Squad could miss start of new season after heroics in Russia

in Samara

England’s World Cup heroes could miss the start of next season following their march to the semi-finals.

Gareth Southgate’s side are now guaranteed to play their last match in Russia this weekend – either in Sunday’s final or Saturday’s thirdplace play-off – just four weeks before the Premier League resumes, not enough time for a proper rest and return to club action.

The Daily Telegraph has learnt that at least some of the squad will be offered as much as three weeks off after the World Cup, although they will also have a say on when they return to training.

Exactly when they do could depend on how much game time they had in Russia, with those who barely featured more likely to start for their clubs on the opening league weekend.

It could also depend on whether England win the tournament or the players suffer the heartbreak of defeat in the semi-final or final.

The situation is a unique one for the Three Lions since the world’s richest league was formed on the back of their last World Cup semi-final appearance in 1990. But it has become common for the Premier League’s foreign players to miss the start of the season if their own countries reach the business end of a major championship.

Two years ago, Arsenal gave Olivier Giroud, Laurent Koscielny and Mesut Ozil an extended break following their exertions for France and Germany at the European Championship.

After the 2014 World Cup final between Germany and Argentina, Ozil, Per Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski did not start a match for Arsenal until the end of August, nor did Pablo Zabaleta and Sergio Aguero for Manchester City.

It will not only be England’s players who could miss the start of the Premier League season after Russia.

Almost half of Belgium’s squad play in England, as do five from their semi-final opponents, France.

Croatia have only one Premier League player in their squad, the Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren.