Arsenal boast an impressive history of nurturing skills, with several players from their Hale End academy advancing to become leading figures at the highest levels of international football.
Many top-tier players – whether they're just starting out or have long been established – honed their abilities in Arsenal’s academy, which serves as the initial stage toward a remarkable career achievement for any footballer: playing for their country at the World Cup.
We've pinpointed nine graduates from Arsenal’s Hale End academy who could make a significant impact at the 2026 World Cup happening next year.
Bukayo Saka
Saka has consistently stood out as one of England’s top players in recent times, making him the quintessential example of Hale End’s success.
Once he comes back from his injury, he'll likely be one of the first players Thomas Tuchel will include on his team sheet.
The England team genuinely has a chance of winning the trophy in New Jersey next year, and Saka is one of their key players.
Myles Lewis-Skelly
Although England has plentiful choices for the right-back position in recent times, the left side has been problematic due to Luke Shaw’s persistent injuries.
Nine months later, Tuchel benefits from having a few talented youngsters at his disposal, including Newcastle United’s Lewis Hall and Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly.
The young talent from Arsenal initiated the Tuchel era by scoring an early goal against Albania, surpassing Marcus Rashford’s record to become the youngest player to find the net on their first appearance for England.
"I find myself speechless," he commented about scoring his first goal.
The last six months have flown by incredibly fast. I focus on the present and embrace each moment as it arrives. To be honest, it’s astounding. This is a day that will remain etched in my memory forever.
Ethan Nwaneri
Now that he has just turned 18, if Nwaneri keeps progressing at this rate, it won’t take much time before he becomes part of Tuchel’s strategies. For now, he is still playing for England’s U-19 team, but we would be surprised if he doesn’t make his senior debut within the coming year.
The young talent is also qualified to play for Nigeria via his father, and one can picture the Super Eagles eagerly preparing to seize an opportunity to recruit one of the standout players from the Premier League when the chance arises.
Mika Biereth
Surprisingly, Biereth has scored 11 league goals for Monaco this season, which is more than any player in Mikel Arteta’s team. He joined the club in January.
The young forward, who is 22 years old, hails from London where he also grew up. He previously had a lengthy period with Fulham before spending some time at Hale End. However, his journey to success did not follow the typical Arsenal route; instead, following an impressive loan spell, he moved to the Austrian champions, Sturm Graz, during the summer.
In his brief stint in the Austrian Bundesliga, he demonstrated sufficient skill to secure a transfer to Monaco, where he has been phenomenal, scoring three hat-tricks in just his first nine matches in Ligue 1.
His impressive performance led to his first senior call-up for Denmark — a country he qualifies for due to his father’s heritage after representing them at various youth levels. He even began in their recent match where they defeated Portugal.
Folarin Balogun
In the winter transfer window, Monaco signed Biereth after Hale Ender Balogun sustained a dislocated shoulder injury.
Raised in London after being born in Brooklyn, the forward played for England across four distinct junior teams prior to committing to represent the United States in 2023.
In the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League final win against Canada, he netted his initial international goal and has since accumulated five goals in 17 matches representing his nation.
In the recent 1-0 loss to Panama, Balogun seemed notably absent from the U.S. team. This gap could significantly impact Mauricio Pochettino’s aspirations for a successful World Cup run in his homeland.
Alex Iwobi
Arsene Wenger spoke highly of Alex Iwobi, mentioning his admiration for the midfielder in the past.
He has a great attitude and plays efficiently. Not necessarily showy, but he really grasps the game. Highly effective and always contributes to the team.
You’d certainly recognise that assessment today, with Iwobi arguably producing the best football of his career as an ever-dependable presence for Marco Silva’s high-flying Fulham.
Iwobi was born in Lagos but grew up in Newham. He played for England’s under-16, under-17, and under-21 teams before committing to Nigeria at the senior international level. His upcoming appearance for Nigeria will mark his 50th cap.
The Super Eagles failed to qualify for the previous World Cup but managed to secure second place in the most recent African Nations Championship (AFCON). However, their performance has been inconsistent during the qualifiers for the 2026 event.
Serge Gnabry
This season, the winger has come off the substitutes' bench more often than he has started under Vincent Kompany. However, by next summer’s World Cup, he will likely have spent nearly ten years as a key player for both Bayern Munich and the German national team. You would expect him to also feature prominently in Julian Nagelsmann’s lineup when the tournament rolls around in 2026.
Gnabry exhibited glimpses of potential during his initial tenure with Arsenal under Wenger, yet scarcely featuring due to his time on loan at West Brom was a poor strategic choice. Since then, he has undoubtedly progressed significantly from the point where Tony Pulis considered him inadequate.
QUIZ: Guess The Wikipedia Footballer: Can you name these 10 Arsenal academy graduates?
Emiliano Martinez
The journey to the pinnacle was lengthy for Martinez, who honed his skills at Hale End following his arrival from Argentina when he turned 18.
The goalkeeper's early career was marked by several undistinguished loan spells before he remained unnoticed by Argentina's selectors. It wasn’t until he secured a prominent position in his parent club’s successful FA Cup campaign during the 2019-20 season that he caught their attention.
"I believe you shouldn't focus on not playing; instead, you should always think you have the ability. However, during my career around age 22 or 23, when I wasn't getting much playtime, I went on my initial loan to Spain and managed just six appearances," he explained to Sky Sports.
Then I realized that returning to Arsenal meant they wouldn't offer me an opportunity, forcing me into another loan spell; thus, those years were incredibly tough, and at times, I even lost my passion for football.
After spending ten years with Arsenal until the age of 28, Martinez moved to Aston Villa. In the subsequent year, he earned his first cap for the national team and hasn’t missed a beat since then—emerging as a pivotal player as they secured consecutive Copa America titles along with the World Cup.
Next summer, he aims for an unparalleled fourth consecutive title with La Albiceleste. He has always experienced nothing but illustrious success on the international level.
Chido Obi-Martin
Similar to Nwaneri, Obi-Martin has not made his senior international debut yet. This 17-year-old forward is currently playing for Denmark’s U-18 team.
Considering his impressive track record at the youth level and his striking performances during initial appearances for Manchester United, it wouldn’t be surprising if he competes with Biereth and teammate Rasmus Hojlund for a spot in Brian Riemer’s lineup by the conclusion of next season.
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