Which Premier League clubs have been hit hardest by World Cup?

Rodri has clocked 537 World Cup minutes, among the most of any Premier League player

Every World Cup leaves its mark on Premier League squads, but this one feels particularly intense.

The tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico ends on Sunday, leaving just 33 days before the start of the new Premier League season.

While clubs in England's top flight have begun pre-season preparations, many are without key players whose minutes continue to add up in the United States.

Opta data shows some Premier League teams have carried a far heavier World Cup burden than others, with last year's top two -

Arsenal

and

Manchester City

- right at the top of the list.

top the Premier League workload chart with 5,027 World Cup minutes played by their squad.

Rodri alone has played 537 minutes, centre-back Marc Guehi 483 and defender Nico O'Reilly 454. Elliot Anderson, who is moving from

Nottingham Forest

to the Etihad, has added a further 533 minutes for England.

Right behind them are

, whose players have clocked 4,285 minutes, the second highest total in the league.

William Saliba has played 450 minutes for France, Declan Rice 386 for England, Noni Madueke 288, Bukayo Saka 267, Mikel Merino 136 and Eberechi Eze 130.

Liverpool

,

Aston Villa

Manchester United

follow, all above 2,500 minutes.

Brentford

are among the teams represented least, with slightly more than 600 minutes.

Emiliano Martinez (600) and Jordan Pickford (570) lead all Premier League players for minutes, though goalkeepers naturally face different physical demands from outfield players.

The injury list has grown steadily as the tournament has gone on.

midfielder Amadou Onana suffered the most serious setback,

rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament

during Belgium's 4-1 win over the USA.

's Manuel Ugarte also had his tournament ended early after

picking up a knee problem

during the group stage with Uruguay.

Jordan Henderson

broke his arm

while celebrating England's win over Mexico but the

midfielder has remained with Tuchel's squad.

Andy Robertson was forced off against Brazil with a suspected right ankle injury and was seen with ice strapped around it.

to

Tottenham

this summer.

Reece James, who featured for England against Norway, is still managing his own hamstring injury and has been eased through the tournament.

Seven of

's squad could have played up to 65 matches this season - depending on their availability - with 57 matches during the 2025-26 season and eight at the World Cup.

Chelsea

have players who have competed in three consecutive summer tournaments.

The Euros and Copa America took place in 2024, followed up by last summer's Club World Cup and then this year's World Cup.

One of the players who took part in all three was City midfielder Rodri - who said in 2024 that players were

"close" to striking

because of the sheer number of games.

manager Mikel Arteta, and new

boss Enzo Maresca have previously warned the packed football schedule is not sustainable.

Maresca - while

manager - argued the industry does "not protect players".

Following an injury to Kai Havertz in February 2025, Arteta said: "We've had players who are injured who've played 130 games in the last two seasons, so it's an accident waiting to happen, when you continue to load, load and load."

Declan Rice has played through both injury and illness during the World Cup - and was substituted after 45 minutes during England's win over Norway.

France defender Saliba has been dealing with a back problem.

Before France's game against Iraq, he admitted he had had "minor niggles" but was determined to grit his teeth because "the World Cup comes round only once every four years".

Players who have competed at this summer's World Cup are entitled to at least three weeks off, according to Fifa regulations.

Players who feature in next Sunday's final will not return to their clubs until 10 August, at the earliest. Less than two weeks before the new Premier League season begins.

There will be five Premier League matchweeks before an

extended international break

on 21 September.