International Break: The best fixtures to watch

• The international break has returned, and players are flying out to different parts of the world to compete for their countries.
• During the international matches in October, there will be enough to look forward to, even though the Premier League season is put on hold for a few weeks.
•  We’ve selected four of the greatest matches to watch.

The international break has returned, and players are flying out to different parts of the world to compete for their countries in friendlies and qualification games.

During the international matches in October, there will be enough to look forward to, even though the Premier League season is put on hold for a few weeks.

We’ve selected four of the greatest matches to watch.

Spain vs Scotland (October 12)

Scott McTominay in action for the Scotland national team. Photo/ Sky Sports.

Scotland has had an incredible start to their qualifying campaign, winning five of their first five games to sit six points clear at the top of Group A and on the approach of claiming a spot at Euro 2024. The Tartan Army will play the Spanish again at the Estadio de La Cartuja in Seville after achieving notable victories against Spain and Norway thus far.

Span lost shockingly to the host team at Hampden Park earlier in the season when Scott McTominay scored twice to secure a historic victory. Aside from that hiccup, Span has been perfect and has scored 13 goals in decisive victories against Georgia and Cyprus in September.

Spain should present a more difficult challenge in Seville, but despite a friendly loss to England last month, Scotland is now full of confidence and eager to complete the task. Even though Steve Clarke’s team just needs two points from their remaining three games, they will still make the finals if Norway loses to Cyprus on Thursday.

Netherlands vs France (October 13)

The top two teams in Group B will face off again in qualifying on Friday night, with the Netherlands hoping to revenge a humiliating loss to the French the first time around.

France is cruising into Euro 2024 with five victories from five games in qualifying, including a Kylian Mbappe-inspired 4-0 hammering of the Dutch at the Stade de France in March.

Les Bleus will qualify for the finals with a victory over the Netherlands. France has not given up a goal thus far, confirming their standing as one of the favorites for triumph next summer.

Before a key matchup with third-placed Greece in Athens on Monday, defeat for the Dutch would leave them fighting to ensure their spot in the finals.

England vs Italy (October 17)

Harry Kane. |PHOTO: UEFA|

Another side on the verge of qualifying for Euro 2024 is England, who leads Group C by six points going into Tuesday’s match against Italy.

On Friday, Gareth Southgate’s squad plays a friendly match against Australia before welcoming the second-place Italians, the current European champions, to Wembley. The visitors have a game in hand on England but have scored just six goals in four games to this point in qualifying.

In the rematch, which took place in March and saw Harry Kane shatter Wayne Rooney’s national team goalscoring record, England prevailed 2-1.

Bukayo Saka was officially ruled out of the international break, which is a setback for Southgate’s team because the Three Lions will need goals from other sources if they want to contend next summer.
Jude Bellingham, who had an incredible start to his Real Madrid career, will look toward improving on a record of two goals in 26 appearances.

Uruguay vs Brazil (October 18)

Bruno Guimaraes. Photo/ Shields Gazette.

Brazil is now atop the standings after starting the tough qualification process for the 2026 World Cup with two victories out of its first two games.

The five-time global champions will be eager to make a statement when the global Cup comes to the USA, Canada, and Mexico in 2026 after their disappointing performance in Qatar last winter.

At the conclusion of the European season, Carlo Ancelotti of Real Madrid is anticipated to take over the empty position now held by interim coach Fernando Diniz. Diniz will want to put Ancelotti in a good spot before October’s matchups with Ecuador and Uruguay.

The latter is a matchup that is always keenly awaited between two of South America’s most prosperous countries, with Uruguay rebuilding as legends Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani approach the end of their professional careers.