Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe, Mo Salah and Son Heung-min: Find out where the global stars are playing in this international break
You can still watch your favourite players over the next week and a half
The world’s best players are taking a hiatus from domestic leagues to focus on international commitments for the next week and a half.
But where are the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. performing?
Our handy guide explains all, and provides an overview of how World Cup qualification looks eight months out from the tournament proper.
LIONEL MESSI
Messi is part of the Argentina squad that will play friendlies against Venezuela in Miami on Friday and Puerto Rico in Chicago on Monday.
There was talk Messi, and team-mate Rodrigo De Paul, would miss the Venezuela game to focus on Inter Miami but with the race for the MLS Supporters’ Shield now done, won by the Philadelphia Union, they have joined up with Lionel Scaloni’s squad.
Defending champions Argentina have already secured their place at the World Cup finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico after finishing top of the Conmebol qualifying section.
They were joined by Ecuador, Colombia, Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay.
Bolivia will hope to join them when they face New Caledonia and four other nations in the FIFA Play-Off Tournament.
CRISTIANO RONALDO
Ronaldo will hope to help Portugal qualify during this international break.
The Al-Nassr star is part of the squad that will play World Cup qualifiers against the Republic of Ireland and Hungary. If Roberto Martinez’s side win both those games, and Armenia fail to win either of their games against Hungary and Ireland then they will be through to the finals.
There are several other European nations that can also secure their passage during this international break: Croatia, France, Slovakia,Switzerland, England, Norway and Spain.
KYLIAN MBAPPE
France have two routes to qualification.
- They beat Azerbaijan and Iceland, and Iceland draw with Ukraine.
- They beat Azerbaijan and Iceland, Iceland lose to Ukraine, and Ukraine fail to defeat Azerbaijan.
Mbappe is struggling with an ankle injury sustained in Real Madrid’s win over Villarreal at the weekend but will hope to be fit to spearhead Les Bleus’ challenge.
Didier Deschamps’ team play Azerbaijan in Paris before visiting Reykjavik three days later.
MOHAMED SALAH
The Liverpool star has not had the best start to the Premier League campaign and has come in for criticism for his lack of defensive work.
He will hope to enjoy his time away with Egypt as they edge closer to qualification.
For that to happen, they need to beat Djibouti and hope Burkina Faso fail to beat Sierra Leone.
Elsewhere in Africa, the following teams can also make it through: Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Senegal.
SON HEUNG-MIN
The South Korea captain is a part of the squad that will play friendlies against Brazil and Paraguay.
South Korea have already qualified for the finals after topping their group and will go to the finals alongside Uzbekistan, Australia, Japan, Jordan, Iran.
The fourth round of qualifying in Asia gets underway tomorrow with two from Indonesia, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE going through.
The fifth round will pit together the two sides which finished as runners-up in the fourth-round group in a two-legged contest. The winner of these meetings will advance to the FIFA Play-Off Tournament.