Five big stars with a point to prove during the international break | OneFootball

Club football will take a hiatus for a three-week international break.

The 2026-27 UEFA Nations League will start on Thursday, bringing together all top European teams for many exciting matches.

Many big names have a point to prove in the upcoming games, as they look to impress their national team bosses for more football opportunities.

Below we look at five players to watch during the international break.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo faced heavy criticism for his performances at the summer World Cup, where Portugal’s journey ended in the last-16 against Spain.

Many were not happy with the forward’s reduced mobility and minimal defensive contribution.

But despite the criticism, Ronaldo has been included in the national team squad by Jorge Jesus, who was his coach at Al-Nassr last season.

The 41-year-old is desperate to prove he still deserves a place in the national side by performing well in the Nations League.

Florian Wirtz

Wirtz was supposed to be a world-class superstar who would take Liverpool to the next level.

But the 23-year-old is now into his second season after a club record £116 million move and the fans are yet to see the best of him at Anfield.

Although manager Andoni Iraola continues to back Wirtz, calls are growing louder for the midfielder to be dropped from the starting XI.

The former Bayer Leverkusen star will look to find some form for Germany during the international break.

Sandro Tonali

Tonali has made a slow start to life at Tottenham Hotspur following his £100m move from Newcastle United in the summer.

He has started all five Premier League games, with Spurs not winning any of them.

Tonali will look to return to his best when he plays for Italy, who failed to qualify for their third straight World Cup finals.

The 26-year-old is one of the key figures for the Blues, having made nine direct goal contributions in 32 appearances.

Trent Alexander-Arnold

Alexander-Arnold was a notable omission from England’s World Cup squad that travelled to the United States in the summer.

He has now been recalled as a right-back by manager Thomas Tuchel.

The 27-year-old has an opportunity to impress Tuchel by producing an excellent display in the Nations League.

He has not been a guaranteed starter for Real Madrid this season, but he has played well when called upon.

Lewis Hall

Like Alexander-Arnold, Lewis Hall was also snubbed for the World Cup squad despite his consistent performances for Newcastle United.

The 22-year-old has been recalled and he now heads off for international duty with a point to prove.

Hall was a key target for Manchester United in the summer transfer window, but Newcastle firmly refused to entertain offers for their highly rated left-back.