Zidane and Klopp Debut as Extended International Break Begins With Nations League
International football returns this week for the first time since the World Cup, with a new Nations League campaign and a string of high-profile coaching debuts.
The break is longer than usual. A change to FIFA's calendar has merged the September and October windows into a single period running from 21 September to 6 October, giving national teams up to four matches and leaving two consecutive weekends without domestic league football. It means there will be only two international breaks before the new year.
The Nations League begins on Thursday under a revised format, with the pyramid restructured into three tiers of 18 teams.
Zidane Takes Charge of France
The most anticipated debut belongs to Zinedine Zidane, who succeeded Didier Deschamps as France coach in July after Deschamps ended a 14-year reign at the World Cup. Zidane, appointed through to the 2030 World Cup, becomes the third member of France's 1998 World Cup-winning side to lead the national team.
He named five uncapped players in his first squad: Rennes striker Esteban Lepaul, Liverpool centre-back Jeremy Jacquet, Como midfielder Lucas Da Cunha, Inter Milan's Andy Diouf and Toulouse goalkeeper Guillaume Restes. Aurelien Tchouameni and Marcus Thuram were left out, and Zidane made clear that the international careers of Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kante are over.
"I adore Karim. But he's a certain age, a bit like N'Golo," Zidane said. "I need to see younger players and what we will do together."
He also explained his decision to stick with a 23-man squad rather than a larger selection. "I didn't want to see players sitting in the stands," he said. Kylian Mbappe remains captain.
France open away to Turkey on 25 September, then travel to Belgium before hosting Italy and Belgium in October.
Klopp Does It Differently
Jurgen Klopp takes charge of Germany for the first time, having replaced Julian Nagelsmann after a disappointing World Cup. The former Dortmund and Liverpool manager, who never won a cap as a player, has already broken with convention by naming 44 players split across two squads for the four matches.
"This is ideally the high point of my career, of my life, my professional life," Klopp said at his unveiling. "I will give it everything I have."
Zidane and Klopp are among ten European nations to have appointed new coaches since the tournament in North America.
England Recall Palmer and Alexander-Arnold
Thomas Tuchel named a 27-man England squad for his first games since the World Cup, where England lost to Argentina in the semi-finals before beating France in the third-place play-off.
Cole Palmer returns after being left out of the World Cup squad, and Trent Alexander-Arnold is recalled having not featured for England in more than a year. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Lewis Hall, Rio Ngumoha, Jarrad Branthwaite, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Alex Scott are also included, while there is no place for Reece James. Jason Steele comes in as a goalkeeper after an injury to Dean Henderson.
England begin against world champions Spain at a sold-out Wembley on 26 September, before facing Czechia in Prague on 29 September, Croatia in Rijeka on 3 October and Czechia again at Wembley on 6 October. The campaign forms part of Tuchel's preparations for Euro 2028, which will be hosted by the UK and Ireland.
Argentina, meanwhile, play three home friendlies in their first matches since Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football.
The Premier League resumes in the second week of October.
