Chelsea's International Players Experience Mixed Results in World Cup Qualifiers

Sarina Wiegman went heavy on Chelsea influence in Mallorca. Four Blues in the XI, a statement of trust on a tough night for England. It did not end well.

Hannah Hampton started in goal, Lucy Bronze at right-back, Keira Walsh wore the armband in midfield and Lauren James led part of the attacking charge. On paper, it looked solid. On the pitch, Spain ripped it apart.

England arrived on the island riding a wave of four straight World Cup qualifying wins and sitting top of Group A3. Spain didn’t care. Patri Guijarro struck in the first half, Alexia Putellas followed, and by the interval the world champions were two goals clear and cruising.

The pattern didn’t change after the break. Spain pressed, probed and then punished. Putellas made it 3-0 in the 55th minute, her second of the night, and the gap in class felt stark. When Claudia Pina came off the bench and whipped in a ruthless finish, the scoreline finally reflected the dominance: 4-0, emphatic and unforgiving.

Hampton and Walsh were left to absorb the full 90 minutes of Spanish superiority. James departed on 59 minutes, her race run long before England’s resistance, while Bronze was withdrawn late on, replaced by another Chelsea defender in Niamh Charles. Aggie Beever-Jones did not make the match-day squad at all.

For England’s Chelsea contingent, it was a sobering reminder of the standard set by the world champions.

Nüsken leads Germany to Brazil

On the same night, Sjoeke Nüsken experienced the other side of international football’s emotional spectrum.

Handed the captain’s armband for Germany, the Chelsea midfielder steered her country to a decisive win over Norway that booked their ticket to next year’s World Cup in Brazil. The equation was simple: beat their closest Group A4 rivals and qualification was sealed. Germany handled it with authority.

Marie Müller opened the scoring inside 20 minutes, settling any early nerves. Carlotta Wamser quickly added a second, and although Norway created chances, they never found a way back. Germany held their line, protected their advantage and saw out the victory that guarantees their place at the finals.

On a night when England faltered, Nüsken’s Germany marched on.

Cuthbert’s brilliant night turns worrying in Scotland’s 6–0 win

In Scotland, Erin Cuthbert produced the kind of all-action display that has become her trademark – only for the evening to end with a worrying sight.

The Chelsea midfielder was at the heart of a rampant 6-0 World Cup qualifying win over Israel, scoring once and supplying two assists before being carried off on a stretcher in second-half stoppage time.

Cuthbert lit the game up early. In the 17th minute she picked up the ball around 20 yards from goal, stepped into space on the edge of the box and lashed a superb strike into the net. It set the tone and set Scotland on their way.

She shifted from scorer to creator after the break. First came the pass for Caroline Weir’s second of the night, Scotland’s third. Then, after Weir had completed her hat-trick, Cuthbert slipped in Lauren Davidson to add another. The scoreline swelled, the confidence flowed.

Kirsty Hanson added further gloss, but the mood changed in an instant. In the dying moments, an innocuous-looking challenge left Cuthbert requiring prolonged treatment. The sight of her leaving the pitch on a stretcher cut through the celebrations of a 6-0 win and left a cloud hanging over an otherwise perfect performance.

France’s Baltimore delivers a stunner; Sweden undone by Harder

There was a touch of class from Sandy Baltimore in France’s 2-0 win over Poland.

France had to be patient. Poland held out until early in the second half, when Melvine Malard finally broke the deadlock. Once the resistance cracked, Baltimore stepped forward with the moment of the match just after the hour.

The Chelsea winger drifted free of her marker, played a sharp one-two with Malard and burst into the box. One touch to set, one clean, confident finish to kill the game. A 2-0 victory, job done, and another reminder of her quality on the international stage.

Elsewhere, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd found the net for Sweden but still walked away empty-handed after a 2-1 defeat in Denmark.

Cecilie Floe opened the scoring for the hosts in the first half. Rytting Kaneryd struck back early in the second with a close-range finish to haul Sweden level and tilt the momentum. It didn’t last. Former Chelsea forward Pernille Harder delivered the decisive blow in the 65th minute, restoring Denmark’s lead and sealing the points.

Peng steady as Switzerland surge; Dutch duo suffer late heartbreak

Chelsea goalkeeper Livia Peng enjoyed a far more comfortable night as Switzerland swept Malta aside 6-1 in World Cup qualifying. Peng played the full 90 minutes, watching her side dominate and tighten their grip on top spot in their group. After five matches, Switzerland sit three points clear of Turkey and firmly in control of their campaign.

For Chelsea’s Dutch pair Veerle Buurman and Wieke Kaptein, there was only frustration in Cork.

Both started for the Netherlands against the Republic of Ireland, but could not prevent a 3-2 defeat that swung wildly in the closing stages. Kyra Carusa struck first to put Ireland ahead, only for Dominique Janssen to level with 20 minutes remaining.

The game then erupted. Abbie Larkin restored Ireland’s lead almost immediately. Victoria Pelova answered back with ten minutes to play, dragging the Dutch level again and seemingly steering the contest towards a draw.

Then came the sting. As the clock ticked down, Amber Barrett reacted quickest in the box and prodded home from close range. Ireland took the win, the Netherlands were left empty-handed, and Buurman and Kaptein will know their qualifying path just became more complicated.

Across Europe, Chelsea’s internationals felt the full range of this window: commanding wins, bruising defeats, qualification sealed and, most worryingly, one key midfielder leaving on a stretcher. The club will be counting bodies – and bruises – when they all report back.