Premier League players who shone during the international break

Premier League players travelled far and wide to represent their countries in crucial qualifiers during the international break. We’ve picked out five of the most impressive performers.

Premier League players who shone during the international break

Erling Haaland

Fresh from becoming Norway’s record scorer just last month, Erling Haaland has continued on his path to set a new landmark that will be difficult to pass. The Manchester City forward hit a hat-trick in Norway’s 5–0 win against Kazakhstan, helping his nation clinch promotion to the top tier of the Nations League for the first time.

Haaland has now scored 38 goals in just 39 appearances for Norway and his latest treble was his fourth in his country’s colours. He’s also the all-time leading scorer in the Nations League with 19 goals – ahead of Aleksandar Mitrovic and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Still just 24, his 38 international goals have already exceeded the hauls of players including Alan Shearer, Karim Benzema and Alessandro Del Piero.

Chris Wood

Chris Wood can’t stop scoring right now. The 32-year-old has started the season on fire at Nottingham Forest with only the aforementioned Haaland having outscored Wood in the Premier League.

He took that form into international duty this month, scoring five times over two fixtures as New Zealand thrashed minnows Vanuatu and Samoa in World Cup qualification.

Curtis Jones

Curtis Jones was one of several starlets who celebrated an England debut over the international break.

The Liverpool midfielder passed his audition for a more permanent place in the plans of the Three Lions with a standout performance against Greece. In from the start for the crucial Nations League game, Jones was almost immaculate in possession, comfortable under pressure, and capped a fine performance with the third goal in a 3-0 win in Athens.

He impressed again in England’s route of the Republic of Ireland at Wembley and will be firmly on the radar of the incoming Thomas Tuchel.

Dejan Kulusevski

Sweden are cooking up something in their forward line right now with Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres a devastating partnership. The latter’s four-goal haul against Azerbaijan will take the headlines this month but Kulusevski’s role should not be overlooked.

The midfielder has started the season in good form for Tottenham and has thrived in a more central position under Ange Postecoglou. Afforded freedom behind Sweden’s strikeforce this month, Kulusevski scored twice and created another as Azerbaijan were hit for six in Solna. Sweden’s big win confirmed promotion to League B of the Nations League.

Andy Robertson

Scotland salvaged their Nations League campaign with two big wins in November. Winless up until this month, back-to-back results against Croatia and Poland ensured Steve Clarke’s side avoided automatic relegation to the second tier.

Andy Robertson was a driving force in both games, bouncing back from a difficult start to the season at Liverpool to shine for the national team.

The Scotland captain recorded eight clearances as Scotland battled to a narrow 1-0 win over Croatia at Hampden Park before the left-back was the unlikely hero with a stoppage-time winner in Poland. The Tartan Army have secured a play-off place and can keep their status in League A in March.

Read – Messi reaches new record in Argentina win

See more – The top goal scorers in the Uefa Nations League 2024 group stage

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