Tottenham stars have been away on international duty, with a wide range of stakes in games for their nations.
The final international break of the domestic campaign is here, meaning that the race to the finish is almost here. For Tottenham, it’ll be a case of ensuring a push towards Champions League qualification for next season.
While attention will turn back to that in the coming days, a whole host of Spurs stars have been away with their nations for international duty. Some played a part in last minute heroics, while others felt late heartbreak.
With that said, here’s a look at how every Tottenham star fared on international duty.
How Tottenham players performed during the international break
James Maddison – England
Tottenham star James Maddison only received a few minutes over the two friendly games for England. The playmaker was snubbed from action against Brazil, but did make his mark off the bench against Belgium.
The 27-year-old latched onto a loose ball in the box in the dying seconds, picking out Jude Bellingham with a pass. The midfielder took aim and scored a late equaliser, ensuring the Three Lions picked up a draw and avoided back-to-back Wembley Stadium defeats.
Brennan Johnson – Wales
Brennan Johnson had a mixed time away on international duty, with some high moments that eventually ended in heartbreak. The winger was key for Wales in their European Championships qualification playoff semi-final with Finland, scoring in a 4-1 win.
Sky Sports gave Johnson a seven out of ten rating for that performance, which gave them one last shot at making the Euros this summer. That was against Poland in a tie that couldn’t quite see Wales unlock their defence.
Johnson was substituted after 70 minutes in the match, with Sky Sports giving a six out of ten rating for his display. It would all end in disappointment though, as Dan James missed the deciding penalty in a shootout, meaning Wales failed to qualify for the tournament.
Ben Davies – Wales
Tottenham stalwart Ben Davies played every minute of both games for Wales, but equally suffered heartbreak from the penalty shootout. The defender, who scored a spot kick from the shootout, was given a seven out of ten rating in the loss to Poland by Sky Sports.
Radu Dragusin – Romania
Radu Dragusin is looking to force his way into the Romania squad for the European Championships this summer. The defender was handed two caps over the week, firstly featuring against Northern Ireland in a 1-1 draw.
Dragusin started and played in a 3-2 defeat to Colombia, being substituted in the second half. SofaScore gave the centre-back a 6.4 rating out of ten on a testing evening.
Rodrigo Bentancur – Uruguay
Midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur revealed on international duty that he has been playing through a secret injury. Despite that, he came off the bench in a 1-1 draw with Basque Country and a 2-1 defeat to Ivory Coast.
With the 26-year-old working his way back to fitness, it appears as though his minutes have been managed.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – Denmark
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg impressed on the international stage, despite a lack of game time recently with Tottenham. The midfielder featured in a goalless draw with Switzerland, but then captained and scored for his nation on a special night against Faroe Islands.
SofaScore gave Hojbjerg the player of the match in the second game, with a rating of 8.6 out of ten.
Pedro Porro – Spain
Tottenham full-back Pedro Porro featured just once over the two games for Spain, playing the full match against Colombia. While the defender impressed, winning most of his ground duels defensively, it ended in a 1-0 defeat.
Pape Matar Sarr – Senegal
Pape Matar Sarr played just one game for Senegal as he started for his nation against Gabon in a 3-0 win. The midfielder played 73 minutes, before being substituted, meaning he should be fresh to return to Tottenham action.
Dejan Kulusevski – Sweden
Dejan Kulusevski featured in both matches for Sweden against Portugal and Albania during the international break. The winger picked up an assist in both games, though they lost the opener 5-2 before a 1-0 win in the second match.
Kulusevski was impressive in the two ties, earning nothing less than a seven out of ten from SofaScore.
Guglielmo Vicario – Italy
Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario was rewarded for his good form at club level with an international debut for Italy. The shotstopper played against Ecuador, keeping a first clean sheet in a 2-0 win.
Reflecting on the opportunity, Vicario told RAI, via Tottenham’s official website: “It was a target I had set for myself, and I am so pleased to have done it with a clean sheet and a victory. We deserved the win tonight. My objective is to improve day after day, without setting limits and without flying too close to the sun either. I try to experience the present and expect the maximum from myself.”
Destiny Udogie – Italy
Destiny Udogie also featured in one of the two games for Italy over the international break, but that was in the 2-1 win over Venezuela. The left-back was safe in possession but struggled slightly when it came to defensive duels.
Cristian Romero – Argentina
Tottenham defender Cristian Romero played against both El Salvador and Costa Rica for Argentina over the international break. The centre-back found the back of the net for Argentina against El Salvador in a 3-0 victory, but failed to keep a clean sheet in a 3-1 win over Costa Rica.
Giovani Lo Celso – Argentina
Much like his teammate Romero, Giovani Lo Celso played both games for Argentina and also scored in the win over El Salvador.
Heung-Min Son – South Korea
South Korea star Heung-Min Son was on target twice for his nation over the international break. The forward scored in a 1-1 draw with Thailand as part of the AFC qualification process for the 2026 World Cup.
Son would find the scoresheet once again in the second qualifier, registering a 3-0 win in the reverse fixture against Thailand.
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