Nouhou, Gustav Svensson called into World Cup qualifiers

It would appear that Seattle Sounders fans aren’t the only ones increasingly impressed by the likes of Gustav Svensson and Nouhou, as both will be called up for upcoming World Cup qualifiers. They will join their respective teams after Sunday’s game against the Portland Timbers.

Svensson, who has played in every game for the Sounders this year, has six career caps with Sweden, but this will be his first call-up since Janne Andersson was named manager in June 2016. Sweden will play Bulgaria on Aug. 31 and Belarus on Sept. 3. Svensson is the first player the Sounders have sent to a European national team since Adam Johansson was called up to Sweden in 2012.

This will be Nouhou’s first call-up to the Cameroon senior national team. He had previously earned a single cap for their U20 team. Cameroon will play Nigeria in a home-and-home series on Sept. 1 and 4. The 20-year-old has made 11 appearances this year, his first with the Sounders. He’ll be the first active Sounders player called up to an African team since Obafemi Martins in 2015.

Although all the national teams have not yet been announced, the Sounders could have as many as nine players called in. Nicolas Lodeiro (Uruguay) and Joevin Jones (Trinidad & Tobago) have already been announced, while Roman Torres (Panama) and Clint Dempsey are virtually guaranteed to get calls. Oniel Fisher (Jamaica), Jordan Morris and Cristian Roldan are also strong candidates for call-ups.

The United States national team’s roster will be announced during ESPN’s halftime show of the Montreal Impact-Toronto FC match on Sunday.