Tottenham's Quiet International Break: Spurs Players Called Up
Tottenham’s international picture looks oddly quiet this break — and that might suit them just fine.
Only two senior Spurs players have been called up so far, both heading to the same camp. Central defenders Micky van de Ven and Jan Paul van Hecke have been selected by Netherlands boss Xavi Hernandez, a nod to their form and growing stature in North London.
Beyond that, the list thins out quickly.
Porro ruled out, Kudus stays put
Pedro Porro’s absence from Spain duty was inevitable. He limped out of Tottenham’s 2-3 home defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday with what appeared to be a hamstring problem, and Spain have now withdrawn him from their squad. No debate there. Spurs will simply hope the damage is not long term.
Mohammed Kudus, though, is a different story.
According to Alasdair Gold of Football.London, the Ghana international has chosen to withdraw himself from the national team camp to continue his recovery and build fitness in London. No pressure from club or country reported — just a player making a call.
It’s a significant decision. Kudus hasn’t started a match since before the injury he suffered last season. His minutes have been carefully managed, his role mostly limited to cameos. The signs, though, are encouraging. Against Aston Villa on Saturday he produced his sharpest display of the campaign: one assist on the board and another chalked off for offside.
Instead of using AFCON qualifiers as a springboard back to full sharpness, Kudus has opted to stay at Hotspur Way and push for Premier League readiness. For Spurs, that is a clear statement of intent from a player who wants to nail down a starting spot, not just drift in and out of the side.
Academy rewards as Hardy and Williams-Barnett step up
While the senior call-ups are thin, the academy has delivered its own headline.
Defender Malachi Hardy and attacker Luca Williams-Barnett have both been named in the England U19 squad. Both are Spurs through and through, both products of the club’s academy, and both now taking another step on the international ladder.
Hardy turned heads in preseason with his composure and athleticism, earning sizeable minutes and making a strong impression on the coaching staff. Williams-Barnett, meanwhile, is widely regarded as one of the crown jewels of the academy. He has already been training with the first team, even if a Premier League bench spot has not yet arrived.
They’ve been in the England youth system before, but this is the first U19 call-up for each of them — a clear marker of their progress and how they’re viewed at St. George’s Park.
So Tottenham head into the break with a lighter international load than usual, key senior players staying home and two hungry youngsters stepping onto a bigger stage. For a squad trying to heal up, reset, and sharpen its edge, it raises an intriguing question: when the Premier League resumes, who will look more transformed — the returning stars, or the kids pushing from below?
