Top 5 Storylines As Europe’s Biggest Stars Back In UEFA Nations League Action

The top players in Europe – Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and many more — are set to return to action as the UEFA Nations League picks back up later this week. And while all 54 of UEFA’s eligible teams will be playing over the course of the break, the biggest squads (think England, France, Spain) are in League A of the competition. All teams have two group-stage matches left and will be jostling for the eight quarterfinal spots in March. Here’s where things stand: Let’s dive into the biggest storylines and what we’re looking forward to as UEFA Nations League graces us with its return. England first plays Croatia while Spain takes on Czechia on Thursday, but we know what we’ll be waiting for. Sunday’s clash is clearly the biggest match of the Nations League window as the defending World Cup champion — currently on a 42-match unbeaten run and 11 straight victories — hosts the third-placed nation from this past summer’s tournament at the home venue of Atlético de Madrid. After September’s 3-2 win for La Roja against the Three Lions at Wembley, let’s hope for a similarly entertaining fixture. It’s very difficult to think it will be anything less simply because there is just too much quality on the pitch. From Pedri to Jude Bellingham, Nico Williams and Anthony Gordon—the possible threats come from everywhere across the pitch. Then there’s the Ballon d’Or narrative as Lamine Yamal ended third in voting behind the winner, Harry Kane. Surely, the 19-year-old Yamal (who won’t suit up in Spain’s game against Czechia due to an injury) will aim to make a statement and prove in front of his nation why he perhaps deserves the title of best player in the game. But Kane, England’s all-time scorer who has six goals in last four Nations League matches, won’t just stand aside. This is such a tasty matchup and these two teams could meet once again should they advance to the final four of the Nations League next summer. And with all due respect to France’s loaded squad, I think this might just be the final for 2028’s Euros that will be held in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. So, let’s talk about that loaded squad for France. For all of his legendary aura, Zinedine Zidane has a hard act to follow as the coach of mighty France. His predecessor, Didier Deschamps, led the country to arguably its most successful era, a 14-year run during which Les Bleus reached the World Cup semifinals three times – winning the 2018 edition, and losing the epic 2022 final to Lionel Messi and Argentina. Deschamps’ greatest strength as a leader was his ability to man-manage massive egos and avoid the sort of drama that torpedoed past French teams despite their embarrassment of elite talent. Zidane did fine in that regard at the helm of Real Madrid; his three Champions League medals prove it. And it’s been the same with France so far. In four games since replacing his former France and Juventus teammate, Zidane coaxed match-winning performances out of his best two players, with Kylian Mbappé getting the only goal in a 1-0 victory in Türkiye and fellow Ballon d’Or nominee Michael Olise scoring four times in France’s three most recent outings. He’ll be hoping that continues this Thursday in Italy, and in Sunday’s rematch with Türkiye in Bordeaux. This is a new page for Portugal. A new era. And I understand the emotional connotations that come with saying goodbye to an icon, but as far as Jorge Jesus and his team are concerned, this is now an opportunity to evolve the national team and finally turn it into a legitimate contender for the Euros in 2028 and the 2030 World Cup, which the country will be co-hosting. New blood such as Gustavo Varela, the 21-year-old Monza striker (currently leading Serie A with 9 goals) and Roma’s 19-year-old attacker Rodrigo Mora are examples of this evolution. But it’s now also up to existing leaders such as Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Rúben Dias and Rúben Neves to take on Ronaldo’s mantle and set a new precedent as Portugal prepares for Nations League matches against Denmark and Wales. This is now about a fluid system where the team doesn’t have a target man who slowed them down as they entered the final third. With so many weapons, I think Portugal — and I don’t say this lightly — could become a legitimate contender in Europe. This team (with Ronaldo) won last year’s Nations League, but it’s time to take the next step and forge a new identity. For the Azzurri, the only way to go is up. Four-time World Cup champions, Italy hit rock bottom last March when they failed to qualify for soccer’s signature tournament for the third consecutive time. An entire generation of the country’s players, including Nicolò Barella, Sandro Tonali and all-planet keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, have never appeared on the biggest stage. But there is reason for cautious optimism now that veteran manager Roberto Mancini has returned to his former role. Mancini led Italy to a European title in 2021 – topping England in the final at Wembley Stadium – and a pair of third-place finishes in the Nations League. The Azzurri have gone 4-1-1 since that soul-crushing World Cup qualifying shootout defeat in Bosnia and Herzegovina last spring, a run highlighted by a 4-1 win away to Türkiye. This month’s slate will reveal more. Italy hosts France on Thursday in its penultimate group stage match of the current Nations League campaign; a win would pull Donnarumma & Co. into a first place tie with Les Bleus. They’ll then close out 2026 with a trip to Brussels to face Belgium, which could decide which team advances to the March quarterfinals. After a tough year, Italy fans will hope this team can close it out strong. The Norwegian striker made quite the global statement this past summer at the World Cup, helping his national team reach a first-ever quarterfinal berth before losing to England. The Manchester City man netted seven goals in five matches but most importantly, it was his free-spirited personality — combined with his lethal approach on the pitch — that made him a fan favorite. In the Nations League, Haaland leads the all-time scoring list with 22 goals and back in 2024, against Slovenia, he became his country’s record scorer. Fast-forward to the present and the prolific forward has 65 goals in 59 international matches. This is just a ridiculous number and with upcoming matches against Wales and Denmark, this will only continue to grow. We are witnessing an international run of majestic proportions. With Ronaldo and Messi now retired, Haaland (along with Kane and Mbappé) are the goalscoring titans to keep your eye on during this window.  And that means likely having to put his Norwegian teammates on his back and willing them toward wins over Wales and Denmark. They are last in their group, making both those games essentially must-win in order to reach the Nations League quarterfinals.