Seven Town players went away during the international break hoping to help their countries qualify for this summer’s World Cup, but only on-loan striker Ali Al-Hamadi could claim any success, while plenty more were involved in friendlies or age-group games.

Al-Hamadi was on the scoresheet for Iraq as they grabbed the final place on offer at the tournament with a 2-1 victory over Bolivia on Tuesday night.

It will be Iraq’s second appearance at the finals and first for 40 years after their play-off victory in the Mexican city of Monterrey.

Blues striker Al-Hamadi, who is currently on loan at League One side Luton Town, struck the opening goal on the night for his fifth senior international goal.

That would prove to be by far his most important to date, as he started for Graham Arnold’s side to earn his 17th full cap.

Town’s contingent of Republic of Ireland internationals were left disappointed as the Irish ended their World Cup dream with defeat to Czechia in their play-off semi-final on Thursday.

Having dramatically secured their play-off place in November, the Boys in Green let a two-goal lead slip in Prague to draw 2-2 and crash out on penalties.

Blues captain Dara O’Shea started and had a hand in Ireland’s second goal, while Jack Taylor and Chiedozie Ogbene, who is on loan at Sheffield United, also played from the start.

Sammie Szmodics came on in extra time for his 12th Irish cap but lasted only three minutes before being stretchered off due to a clash of heads with Stepan Chaloupek.

The forward, currently on loan at Derby County for the remainder of the season, spent the night in hospital before returning to the UK.

Heimir Hallgrímsson’s side then drew 0-0 in a home friendly with North Macedonia on Tuesday, where O’Shea took his total caps to 43 and Ogbene to 32.

Taylor, who earned his 11th full cap in the Czechia defeat, was not involved having left the party due to his wife falling ill.

Anis Mehmeti will not be playing at the World Cup this summer as his Albania side were also beaten in the play-offs at the hands of Poland.

Despite leading, the Albanians lost 2-1 in Thursday night’s semi-final to end any hopes of reaching the tournament for the first time.

Mehmeti, who was signed by the Blues from Championship rivals Bristol City in January, was an unused substitute in Warsaw having been called up for the first time since June 2023.

The 25-year-old did become the first Town player to represent Albania at senior level when he picked up his fourth international cap as a half-time substitute in Tuesday’s friendly defeat to Ukraine in Valencia.

On-loan goalkeeper Aro Muric is another player who will miss out on this summer’s tournament after his Kosovo side were beaten at the final hurdle of qualification.

Having come out on the right side of a seven-goal thriller with Slovakia in Bratislava, the Kosovans fell to a 1-0 home defeat to Turkey in their home play-off final on Tuesday evening.

Muric, who is currently impressing out on loan at Italian side Sassuolo, is the undisputed number one and started both matches to reach 50 caps for his country.

One player hoping to be at this summer’s World Cup is Sindre Walle Egeli, but Town’s teenage forward was starring with Norway’s U21s this time around.

Walle Egeli helped his nation’s youngsters edge closer to qualifying for next year’s European Championships with a vintage performance in Friday’s 3-2 home victory against the Netherlands.

The 19-year-old initially started up front and scored twice, which included a direct free-kick, along with laying on an assist as he played a part in all three of Norway’s goals.

He then began the subsequent 2-0 defeat in Slovenia, which takes his number of caps at that level to 12, in addition to his senior appearance during his time at FC Nordsjælland.

Alongside his fine goalscoring record at other youth age groups, Walle Egeli has now netted seven times for the U21s.

Norway will be featuring at their first World Cup this summer in 28 years.

Scotland have also qualified for their first World Cup since 1998 and Blues striker George Hirst was hoping to impress and ensure he makes the squad that travels to North America.

The Tartan Army lost 1-0 in both friendlies during the March window, against Japan at Hampden Park on Saturday and to the Ivory Coast at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium three days later.

Hirst, who appears to be on the fringes of Steve Clarke’s squad, came off the bench against the Japanese before being given the nod from the start against the Ivorians.

The Sheffield-born frontman was heavily involved but could not add to his one previous international goal.

He has now won eight caps since switching allegiance to the Scots last year.

Elkan Baggott made a long-awaited return to the Indonesia squad as they hosted a friendly tournament in Jakarta.

The 23-year-old had not played international football for more than two years, but was recalled to the side under new manager John Herdman.

Indonesia won 4-0 against St Kitts and Nevis on Friday, where Baggott started, before he came off the bench in Monday’s 1-0 defeat to Bulgaria.

His latest appearances move the centre-back onto 26 senior international caps.

There were as many as 10 of the Blues’ academy squad away earning international honours at various age levels.

Somto Boniface won his third cap for England’s U20s during the Young Lions 3-3 draw with their Italian counterparts in Rome on Friday.

The left-back, who has twice been named on the bench for Town’s first team this season, came on as a second-half substitute.

Fellow England youth international Oliver Wilkinson was with the U17s as they missed out on qualification for this summer’s European Championships.

The 17-year-old defender added a third cap at that level during Tuesday’s 2-0 victory over Estonia at St George’s Park after remaining unused during England’s first two fixtures.

Wilkinson, who signed his first professional contract at Portman Road in February, had previously captained England’s U16s while on the books at Barnsley.

Leon Elliott became the first Town player to represent Barbados as he earned maiden honours for the Caribbean nation during the recent CONCACAF Series friendly tournament in Bonaire.

His nation lost 3-1 to Saint Martin and 3-2 against St Vincent and the Grenadines, where Elliott started both matches to earn his first two senior caps.

Guyana were also competing in their own CONCACAF Series group in the Dominican Republic, where young Blues defender Walker Shabazz-Edwards earned his first senior cap.

After not featuring against Dominica, the centre-back came on as a substitute during Monday’s 3-1 victory over Belize, becoming the first Town player to represent Guyana in the process.

Zimbabwe also saw a Blues player feature for the first time, where Corbin Mthunzi made his debut for the Warriors during a friendly tournament in Botswana.

Having been unused in their victory over the hosts, the central defender made his senior international debut as a late substitute in the subsequent win over Zambia.

Republic of Ireland’s U21s continued their European Championship qualifiers with Leon Ayinde involved in their latest squad.

The forward, who is currently on loan at National League side Boreham Wood, earned his second cap and first start during a 1-1 home draw with Moldova.

Academy duo Ryan Carr and Woody Williamson were both away with Scotland’s U21s as their hopes of qualifying took a significant dent.

Carr came on as a substitute as the young Scots drew 0-0 with Czechia in Dundee, before starting for the first time during the drubbing at group leaders Portugal.

The midfielder has now earned four caps, while goalkeeper Williamson is yet to make an appearance at U21s level.

Teenage striker Josh Pitts again represented Malta’s U21s during the recent round of qualifiers in which his nation continued to struggle.

Pitts came on as a substitute in the 5-0 defeat away in Greece, then started the 4-1 loss to Georgia to move onto seven caps at U21s level.

Fellow striker Sidney Eldred, who has played predominantly for Town’s U18s this season, earned two caps for Northern Ireland’s U19s as they began qualifying for next summer’s European Championships.

The 18-year-old started both the 2-1 victory over Azerbaijan, in which he assisted the winning goal, and the goalless draw with hosts Lithuania as he featured at that age group for the first time.

Photo: Reuters