s semi‑final loss to Spain, and both Bukayo Saka and Rice experienced minor fitness concerns during the competition.
Youri Tielemans, who transferred from Villa to Manchester United, was forced out with a hamstring strain that caused him to miss Belgium’s quarter‑final defeat. His new United teammate Manuel Ugarte also suffered a hamstring injury shortly before Uruguay’s group‑stage exit. When analysts combine variables such as total minutes played, number of internationals, injury incidents, projected recovery times and the recency of match exposure into an overall impact index, Arsenal emerges as the most affected club. Aston Villa, Manchester United and Tottenham follow closely, while Manchester City—despite having the highest raw participation numbers—drops to fifth place on the index.
This suggests that the sheer volume of minutes and the timing of injuries weigh more heavily than simple headcount. The clubs at the top of the impact list now face the challenge of disrupted pre‑season programmes.
Their training camps, friendly fixtures and tactical work may be compressed or altered to accommodate returning players, potentially limiting the time available for new manager ideas or squad integration. At the opposite end of the spectrum lies Coventry City, which had no players called up to the World Cup. Manager Frank Lampard therefore enjoys a full, uninterrupted squad for pre‑season, giving him a distinct advantage in terms of planning and fitness management. The other newly promoted sides—Hull City and Ipswich Town—also felt only a light touch from the tournament, as did clubs like Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest and Brighton, all of which rank low on the overall impact index.
In summary, while the World Cup provided thrilling moments for fans worldwide, its legacy will be felt in the English top flight through altered preparation timelines, injury recoveries and squad availability. Clubs with heavily‑used internationals, particularly Arsenal, must navigate a tighter pre‑season window and manage player workloads carefully to mitigate fatigue.
Meanwhile, teams with fewer or no World Cup participants, such as Coventry, can use the extended preparation period to fine‑tune tactics and build cohesion ahead of the August start. The true measure of these differing impacts will become evident as the Premier League season unfolds, and the early results may well reflect how successfully each club managed the post‑World Cup transition.