Fourteen Real Madrid Players Have Been Called Up For International Duty

It’s official, realmadrid.com has confirmed that fourteen madridistas have been called up to international duty to play in friendlies and qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

The list of players is as follows:

Spain: Ramos, Carvajal, Asensio, Lucas Vázquez, Morata
Portugal: Pepe
France: Varane
Colombia: James
Germany: Kroos
Brazil: Marcelo, Casemiro
Croatia: Modric, Kovacic
Wales: Bale

Here are the list of the games along with the times (CET) verbatim from Real Madrid’s website:

Germany-Finland (Wednesday, 31 August; 8:45pm)
Norway-Germany (Sunday, 4 September; 8:45pm)Toni Kroos has been called up by Löw for the first 2018 World Cup qualifier away in Norway. Prior to this match, the Germany national side will play a friendly against Finland in Monchengladbach.

Belgium-Spain (Thursday, 1 September; 8:45pm)
Spain-Liechtenstein (Monday, 5 September; 8:45pm)Marco Asensio makes the squad for the first time for the friendly against Belgium in Brussels and the qualifier against Liechtenstein, in León. Ramos, Morata, Lucas Vázquez and Carvajal complete the madridista representation in Lopetegui's first squad as coach.

Portugal-Gibraltar (Thursday, 1 September; 8:45pm)
Switzerland-Portugal (Tuesday, 6 September; 8:45pm)Pepe will play his first Portugal since being crowned Champion of Europe in a friendly against Gibraltar at the Estádio do Bessa in Porto. Five day later he will travel to Basel where he will play a qualifying game against Switzerland.

Italy-France (Thursday, 1 September; 9:00pm)
Belarus-France (Tuesday, 6 September; 8:45pm)Two games on the road for Varane and the French national side. The first one, a friendly against Italy in Bari and the second a qualifier against Belarus in Barysaw.

Colombia-Venezuela (Thursday, 1 September; 10:30pm)
Brazil-Colombia (Wednesday, 7 September; 2:45am)James Rodríguez will play two qualifying games for the 2018 World Cup. In the first one, Colombia will welcome Venezuela to Barranquilla. In the second Brazil will face Marcelo and Casemiro's Brazil in Manaus.

Ecuador-Brazil (Thursday, 1 September; 11:00pm)
Brazil-Colombia (Wednesday, 7 September; 2:45am)Casemiro and Marcelo have made Tite's first squad as the new Brazilian head coach. They will take part in two World Cup qualifying matches. In the first they visit Ecuador and afterwards will host Colombia in Manaus.

Croatia-Turkey (Monday, 5 September; 8:45pm) Kovacic and Modric will make up part of the midfield in Croatia's only game during this international break. They face Turkey in Zagreb as they begin the qualifying campaign for the World Cup.

Wales-Moldova (Monday, 5 September; 8:45pm)After a fantastic European Championships, Bale will be back in action with Wales. The Welsh national side kick off qualifying for the world Cup against Moldova in Cardiff.

While Real Madrid fans will once again have to pray that the international break does not injure half the squad, the good news is that Cristiano Ronaldo has been smart enough to dismiss the idea of playing for Portugal.

Karim Benzema and Keylor Navas were also unavailable as they are both recuperating from respective injuries, while Isco and Nacho were not selected even though they are fully fit.