Olympic football 2024: Which Arsenal players are taking part in Paris Games?

As a result, Mikel Arteta's pre-season plans will face no further disruption following the Euros and Copa America, but the Arsenal Women's team will have a handful of representatives donning their countries' colours.

While men's teams can only select three players over the age of 23, the 16-team women's tournament is not governed by such rules, allowing head coaches to select as many experienced world-beaters as they wish.

The Olympics are not so disruptive for Jonas Eidevall and co, who do not play their first competitive fixture of the new season until September 4, and here, Sports Mole looks at every Arsenal player competing at the Paris Games.

Australia Women - Caitlin Foord, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Steph Catley

Great Britain may have disappointingly failed to qualify for this year's Olympics, denying Leah Williamson, Beth Mead and Alessia Russo the chance to go for gold, but a terrific trio of Australians will be flying the Gunners flag high.

Among them is star attacker Caitlin Foord, who was just 16 years old when she became Australia's youngest-ever player at the World Cup in 2011 and now has 36 goals in 123 games for the Matildas, making her the highest scorer in their Olympic squad.

However, the 29-year-old - who scored four goals and set up four more in the WSL last season - picked up a hamstring injury several weeks ago, plunging her status for the Olympics into some doubt.

Defensive cornerstone Steph Catley - the Matildas' vice-captain - is in the same boat with a lower leg problem, but the 30-year-old has not withdrawn from the Australia squad and brings invaluable qualities at left-back when fully fit.

Catley was responsible for one goal and three assists in the WSL last season, her fourth campaign with Arsenal since arriving in 2020, whereas Kyra Cooney-Cross heads to the Olympics having had just one year at the Emirates.

Brought to North London thanks to a joint effort from Catley and Ian Wright, who was dazzled by her displays at the 2023 World Cup, Cooney-Cross has already earned her Olympic stars in Tokyo, where Australia agonisingly missed out on the bronze medal.

The 22-year-old's debut campaign at Arsenal was not the most remarkable, as she played just 14 WSL games and set up two goals, but she is anticipated to shine for the Matildas in her second Games.

Canada Women - Cloe Lacasse

With goalkeeper Sabrina D'Angelo bidding farewell to her former Gunners teammates this summer, Arsenal have just one player donning the Canada kit in Paris, experienced centre-forward Cloe Lacasse.

The 31-year-old was poached from Benfica last summer following a few prolific seasons in Portugal but only managed five goals and two assists in 27 games for Eidevall's side last season, although she haunted Manchester United on two occasions.

Lacasse's maiden Gunners goal - and a stunning one at that - came in the dying embers of a 2-2 draw with Man United in October to help the Gunners steal a point, before she also struck in a 3-1 victory at the Emirates a few months later.

Lacasse also ended the season with a Women's League Cup winners' medal around her neck, and after being overlooked for a place in Canada's triumphant Tokyo squad, she represented her nation at last year's World Cup and will belatedly make her Games debut this summer.

USA Women - Emily Fox

Arriving at the Emirates a few months after her North American collegue Lacasse, USA defender Emily Fox was a January acquisition for Eidevall following her exploits in the National Women's Soccer League with Racing Louisville and North Carolina Courage.

Fox quickly made an impression at right-back in Arsenal colours, setting up two goals in 10 WSL appearances and playing the full 120 minutes in the Conti Cup final, where the Gunners sunk Chelsea 1-0 at Molineux.

Already a CONCACAF W Championship and CONCACAF W Gold Cup winner with the USA, Fox also started all four of her nation's matches at the 2023 World Cup and is expected to be Emma Hayes's first-choice right-back at the upcoming Olympics.

Spain Women - Mariona Caldentey, Laia Codina

Another one of Arsenal's 2024 signings - and one who has not even made her debut for the Gunners yet - Spanish World Cup winner Mariona Caldentey was announced as Eidevall's newest recruit in July following her exit from Barcelona.

Caldentey cleared out her Camp Nou locker after a glittering 10-year spell with Barca, scoring 114 goals in 302 fixtures and winning 18 major honours, including a magnificent quadruple in her farewell campaign.

The 28-year-old had a hand in 12 goals and 12 assists across 39 Liga F and Champions League matches last term, after playing a critical role in Spain's World Cup triumph, setting up Olga Carmona's winning goal against England in the final.

Caldentey will be welcomed to the Arsenal ranks by compatriot and former Barcelona teammate Laia Codina, who failed to make a similar lasting impression at Camp Nou and made just eight WSL appearances in her debut Gunners campaign.

However, the 24-year-old was also a fundamental member of Spain's World Cup-winning team, scoring against Switzerland in the last 16 and starting every knockout match up to and including the final.