5th Jul 2024 • Written by Henry Swain

Crystal Palace's international Eagles

Crystal Palace have firmly cemented their place in the Premier League over the last decade. In 2024, the club finds itself in an excellent position with a vastly talented squad made up of players from all over the globe. 

This Summer, the UEFA European Championship and Copa América are well underway, as a number of Palace stars fight for glory for their respective nations. 

Here, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about each Palace’s international representatives, as well as covering the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers and looking ahead to the upcoming 2024 Olympic games in Paris. 

UEFA European Championship 

This year's edition of the Euros has been the first with this level of representation for Palace, five players spread across England and Denmark respectively. 

We’ll start with England, where Marc Guéhi, Eberechi Eze, Adam Wharton and Dean Henderson all included in former Palace defender Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions squad. 

Dean Henderson and Adam Wharton

Palace’s keeper was unlikely to see much gametime at this tournament, with long-term England number one Jordan Pickford and Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale ahead of the Eagles’ shotstopper in the pecking order. 

For Wharton however, many fans predicted the 20-year-old to play a role alongside Declan Rice, with England desperate for a deep-lying holding midfielder as Southgate hinted he was still searching for his Kalvin Phillips replacement, a player who registered just 48 minutes in England’s 2022 World Cup run. 

Whilst the Blackburn academy graduate has all the tools to excel in England’s system, he has not been awarded with any playing time so far, as England head towards a Quarter Final clash with Switzerland on July 6th. 

Marc Guéhi

In the simplest description possible, Marc Guéhi has been England’s player of the tournament so far. 

However, at The Palace Way, we like to dive a little deeper. The 23-year-old has started all four of England’s games, leading by example from the back with dominant defensive displays. Errors have been few and far between, with his two bookings direct results of poorly weighted passes back to him from Kieran Trippier and Declan Rice, the former meaning Guéhi will miss England’s Quarter Final tie with Switzerland.

He has proven every Palace fan correct, the praise that the Palace faithful have voiced for three seasons now finally being echoed by neutrals. When he has made errors, his recovery has been superb with his strong defensive instincts coming to the fore.

Credit: Image Photo Agency/Getty Images

Guéhi has also had an impact at the other end of the pitch. He won the flick on from Kyle Walker’s long throw to set up Jude Bellingham’s last gasp bicycle kick which kept England’s dream alive against Slovakia. 

It cannot go unmentioned that he played through the pain barrier in this crucial Round-of-16 tie. His right shoulder was heavily strapped and he required half-time injections to get through the match.

His absence in the quarter-final presents Southgate with a considerable selection issue.

Eberechi Eze

An England bench bolstered by the likes of Cole Palmer, Anthony Gordon and Jarrod Bowen, minutes for Eze were always going to be hard to come by. 

However, Southgate has shown his faith in Palace’s poster boy, offering him 2 substitute appearances, playing 25 minutes in the 1-1 draw with Denmark and 42 minutes against Slovakia in the Round-of-16.

He played a key role in the turnaround against Slovakia, as he mis-hit a first time volley from the edge of the box onto Ivan Toney’s head, the Brentford man nodding on to Harry Kane to score the winning goal at the start of extra time. 

Joachim Andersen

Prior to Denmark’s 2-0 loss to Germany, Andersen was having a stellar tournament. Unbeaten in Group C, the central defender who captained Palace on numerous occasions during the 2023/24 Premier League campaign conceded just two goals, with a clean sheet in Denmark’s 0-0 draw with Serbia. 

The night before his Round-of-16 tie against host nation Germany, Andersen would have been hoping to lead his country to a Euros Quarter Final for the fifth time in their history. The game rapidly deteriorated into nightmare fuel for the Dane over the span of 120 seconds.

A striker’s finish in the 50th minute to put his side 1-0 up was disallowed after a lengthy VAR check, Thomas Delaney adjudged to be offside by a toenail. 

Germany took the ball straight up the other end of the pitch and as a cross came in three feet from Andersen, the ball flicked off his thumb. 

Credit: Marvin Ibo Guengoer - GES Sportfoto/Getty Images

Another lengthy VAR check later, and Andersen was booked for handball, an unavoidable penalty conceded due to the nonsensical nature of the game’s handball law. 

Kai Havertz converted as the Germans went on to win 2-0, knocking Andersen and Denmark out.  

Copa América

Three Palace players have been competing in this year’s Copa América; Chris Richards for the USA and Jefferson Lerma and Daniel Muñoz for Colombia. Here’s how they’re getting on…

Chris Richards

East Mamba, as he is affectionately known, started all three group games for the USA, as he continues to become one of the leading players for the national team. Hosting the tournament, his side were expected to succeed, their squad containing a roster of top players competing in the best European leagues. 

Richards’ side opened the tournament in style, a 2-0 win against Bolivia. Performances turned sour rapidly, a 2-1 loss to Panama followed by an elimination-deciding loss to Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay. 

The entire USA squad underperformed, as they finished third in Group C behind Panama and Uruguay, who won all three group games. Richards was booked twice, yellow cards in the final two games. 

Against Panama, his headed attempt was saved on to the bar with Weston McKennie’s rebound disallowed for offside. Timothy Weah was dismissed for a punch on Panama’s Roderick Miller, piling the pressure on Richards’ and his fellow defenders. A 2-1 loss set up a must-win tie against record winners Uruguay, which they lost 1-0, sealing their fate. 

Daniel Muñoz

For Colombia, the feeling around the camp has been the polar opposite to that of the USA. Miraculously topping Group D ahead of Brazil, Muñoz played a vital role in his nation’s two wins and draw. 

Ahead of the tournament, Muñoz was sent off for violent conduct after a brawl broke out in Colombia’s 3-0 warmup win over Bolivia, Palace’s January signing dismissed after throwing punches in the direction of multiple Bolivian players. 

He scored the opening goal of Colombia’s campaign, a powerful header from a James Rodriguez set-piece. A 3-0 win in his second game against Costa Rica followed, before Muñoz scored yet again in his side’s 1-1 draw against nine time Champions Brazil. 

Credit: ATRICK T. FALLON/AFP/Getty Images

Barcelona’s Raphina opened the scoring with a sensational free-kick, but when Muñoz was slipped through on goal in additional time at the end of the first half, he made no mistake. Slamming a right footed effort into the roof of the net beyond a helpless Alisson, Palace’s rampaging right-back levelled the game to earn his side a point. 

Jefferson Lerma

It hasn’t just been Muñoz getting on the scoresheet for Los Cafeteros with Lerma scoring the winning goal in his side’s opening game victory over Paraguay. In similar fashion to Muñoz’s strike, Lerma’s goal came via a headed attempt following another inch-perfect James set piece. 

In typical Copa América and Jefferson Lerma fashion, yellow cards have been aplenty. Lerma saw yellow in both the win over Paraguay and the 1-1 tie with Brazil. He will now miss the Quarter Final tie against Panama. 

Whilst his presence in midfield will be sorely missed, Colombia approach the tie confident of reaching the Semi-Finals, where they will face either Brazil or Uruguay. 

FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

Following the culmination of the domestic league season, the second round of World Cup Qualifiers for African sides got underway. Palace’s Jordan Ayew, representing Ghana, and new Summer signing, Moroccan Chadi Riad were both in action in early June. 

Jordan Ayew

Ghana won both of their games, as they sit second in CAF Group I behind Comoros. The first fixture, a 2-1 win away to Mali, saw Ayew bag the winning goal, and in some fashion. His 94th minute winner was vintage Ayew, right place right time, to slam home and send both his fans, and teammates delirious.

The second win, a 4-3 thriller against the Central African Republic, Ayew carried his team to victory, scoring a hat trick. His first strike came from the spot, converting calmly into the bottom right corner. The second, a powerful header, was followed by a tap-in on the goalline. 

Ghana will continue their qualification efforts in March. 

Chadi Riad

Palace’s Summer signing played just the one game for Morocco, who top CAF Group E. In a 6-0 win over Congo Republic, Riad scored his side’s second goal as he continues to cement a starting  place for the Atlas Lions. 

2024 Paris Olympics

After stellar seasons for Palace, both Michael Olise and Jean-Phillipe Mateta were selected by Thierry Henry to represent host nation France at the Paris Olympics, competing in Group A. 

Mateta scored twice in a warmup match against Paraguay with the Palace duo combining excellently for the game's first goal.

Credit: Loic Baratoux/Icon Sport/Getty Images

The games kick off on July 24th, where France will face the USA, followed by a matchup against Guinea three days later. The final group game for Le Bleus will be played on July 30th against New Zealand.

All games will be available to watch on the BBC. 

Thumbnail Credit: Eddie Keogh/The FA/Getty Images

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