Behind the Numbers: Arsenal's internationals

This week Arsenal statistician Josh James takes a look at the Club’s international players.

Fourteen Arsenal players have played international matches over the past week, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Per Mertesacker, Olivier Giroud and Nicklas Bendtner all on target.

The Gunners now have 22 full internationals in the squad, plus a further five (Samuel Galindo, Ryo Miyaichi, Bendtner, Ju Young Park and Joel Campbell) out on loan, making 27 in all on the books – more than in any other time in the Club's history.

Between them, our 27 international players have a total of 920 caps (an average of 34 each) and have netted 196 goals. The most capped player in the squad is Lukas Podolski, who has played 105 times for Germany.

In fact Lukas holds the record for the youngest European player to reach the 100-cap landmark in international football.

Only four of Podolski's international appearances have been made as an Arsenal player though (he officially signed on July 1). The player with the most all-time caps while at Arsenal is Thierry Henry, who won 81 of his 123 France caps while with the Club. He scored 38 times in those 81 games, making him the player with the most international goals while at Arsenal too.

In all Arsenal have had international players from 47 different countries, though not all of them represented their national team while an Arsenal player – Jehad Muntasser, for example, made his Libya debut after leaving the Club.

But looking purely at players who represented their country while with the Club, the nation with the most Arsenal internationals in history is England (61), followed by Scotland (18), Wales (18), Northern Ireland (14) and Republic of Ireland (14). Paddy Sloan is included in both the Republic and Northern Ireland stats, as he represented both nations independently.

That makes a total of 114 players who have been capped by the five home nations while with Arsenal.

Looking further afield, the 'foreign' country with the most Arsenal internationals is France - 18 current or ex-Gunners have turned out for Les Bleus. In all 87 Arsenal players have represented non-UK nations at senior international level. They are listed below.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was among the scorers in the recent international break, and he broke a record in so doing.

He became, at 19 years and 58 days, the youngest England goalscorer in a World Cup qualifier, and the fourth youngest scorer for his country overall, behind Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen and Tommy Lawton.

The goal also means Oxlade-Chamberlain and dad Mark are now the only father and son combination to have scored for England.

The first father and son to both play for England were George Eastham and George Eastham Senior - the latter did so while an Arsenal player.

Given Oxlade-Chamberlain's age, he may realistically target a little-known Arsenal record – that of most goals for England while an Arsenal player. Cliff Bastin still holds this record for the 12 international goals he scored between 1933 and 1938.

Theo Walcott, who is still only 23, might also be in line to break the record - he currently has four senior England goals.

Other than Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain, the last Arsenal player to score for England was Francis Jeffers, against Australia in February 2003.

Walcott now has 30 caps, while Oxlade-Chamberlain has eight, and the two may one day join the exclusive ranks of Arsenal players to win 100 or more caps overall.

Including their whole international careers - not just their time at Arsenal - seven Gunners past and present (listed below) have brought up the ton. Ashley Cole and Kolo Toure are both two games away from joining them.

In addition, Patrick Vieira has lifted more international honours than any other player while representing Arsenal.

He won the 1998 World Cup, 2000 European Championship and 2001 Confederations Cup with France during his Gunners career. A host of others won two honours while with the Gunners.

Behind The Numbers

Stats correct as at October 17, 2012.

Josh James also provides the stats for the Arsenal Analysis pages of the matchday programme.

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