​Every World Cup leaves its mark on Premier League squads, and this edition feels especially intense. The tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico concluded on Sunday, leaving just 33 days before the new Premier League season begins. While English clubs have already started their pre-season preparations, many are still without key players whose minutes are still stacking up from the World Cup in the United States.
Opta data reveals that some Premier League teams shouldered a far heavier World Cup burden than others, with last season’s top two—Arsenal and Manchester City—leading the pack. Manchester City sit at the top of the workload chart, their squad accumulating 5,027 World Cup minutes. Rodri has contributed 537 minutes, centre-back Marc Guehi 483, and defender Nico O’Reilly 454. Elliot Anderson, on the verge of a move from Nottingham Forest to the Etihad, added another 533 minutes for England.
Close behind them are Arsenal, whose players have logged 4,285 minutes, the second-highest total in the division. William Saliba played 450 minutes for France, Declan Rice 386 for England, Noni Madueke 288, Bukayo Saka 267, Mikel Merino 136, and Eberechi Eze 130. Following them are Liverpool, Aston Villa and Manchester United, each above 2,500 minutes. Brentford sit near the lower end of the spectrum, with just over 600 minutes in total.
Among the individual counts, Emiliano Martínez (600) and Jordan Pickford (570) lead all Premier League players for minutes, though goalkeepers face different physical demands from outfield players. The injury list has grown steadily as the tournament progressed. Aston Villa midfielder Amadou Onana suffered the most serious setback, rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament during Belgium’s 4-1 victory over the USA. Manchester United’s Manuel Ugarte also had his tournament cut short after a knee issue in the group stage with Uruguay. Jordan Henderson fractured his arm while celebrating England’s victory over Mexico, yet he has remained with Thomas Tuchel’s squad. Andy Robertson was forced off against Brazil with a suspected right ankle injury and was seen with ice wrapped around it. Scotland’s elimination meant he didn’t miss further matches, but the injury is still being assessed. “Personally, time will tell,” Robertson told the BBC, after moving from Liverpool to Tottenham this summer. Reece James, who featured for England against Norway, continues to manage a hamstring issue and has been eased through the tournament.
Seven Arsenal players could have faced up to 65 matches this season—depending on availability—with 57 matches planned for the 2025-26 season and eight at the World Cup. Manchester City and Chelsea also have players who competed in three consecutive summer tournaments. The Euros and Copa America occurred in 2024, followed by last summer’s Club World Cup for even better SEO. With the calendar so tightly packed, clubs will be counting not just minutes, but the toll those minutes take on fitness and squad depth as they navigate a compressed schedule and aspire to peak for the start of the new campaign.