Sep 24, 2026 11:52 AM
Updated Sep 24, 2026 5:13 PM

The international break kicks off today and runs for the next few weeks. Which Brighton players should we be looking out for, and who are they up against?

A full report on each Seagull representing their nation, with a range of qualifiers, friendlies and Nations League fixtures set to get underway this evening.

Bart Verbruggen: The Netherlands

Brighton's Dutch number one looks set to retain his place in between the sticks under new national team head coach Xavi. The Netherlands have four fixtures to contest over the break in the Nations League, starting with a home tie against Germany.

They then take on Serbia twice, with a game against Greece and fellow Albion player Babis Kostoulas sandwiched between them.

 Jason Steele: England

Steele has been called up for England, mainly in a player-coach role, but he is available for selection for the Three Lions. They start their Nations League journey by taking on World and European Champions Spain.

After that tough test, Tuchel’s side face Czechia twice and Croatia, meaning that Steele may contest a match with defensive teammate Luka Vušković.

Jaouen Hadjam: Algeria

Algeria have just two games over the break, in contrast to the European sides. Albion’s left back has two important AFCON qualifiers to contest, as they face Zambia and Burundi. Presently, Hadjam is a backup for Rayan Aït-Nouri, having started just one game at the World Cup- Algeria’s 3-3 draw against Austria.

Ferdi Kadioğlu: Turkey

Kadioğlu has four particularly tough fixtures to contend with after Turkey’s disastrous World Cup campaign. They start by taking on Zinedine Zidane’s France, before playing Italy twice and Maxim De Cuyper’s Belgium. Kadioğlu hasn’t started the season in his finest form, so unless Italy and Belgium continue to underperform, this may be a tough break for him.

Maxim De Cuyper: Belgium

Speaking of De Cuyper, his Belgian side is also placed in this ‘group of death’ in the Nations League. They face France twice, with games against Italy and Turkey as palate cleansers in between.

Luka Vušković: Croatia

As mentioned previously, Vuškovic will also compete in the group with Spain, England and Czechia. Unfortunately for him, Croatia has to play the World Champions twice. Alas, it should be a good test for him.

Yasin Ayari: Sweden

Sweden’s poor performances on the national stage over the last few years have left them in a lower-bracket group in the Nations League, where Graham Potter’s side will take on Poland and Bosnia. Those fixtures are sandwiched between a double header against Romania to bookend the break for Ayari’s nation.

Malick Yalcouyé: Ivory Coast

Yalcouyé’s excellent form to start the season has been rewarded with a senior call-up, who have three fixtures to contend with.

The first one will see them take on the Black Stars and Ibrahim Osman of Ghana, before games against Somalia and Cameroon, the latter of which is a friendly.

Promise David: Canada

Canada just has friendlies to contest, as they take on Chile, Peru and the USA. Promise David bagged a goal and an assist at the World Cup, so he should be involved for Jesse Marsch’s side over the break.

Ibrahim Osman: Ghana

Osman takes on Yalcouyé in AFCON qualification, and may have played Yankuba Minteh with The Gambia if not for his injury. The Black Stars then take on Morocco in a friendly.

Charalampos Kostoulas: Greece

Greece are with Verbruggen’s Dutch side in the Nations League group stage, so they will have to play Serbia and Jurgen Klopp’s Germany twice. Kostoulas’s great goalscoring form to start the season has been rewarded.

Diego Gomez: Paraguay

Lastly, Paraguay have two away fixtures against Bolivia and Colombia in friendlies, as Gomez’s side look to build on a solid World Cup campaign where they managed to beat Germany.

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