Norwich City will have five players on football’s biggest stage after recent international action: Kenny McLean, Anis Ben Slimane, Mohamed Toure, Jose Cordoba and Ali Ahmed all featured as teams fine-tuned ahead of the World Cup. Their minutes and form in friendlies will influence national team roles and Norwich’s squad planning as the tournament kicks off on 11 June.
Norwich City players finish World Cup warm-ups with mixed returns
Kenny McLean, Anis Ben Slimane and Mohamed Toure all saw game time in recent internationals as nations completed preparations for the World Cup. McLean played 20 minutes in Scotland’s 4-0 win over Bolivia. Ben Slimane came on in the second half for Tunisia in a 5-0 loss to Belgium. Toure featured late for Australia in a 1-1 draw with Switzerland. Jose Cordoba and Ali Ahmed are also in World Cup squads for Panama and Canada respectively.
Who each Norwich player will face at the World Cup
Ali Ahmed — Canada (Group B)
Canada in Group B: Bosnia, Qatar and Switzerland. Ahmed’s inclusion gives Norwich visibility in a group with a mix of European and CONCACAF opposition.
Kenny McLean — Scotland (Group C)
Scotland in Group C: Brazil, Morocco and Haiti. McLean’s minutes in friendlies suggest a squad role, likely as experienced midfield depth behind Scotland’s preferred starters.
Mohamed Toure — Australia (Group D)
Australia in Group D: USA, Paraguay and Turkey. Toure’s late cameo against Switzerland indicates he’s on the periphery but can offer impact minutes in a physically demanding group.
Anis Ben Slimane — Tunisia (Group F)
Tunisia in Group F: Netherlands, Japan and Sweden. Despite the heavy defeat to Belgium, Ben Slimane remains a player to watch in a tactically diverse group.
Jose Cordoba — Panama (Group L)
Panama in Group L: England, Croatia and Ghana. Cordoba’s presence provides Norwich with representation in a challenging group where defensive stability will be vital.
What the warm-up minutes reveal
The recent friendlies offered clarity on roles. McLean’s 20 minutes point to a trusted squad option rather than an automatic starter. Toure and Ben Slimane getting late-game minutes implies managers see them as tactical alternatives rather than daily starters. Those patterns matter: tournament managers often prefer dependable rotations, and players who finish friendlies fit into those plans more easily.
Why this matters for Norwich City
International exposure boosts player profiles and can affect pre-season planning for Norwich. Consistent minutes in Qatar (or host venues) could increase a player’s market visibility and test their fitness ahead of club duties. Conversely, extended tournament runs raise injury and fatigue risk — something Norwich will monitor closely in the transfer window and when finalizing summer preparations.
What to watch during the World Cup
Focus on how much sustained game time the Norwich contingent receives and against which opponents. McLean’s role against high-calibre opposition (Brazil, Morocco) will say more about his current level than a single friendly. Toure and Ben Slimane’s offensive contributions, and Cordoba’s defensive form against top-tier attackers, will be the clearest indicators of their summer trajectories.
Bottom line
Norwich City has multiple players involved on the World Cup stage, offering both opportunity and risk.
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