Four Napoli players called up to international duty

We haven't had an international break since November, a gap that leaves fans of the various national teams itching for action. Now, that action is coming, with a long-awaited slate of national team matches coming up at the end of the month.

Various national teams have already started announcing their squads for the window, and so far four Napoli players have been called in. While others will likely be called in the coming days, the first four Napoli players to get plane tickets are Marek Hamsik, Gonzalo Higuain, Walter Gargano, and Ivan Strinic.

Napoli's captain will also be bearing the armband for Slovakia as he leads his side in a European Championship qualifier against Luxembourg on March 27th, followed by a friendly against the Czech Republic on the 31st. Slovakia will be looking to solidify their place over Spain atop group C in the Euro qualifiers, and Hamsik will earn his 68th national cap in the process.

Higuain has struggled for Argentina over the last year, but he's going to get a chance to improve that form this month. He's been called in to the Albiceleste as they prepare to face El Salvador and Ecuador in a pair of friendlies in the US on the 28th and 31st. Hopefully Pipita will be able to add to the 22 goals that he's scored for his country.

Someone who many don't think has had as many national team caps as he's had is Gargano, who will have a chance to add to the 62 times that he's played for Uruguay during his career. Uruguay will be playing just one match in this international period, a friendly against Morocco in lovely Agadir, a coastal city in the African nation.

New signing Strinic will have a chance to show what his new team has done for him as a player when Croatia take on Norway in Zagreb on the 28th. Croatia are tied with Italy atop group H in the Euro qualifiers, but Norway are right behind them both. It's been shaping up to be an interesting group so far, and this match could prove key by the end of the year.