A new cycle for international football begins with the Nations League over the next three weeks as many teams enter a new era under fresh leadership.
Jurgen Klopp’s comeback is the leading story of the international break as he returns to the dugout for the first time in two years, hoping to rebuild Germany after their calamitous World Cup exit to Paraguay in the last-32.
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Klopp’s maiden outing will be against Germany’s storied rivals the Netherlands, who themselves have a new figure at the helm in the form of Barcelona legend Xavi. Scotland are another nation starting fresh with Belgian coach Sebastien Pocognoli succeeding Steve Clarke, while Roberto Mancini begins his second stint as Italy manager hoping to emulate the glory of his first.
But all eyes will not be on the technical area, with a plethora of players having a point to prove in a post-World Cup landscape, whether they played in North America this summer or not.
Here are 10 players to watch during the international break:
Florian Wirtz during the World Cup (Getty)
Off the back of an underwhelming debut campaign at Liverpool under Arne Slot, Wirtz has so far failed to kick on under Andoni Iraola, whose playstyle was supposed to suit him better. Real doubt are now creeping in whether the £100m-man will ever live up to his price tag at Anfield – and some, like Jamie Carragher, feel the influence of Jurgen Klopp might be his only hope. Can he find some form for his country before bringing it back to Merseyside?
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Cristiano Ronaldo has been called up by Portugal (PA)
Ronaldo, 41, is still going. The Portugal captain played what is surely his final World Cup this summer and did not win it, with the Selecao succumbing to eventual champions Spain. Lionel Messi fell to the same fate in the United States and has since called time on his international career, but Ronaldo remains in the fold, selected by new manager Jorge Jesus who he worked under at Al-Nassr. Ronaldo is desperate to prove he’s still got it on his way to 1,000 goals, but going off performances for the past couple of years, critics will feel he’s taking up a spot in the squad from someone more deserving. Under a new managerial regime, that doesn’t seem to be changing.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has been given a recall by Thomas Tuchel (Getty)
Who saw this coming, eh? Alexander-Arnold looked like he’d been iced out of England contention by Tuchel after being snubbed for the World Cup, not even getting a sniff when right-back Tino Livramento got injured. But the Real Madrid man is back and he’s back as a right-back, with Thomas Tuchel confirming as such. There have always been concerns of Alexander-Arnold defensively but this is chance to put those to rest. “He always said he’s up to fight for his place, especially for England, so it’s on him to prove,” Tuchel said.
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Jeremie Frimpong missed out on a place in the Netherlands’ World Cup squad (Getty)
From a former Liverpool right-back to the man brought in to replace him at Anfield, things haven’t gone to plan for Frimpong over the past few months. He was snubbed from Ronald Koeman’s World Cup squad after a disappointing debut season for Liverpool, and has already fallen behind loanee Ronald Araujo – a centre-back turned makeshift right-back – in the pecking order under Andoni Iraola. Yet he’s been thrown a lifeline by Xavi, who has recalled him to the Oranje setup and given him a chance to impress. Whether he’s trying to make an impression on his club, his country or other potential suitors, Frimpong desperately needs a decent showing.
Oli McBurnie got Hull’s play-off final winner days after being snubbed for World Cup selection (John Walton/PA Wire)
McBurnie has earned his long-awaited recall to the Scotland squad, having not made an international cap since 2021. The Hull City striker was snubbed for the World Cup, news which emerged days before he scored the last-minute play-off final winner to send the Tigers to the Premier League. Scotland went on to be toothless up top in the tournament, while McBurnie has gone from strength to strength, trusted in the top flight by starting every league game during Hull’s remarkable early-season run. Steve Clarke’s decision to omit McBurnie in the summer is seen by some as misguided in hindsight; under Pocognoli, the striker now has the chance to prove just that.
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Robbie Ure (right) in action for Sevilla against Barcelona (AP)
From a redemption story up front to a debuting prospect, Ure is one of five newcomers to the Scotland squad as Pocognoli tries to usher in a new era. The 22-year-old joined LaLiga side Sevilla in the summer after stamping his mark in Sweden with 15 goals in 15 games. As the move away from the old guard begins, Ure will be keen to become one of the faces of Scotland’s new era.
Charalampos Kostoulas celebrates his goal against Arsenal (Reuters)
Brighton’s Kostoulas has started the new campaign in scintillating style, bagging three goals and two assists in six games across all competitions; the 19-year-old looks the real deal. His country are staring down the barrel of some mouthwatering fixtures against the Netherlands, Serbia and Germany (twice) – if he can bring his form to the international scene against that kind of opposition, suddenly we’re talking about one of the brightest young talents on the planet.
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Morgan Gibbs-White got his England call-up… eventually (PA)
Gibbs-White thought he’d have to prove his point to Tuchel while playing Nottingham Forest instead of England after he was snubbed for the 26-man squad announced last Friday. Some injury misfortune for others, however, means the 26-year-old has got his call-up, which many thought he deserved in the first place. Gibbs-White has started the season positively and there was an argument that he should’ve been ahead of Marcus Rashford in the pecking order, who he’s since replaced. Now comes the job of proving his worth so that Tuchel keeps him in the fold.
Does Nick Woltemade fit the Jurgen Klopp system? (Reuters)
Despite being one of the most expensive German players in history, it isn’t out of the question that when Klopp next selects a squad, Woltemade is nowhere to be seen. That’s because the Newcastle man, flogged on loan to Juventus, just doesn’t seem to fit the mould for heavy-metal football. He doesn’t seem to possess the intensity that Klopp will demand from his players. But thanks to Klopp’s decision to name a 44-man squad to try and figure out what he has at his disposal, Woltemade has a chance to make his mark.
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£100m-man Sandro Tonali is struggling to live up to his price tag at Spurs (Getty)
Italy are in need of some serious inspiration as the new international cycle begins. The gut-wrenching disappointment of a third World Cup missed on the bounce will still hurt. Under returning boss Mancini, Tonali is one of the central dressing room figures – but the midfielder needs to shake off what has been an utterly appalling start to life at Tottenham. His £100m price tag is already beginning to haunt him and Spurs will be desperate he can find his feet under the familiarity of Italian football before returning to north London a rejuvenated man.
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