Declan Rice and Tomáš Souček have been called up for international duty by England and Czech Republic respectively.
The West Ham United midfield duo have continued to build a formidable partnership this season and both are now established as regular starters for their countries.
Rice helped England reach the final of UEFA Euro 2020 and secure automatic qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup with a series of outstanding performances, while Souček captained Czech Republic to the quarter-finals of Euro 2020.
After winning their UEFA Nations League group in 2021, Souček and his compatriots face a FIFA World Cup qualifying second round semi-final with Sweden in Solna on Thursday 24 March. The winners will go through to face Poland in a final in Chorzów on Sunday 29 March, with the victors qualifying for the World Cup finals in Qatar in November/December.
Souček has 46 caps and eight goals for his country since making his senior debut in a 1-1 friendly draw with Denmark in Mladá Boleslav in November 2016. The two-times reigning Czech Footballer of the Year and current Hammer of the Year was appointed captain on a permanent basis last summer.
Vladimír Coufal misses out through injury after undergoing surgery on a hernia, while Alex Král has not been selected this time by Czech head coach Jaroslav Šilhavý.
With England already assured of their place at the World Cup, Rice will be on friendly international duty, with Gareth Southgate’s side hosting Switzerland and Ivory Coast at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 26 March and Tuesday 29 March respectively.
The 23-year-old has become one of the first names on Southgate’s teamsheet since debuting in a 5-0 Euro 2020 qualifying win over Souček’s Czech Republic at Wembley in March 2019.
Since then, he has earned 27 caps and two goals and helped England reach the final of the 2019 Nations League and Euro 2020.
Rice’s Club-mate Jarrod Bowen was being widely tipped for a first call-up after a scintillating run of form in Claret and Blue, but his heel injury suffered in the Premier League match at Liverpool in February means he misses out.
Further international call-ups are expected over the coming days, with the likes of Michail Antonio (Jamaica), Alphonse Areola and Kurt Zouma (France), Saïd Benrahma (Algeria), Pablo Fornals (Spain), Arthur Masuaku (DR Congo) and Nikola Vlašić (Croatia) all involved in recent international matches for their respective nations.
However, Andriy Yarmolenko will not be in action for Ukraine after their World Cup qualifying second round semi-final in Scotland was postponed due to the Russian invasion of his homeland.
