It promises to be an interesting week of international action for Chelsea's players, with a number of World Cup qualifying issues to be resolved.

In Europe, three of the four play-off games to decide the final qualifiers involve men from Stamford Bridge, while John Obi Mikel's Nigeria will need a win away to Kenya on Saturday to stand any chance of making the Finals in South Africa next June.

The Super Eagles are currently second in African qualifying Group B, two points behind leaders Tunisia, who are away to Mozambique, with a game to go. Only the top side qualifies, so the Nigerians will need to win and hope that Tunisia slip up.

Four Chelsea men are in the final Portugal squad that faces Bosnia over two legs for a place in the Finals. The two-legged tie takes place on Saturday (in Portugal) and Wednesday (in Bosnia).

Regulars Deco, Ricardo Carvalho and Paulo Ferreira are all involved, while goalkeeper Hilario has earned his first senior call-up at the age of 34. Injury means Jose Bosingwa will be absent.

Frenchmen Florent Malouda and Nicolas Anelka are in the squad that meets Ireland over two legs, the first in Dublin on Saturday and the second in Paris on Wednesday, while Yury Zhirkov is in Guus Hiddink's Russia selection that takes on Slovenia at home on Saturday, and away on Wednesday.

There remains one group game to be played across Africa, so the already-qualified Michael Essien will be able to relax at home to Mali for Ghana, while Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou needn't worry about the visit of Guinea to their Ivory Coast side. Ghana also have a friendly away to the African Cup of Nations hosts Angola on Wednesday.

For the other Europeans, there are friendlies aplenty. England's John Terry and Frank Lampard are in the squad that faces Brazil in Doha on Saturday, though Ashley Cole had to withdraw due to a knock on the knee.

Branislav Ivanovic has already qualified for South Africa, and so has non-competitive action to look forward to. Serbia travel to Belfast to face Northern Ireland at the weekend before meeting South Korea on the neutral territory of Fulham's Craven Cottage in midweek.

Germany with Michael Ballack in the squad would have hosted Chile on Saturday, but that has been cancelled following the death of goalkeeper Robert Enke.  

Petr Cech, whose Czech Republic did not qualify, is rested for their away game against the United Arab Emirates and remains at Cobham.

There are however a number of call-ups at Under 21 level, with four once again named in the England squad.

Michael Mancienne, Ryan Bertrand and Jack Cork, all out on loan, join Daniel Sturridge in Stuart Pearce's squad for the European Championship qualifier against Portugal on Saturday. That game will be held at Wembley, where tickets are still available, before Tuesday's trip to Lithuania in another qualifying game.

Nemanja Matic's Serbia have a home game against Norway on Sunday, while 17-year-old Jeffrey Bruma is again in the Dutch Under 21 squad, joined by Patrick van Aanholt (on loan at Coventry). They have two home games, the first against Liechtenstein on Friday, the second against Spain on Tuesday. Both are qualifiers.

Finally in the Under 21 category, there is a first Italy call-up for Fabio Borini.

The forward, 19, has been in excellent form this season, earning a first-team start against Queens Park Rangers in the Carling Cup, and has been rewarded by a call into the Azzurri squad that travels to Hungary on Friday, and then Luxembourg on Tuesday.

Further international news, including all the results and details of the Chelsea involvement will follow, while a youth international round-up will be included in the next Young Generation article.