UEFA Nations League: 10 Football Stars to Keep an Eye On

The UEFA Nations League is back, and its fifth edition arrives with a genuinely spicy plotline. The league phase runs from 24 September to 17 November 2026, followed by the quarter-finals in March 2027 and the finals in June. Portugal returns as defending champions after lifting the trophy in 2025.

Forget the old “glorified friendly” tag. In a stacked League A, England is drawn alongside Spain, Croatia, and Czechia, and heavyweight clashes including Germany vs. the Netherlands on September 24, Italy vs. Belgium on September 25, and England vs. Spain on September 26, there is plenty at stake. The Nations League has become a serious proving ground and another intriguing chapter on the road towards Euro 2028.

And then there are the players. From goal machines who treat the penalty area like their personal office to young superstars already carrying ridiculous expectations, this edition is packed with talent capable of stealing the spotlight.

Top 10 Stars to Watch out for

Here are 10 football stars who could make this Nations League impossible to ignore.

1. Kylian Mbappé (France): Still Breaking His Own Ceiling

The French attacker left the World Cup on a high, rewriting the record books as the tournament’s all-time leading goalscorer. And he has hardly taken his foot off the gas since. With 7 goals and 2 assists in 630 minutes of La Liga action this season, Mbappé remains a star firmly on fire.

But there are cracks beneath the brilliance. Real Madrid’s slow start has already turned up the pressure at the Bernabéu, where fans are demanding silverware and expecting their superstar to deliver. Could that mounting pressure affect his sharpness? And more importantly, how will Mbappé respond? Time will tell.

One thing is certain: his new France boss, Zinedine Zidane, will be looking to unlock the very best version of Mbappé. With France facing Italy in a heavyweight Nations League group, expect the Madrid forward to lead the line, and he is not slowing down for anyone.

2. Harry Kane (England): A Striker With Ruthless Consistency

At 33, Harry Kane is still rewriting the record books. The England captain finished last season with a staggering 73 goals across club and country and recently reached 101 Bundesliga goals in just 98 appearances for Bayern Munich. With numbers like that, the Ballon d’Or conversation is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

But there is one glaring blank space on Kane’s résumé: international silverware. Despite everything he has achieved individually, the England captain is still waiting to lift a major trophy in an England shirt. That makes this Nations League campaign more than just another batch of international fixtures; it is another opportunity to turn goals and records into something tangible for his country.

England’s manager, himself a UEFA Champions League winner, will be hoping to steer the Three Lions beyond the disappointment of the World Cup and towards another trophy. Kane will inevitably be at the center of that mission. At this stage of his career, few forwards are as clinical or as relentlessly productive. The Nations League offers Kane another stage and another chance to make the numbers even more ridiculous.

3. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal): The 41-Year-Old Still Chasing 1,000

This might be the spiciest storyline in the entire competition. Cristiano Ronaldo currently sits on 979 career goals and has been recalled to Jorge Jesus’ first Portugal squad, putting months of retirement speculation to bed at least for now.

Portugal begin their title defence at home against Wales on 24 September, with Ronaldo once again at the heart of the conversation. His international numbers remain outstanding: 146 goals for Portugal, a men’s world record. He has also scored 15 Nations League goals, putting him second on the competition’s all-time scoring list behind Erling Haaland.

Portugal are the reigning Nations League champions after lifting the trophy in 2025, and Ronaldo remains a central figure in their attack. But questions inevitably remain following their disappointing World Cup exit. Should the 41-year-old still lead the line from the start, or is it time for a new attacking blueprint? That decision belongs to Jorge Jesus. Ronaldo, meanwhile, gets another chance to add to his record book when Portugal faces Wales on September 24.

4. Erling Haaland (Norway): The Number Nine Who Never Stops Scoring

The Manchester City striker enters the competition as the all-time top scorer in Nations League history with 19 goals. He also smashed seven goals during Norway’s 2024/25 campaign as they secured promotion to League A.

But Haaland’s influence goes far beyond the Nations League. He played a starring role in Norway’s remarkable 2026 World Cup run, including a statement 2–0 victory over five-time World Cup Champions Brazil. Now, Ståle Solbakken’s side will be hoping to carry that momentum into the Nations League.

It will not be an easy ride. Norway’s return to League A throws Haaland straight into a heavyweight group featuring Portugal, Denmark, and Wales, three sides capable of making life uncomfortable for even the most dangerous striker in Europe.

5. Lamine Yamal (Spain): Spain's Teenage Emperor

Lamine Yamal arrives at this competition on a serious high, having already lifted La Liga, a domestic cup, and the prestigious World Cup. And somehow, the wildest part of the story remains the same: Yamal is still a teenager.

The Barcelona wonderkid has been tearing through the start of the season, registering 8 goals and 4 assists in his first seven appearances, meaning he has been directly involved in 12 goals. Even crazier, he has found the net six times across his last three matches alone. At this rate, calling him one of the stars to watch almost feels like an understatement.

Now comes the fun part: Spain will lean heavily on Yamal as they face England at Wembley before taking on Croatia and Czechia. The England clash should provide the perfect stage for the teenage sensation to test himself against elite opposition. If Yamal starts cooking at Wembley, expect the football world, and especially the internet, to go absolutely wild.

6. Jude Bellingham (England): The Midfield's Engine Room

Jude Bellingham has looked sharp at the start of the 2026/27 season, contributing 3 goals and 2 assists in 7 La Liga appearances for Real Madrid. After a shoulder injury disrupted his previous campaign, the midfielder appears to be back to his box-crashing best, and England will need every bit of that energy in a brutally competitive League A group featuring Spain and Croatia.

But getting the best out of Bellingham is not simply about putting him on the pitch. England’s coach will need to get the midfield balance right, pairing him with players who can give him the freedom, creativity, and space to surge forward and influence the game in the final third.

His first major test comes against Spain on Saturday, September 26. If Bellingham finds his rhythm early, England could have a serious weapon running through the heart of their midfield.

7. Pau Cubarsí (Spain): The Teenage Sensation

Still only 19, Cubarsí has become one of the most trusted center-backs in Europe. He made 31 LaLiga starts last season, racked up 2,709 minutes, and posted an average rating of 7.28 while helping Barcelona win the league and a domestic cup. 

He lifted the World Cup with Spain in the summer of 2026, and at a market value north of €80 million, he's now a first-choice fixture in Spain's Nations League A squad, the same group featuring England, Croatia, and Czechia. 

For a defender who made his senior debut barely two years ago, marshalling that backline against Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, there is no doubt that this competition is another opportunity to prove his worth.

8. Kai Havertz (Germany): German False 9

Kai Havertz has had to fight through a brutal injury run, including a serious knee problem that wiped out most of his 2025/26 season, followed by a muscle injury in February 2026 and another knee scare in April. Yet the German forward refused to stay down.

Havertz returned in the second half of the season and quickly reminded everyone why he remains such an important figure for both club and country. His timely goals helped Arsenal secure the Premier League title, while he also found the net in the Gunners’ Champions League final defeat to PSG in 2026. 

The 2026 World Cup, however, was a different story. Germany endured a shock exit against Paraguay, bringing a disappointing tournament to an early end. Now, with Jürgen Klopp taking charge, Havertz and his teammates have the perfect opportunity to put that disappointment behind them and start a new chapter. Germany open their Nations League campaign against the Netherlands on Thursday, September 24, 2026, in one of the standout League A fixtures. After everything Havertz has been through, this could be another chance for the big German to remind everyone just how dangerous he can be when fully fit.

9. Dominik Livaković (Croatia): Croatia's Shot Stopper

Croatia's number one remains one of the most quietly feared goalkeepers in the world, built on a reputation forged at the 2022 World Cup, where his penalty-shootout heroics against Japan. After a mid-season loan spell back at Dinamo Zagreb, Livaković returned to Fenerbahçe for the 2026/27 campaign, continuing a club career that has racked up well over 300 senior appearances and save percentages regularly north of 68%. He moved to Barcelona in the 2026 summer transfer window and played in their latest game against Sevilla. 

At 31, he remains Croatia's undisputed last line of defense, and with the Croatians drawn into England's group alongside Spain and Czechia in the UEFA Nations League, his shot-stopping could be the difference between Croatia springing an upset and making up the numbers in a brutal pool.

10. Riccardo Calafiori (Italy): Arsenal's Special

Riccardo Calafiori has quietly become one of the most important pieces in Arsenal’s title defence, starting all five of their Premier League matches this season and helping the Gunners keep three clean sheets. After an injury-hit previous campaign, the Italian defender finally looks fit, settled, and ready to make his mark.

Injuries have been a frustrating part of Calafiori’s Arsenal journey, with a knee problem last summer followed by a muscle issue around Christmas. But when fit, his qualities are difficult to ignore. His ability to carry the ball out from the back, break lines, and step into midfield is exactly the profile Mikel Arteta wants from his defenders.

For Italy, there is an even bigger story. After missing the previous World Cup, the Azzurri are hungry for redemption, and having a genuinely two-footed, progressive defender like Calafiori fit and firing could be a major boost. The challenge starts in a group featuring a mouth-watering clash against France.

Now, Calafiori has another stage to prove his credentials. If he can bring his Arsenal form onto the international scene, the Italian could quickly remind Europe why he is regarded as one of the continent’s most exciting defenders.

Final Remarks 

The UEFA Nations League kicks off with all the ingredients for a top-class tournament. Portugal return as defending champions, while Spain and England find themselves together in a mouth-watering group. Also, Cristiano Ronaldo may be playing his last international competition, and Lamine Yamal is a teenage sensation. This edition has a level of star power and intrigue that is difficult to ignore.

The action begins on September 24. The stage is set, the big names are ready, and Europe is about to get another taste of international football at its finest.

Written by Victor Etire

For Breaking The Lines 







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