In a crowded soccer season where top players have suggested the possibility of a strike, the Nations League makes its return this week, appearing to be a lower priority. 

Kylian Mbappé, the captain of France, has chosen to abstain, while his likely replacement, Antoine Griezmann, has announced his retirement from international duty. Additionally, Romelu Lukaku has opted to focus on his fitness at Napoli instead of joining the Belgium squad.

The situation is further complicated by a series of injury withdrawals in Germany and other nations, including significant absences like Spain's Dani Carvajal and Germany's Marc-André ter Stegen. As a result, the Nations League presents an opportunity for new talent to emerge.

Belgium's coach, Domenico Tedesco, has summoned four potential debutants to explore their capabilities in this third-tier competition for European teams. 

“We will not do it during the important World Cup qualification,” Tedesco remarked, looking ahead to the crucial phase in 2025.

However, the 2026 World Cup in North America is already on the horizon for teams aiming for that tournament, with each side set to play two Nations League matches from Thursday to Tuesday.

The outcomes over the next week, along with two additional matches in November, represent the final opportunity to improve seeding for the December 13 draw in Zurich for the European qualifying groups for the World Cup.

Two teams striving to improve their FIFA rankings and secure a spot in the draw for second-seeded teams are Norway and Slovenia.

Haaland vs. Šeško

On Thursday in Oslo, Europe’s most formidable striker will face one of its rising talents once again.

Erling Haaland and Benjamin Šeško, former teammates at Salzburg, are the key players as Norway hosts Slovenia in their League B group match.

Haaland has netted 11 goals in 10 appearances for Manchester City this season, including a decisive goal in the Nations League that led to a 2-1 victory over Austria last month.

Šeško has scored six goals in nine matches for Leipzig, with three of those coming in the Champions League, along with four goals in two Nations League fixtures. The tall forward recently achieved a hat trick in a 3-0 win against Kazakhstan.

While Thursday’s match will not determine the group outcome, it will establish the leader at the halfway mark, with promotion to the top tier at stake. The return fixture in Ljubljana is scheduled for November 14.

France’s Leadership

The last occasion France played without both Mbappé and Griezmann on the pitch was in November 2016, during a 0-0 friendly draw against Ivory Coast.

This scenario will repeat on Thursday when France takes on Israel in Budapest. The Hungarian capital has been selected as a neutral venue due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas that began a year ago.

Mbappé has recently faced criticism at home after requesting to withdraw from coach Didier Deschamps’ squad last week, only to start for Real Madrid in a league match on Saturday.

In the search for a new captain, Deschamps has turned to Madrid, appointing 24-year-old midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni as the new captain on Wednesday. France will also face Belgium on Monday.

Italy Shines

Italy currently tops the elite group that includes France and Belgium, having secured victories in both of its away matches in September.

The highlight of last month’s Nations League was a remarkable 3-1 victory against France, where Italy overcame an early deficit. This was followed by a 2-1 triumph over Israel in Budapest.

Under the guidance of Coach Luciano Spalletti, the team has rejuvenated its lineup with younger talent after a disappointing exit in the round of 16 at the European Championship. Italy is set to play two consecutive home matches: against Belgium in Rome on Thursday and against Israel in Udine on Monday.

A win on Monday would guarantee Italy a top-two finish in the group, with two rounds remaining in November, securing a spot in the Nations League quarterfinals scheduled for March.

Teams that qualify for the Nations League Final Four mini-tournament in June will not begin their World Cup qualifying matches until September, as they will be assigned to four-team groups by FIFA.

Emerging Goalkeepers

With Manuel Neuer's retirement from the German national team and Marc-André ter Stegen sidelined due to injury until after the March international break, three new goalkeepers are stepping up to compete for the starting position in the upcoming matches against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Friday and the Netherlands at home on Monday. The contenders are Oliver Baumann from Hoffenheim, Alexander Nübel from Stuttgart, and Janis Blaswich, currently on loan at Salzburg from sister club Leipzig.

Coach Julian Nagelsmann is also missing the injured trio of Bayern’s Jamal Musiala, Arsenal’s Kai Havertz, and West Ham’s Niclas Füllkrug.

Upcoming Matches

Defending champions Spain will host Denmark on Saturday, with Denmark having won its first two matches under new coach Lars Knudsen without allowing a single goal.

On Monday, two exciting teams at Euro 2024, Georgia and Albania, will clash once again. Georgia secured a 1-0 victory in Tirana last month and currently leads the second-tier group of four Euro 2024 teams, which also includes the Czech Republic and last-placed Ukraine.

Cristiano Ronaldo has played in nearly every national stadium in Europe over two decades and 214 matches for Portugal, but he has yet to appear at Hampden Park in Glasgow, where he is expected to play on Tuesday.

It took Ronaldo until his 214th match last month to face Scotland, where he scored his record-extending 132nd goal in the 88th minute, securing a 2-1 victory.

In the same group, the match between Poland and Croatia will feature two legendary captains: 36-year-old Robert Lewandowski and 39-year-old Luka Modrić.