England's young lions look to gain Iceland revenge, heavyweights Germany and Spain face off while Gareth Bale hopes to inspire injury hit Wales... 10 things to look out for in the Nations League as international football finally returns
- Gareth Southgate could give as many as seven England debuts this weekend
- Germany vs Spain will allow Chelsea fans to catch early glimpse of Timo Werner
- Wales are without key stars but Gareth Bale likely to feature for Ryan Giggs' side
- Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal begin their Nations League title defence
- The UEFA competition will provide two play-off spots for World Cup qualifiers
Following a summer that saw Euro 2020 canned in favour of salvaging the remains of domestic and European football seasons, it has been a long wait for the return of international football.
The exile will end when the Nations League begins its second edition starting from Thursday in what will be the first international matches for Europe's big guns for 10 months.
As the football calendar tries to play catch-up following the coronavirus pandemic, the Nations League doesn't just provide the red carpet for international football's return.
It also sets a curtain raiser for the domestic season, with the new Premier League campaign getting underway in just over one week.
So as new signings look to prove their worth, existing stars aim to hit the ground running and others just try to grapple with how the Nations League links with the World Cup, we look into 10 things to look out for in international football's return.
Aston Villa's Jack Grealish could make his England debut after being called up to face Iceland
Will new Lions freeze in Iceland?
New kits, new stars and, hopefully for England, new results when they travel to Iceland to get their Nations League campaign underway.
The teams face each other for the first time since England's infamous shock defeat in the last-16 at Euro 2016 which proved to be the last under the management of Roy Hodgson.
But Gareth Southgate has steered the Three Lions in a more promising direction since and could hand debuts to the likes of Dean Henderson, Connor Coady, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Kalvin Phillips and Mason Greenwood as he looks to blood in a new era.
England will be out to avenge their Euro 2016 defeat when they were eliminated in the last-16
Heavyweights Germany and Spain face-off
Two into one does not go and only one of Europe's big hitters will be able to qualify for the semi-finals from Group 4 in League A.
Germany and Spain are joined in the group by Switzerland and Ukraine but the clash between the former two on Thursday night will likely be crucial to who will reach the semi-finals for the first time.
Chelsea fans though will have little interest in that and will be more keen to see what sort of shape new £53million signing Timo Werner will be in when the Germany striker likely goes one-on-one with Manchester United stopper David de Gea.
It makes for an interesting Premier League preview.
Chelsea fans will be able to see new striker Timo Werner in action when Germany face Spain
Can Gareth Bale still carry Wales?
Wales' star man has just come off a long season at Real Madrid where he spent most of it with either his feet up on the bench or putting his clubs to good use at Madrid's finest golf resorts.
So he could be forgiven for being a little rusty but Ryan Giggs' team can't afford for the 31-year-old to be too much off the pace ahead of their opening League B Group 4 clash in Finland.
Giggs is already without Aaron Ramsey, David Brooks and Tyler Roberts due to injury while free agent Ashley Williams has pulled out due to personal reasons.
Injury hit Wales will once more be calling on talisman Gareth Bale in the Nations League
Holland begin life without Koeman
The return of international football could not have come at a worse time for Holland who close to the start of the Nations League have seen their manager Ronald Koeman swiped from under them by crisis club Barcelona.
After half-a-decade in the wilderness, Koeman finally had the nation on the right track, guiding them to a runners-up finish in the inaugural Nations League last summer.
Dwight Lodeweges is in caretaker charge for their opening game with Poland on Friday and vows to continue the good work started by his predecessor with a squad that includes Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk as well as Manchester United new boy Donny van de Beek.
Holland have lost their manager Ronald Koeman on the eve of the Nations League but will still be able to call on the quality of stars including Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk (above)
Road to Qatar begins...
The draw for Europe's qualifying groups ahead of the 2022 World Cup are not set to take place for another two months, but the Nations League will have its own part to play in terms of the road to Qatar.
The first Nations League formed the entire play-off system for Euro 2020 and while it will have a much reduced impact for the World Cup, there are reprieves up for grabs again should teams slip up in the group stage for qualification.
While ten World Cup qualification group winners advance to the finals, the ten runners-up advance to the play-offs. They will be joined by two of the best group winners from the Nations League that finished outside the top two in their World Cup qualifying group.
That will form a 12-team play-off with three winners joining the group winners in the finals in 2022.
The Nations League will offer two play-off spots for UEFA's World Cup qualification section
Ronaldo's Portugal begin title defence
The delay of Euro 2020 by a year means Portugal have already been guaranteed an extra 12 months as European champions but the defence of their Nations League crown begins on Saturday when they host Croatia.
Portugal won the inaugural Nations League on home soil last summer and in a group also featuring France and Sweden will hope to reach the final four again from League A.
They look stronger than they have ever done with the continued development of Joao Felix and the growing influence of Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes.
But as ever it will be the veteran 35-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo pulling the strings for Fernando Santos's side.
Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo will begin the defence of the Nations League on Saturday
Is this finally Scotland's year?
Scotland have been in the international wilderness for over two decades now but opportunity knocks for Steve Clarke's side in the Nations League.
Lining up in League B they hope to win a group that also features Czech Republic, Israel and Slovakia, which would propel them back among Europe's biggest sides for the next edition of the tournament.
They still have a play-off to play in relation to reaching Euro 2020 next summer and a solid performance in the Nations League could prove the fillip they need to play in their first major tournament since World Cup '98.
Steve Clarke will hope good Nations League form could help spur Scotland on to Euro 2020
France stars keen to show their worth
Aside from being able to prove to everyone why they are world champions, there will be plenty of incentives for Frances's biggest stars to start their new season with a bang in Sweden on Saturday.
Among them will be Kylian Mbappe who will be itching to get back on the field following his disappointment in the Champions League final with Paris Saint-Germain a fortnight ago.
But the Sweden test also gives opportunities for players like Antoine Griezmann to prove their worth to new Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman while Manchester United transfer target Dayot Upamecano could make his debut for the world champions.
Kylian Mbappe will be keen to get back into action for France following recent defeat in the Champions League final with Paris Saint-Germain against Bayern Munich
Could Parrott earn his Spurs with Republic of Ireland
Arguably the most talented youngster coming through the Tottenham Hotspur production line is Troy Parrott, but you won't see much of him this season in the Premier League as the 18-year-old will be on loan at Millwall.
While Spurs have high hopes for the future of the striker, he has yet to impress Jose Mourinho who has claimed the striker is 'not ready' for constant first-team exposure.
But while the Championship might see his development go under the radar this term, he has a chance to impress Mourinho at international level. He already has one senior cap and is in the squad for Republic of Ireland's trip to Bulgaria on Thursday.
Troy Parrott (right) could use the international scene with Republic of Ireland to showcase his talents to Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho
Northern Ireland begin new era under Baraclough
It's a tough act to follow for the new Northern Ireland boss following one of the country's most successful periods under previous boss Michael O'Neill which saw them march into the last-16 of Euro 2016.
Ian Baraclough will take charge of his first game on Friday in Romania in League B and while expectations will be kept realistic, he will hope to keep the feel-good factor around the national team going by avoiding relegation from a group which also features Norway and Austria.
For now he is sticking with the experienced veterans such as Jonny Evans, Kyle Lafferty and Steven Davis that have brought so much relative success, but an ageing squad will need to make way for younger blood and that's where the acid test of his management really begins.
Ian Baraclough will take charge of his first match as Northern Ireland manager on Friday
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September 02, 2020 at 01:00PM
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10 things to look out for in the Nations League as international football returns - Daily Mail
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