The international break is not even halfway over, and already the injury list is starting to look uncomfortably long. Kylian Mbappé, Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz, Alexander Isak, Brian Brobbey, Bruno Fernandes, Cody Gakpo and Patrick Dorgu have all picked up problems while representing their countries during the current Nations League window. For the clubs paying their wages, this is exactly the kind of international break nobody wants to see.
International Break Injuries Are Already Piling Up
Manchester United have particular reason to be concerned. Fernandes joined the Portugal squad already carrying an injury picked up at club level and then played in the 1-0 win over Wales. Portugal coach Jorge Jesus subsequently revealed that his captain had been playing through pain for several matches and left him out of Sunday’s victory over Norway rather than risk making the problem worse. The plan is for Fernandes to recover in time for Portugal’s game against Denmark, but United will want him back at Carrington in one piece.
Then came Patrick Dorgu. The young Denmark international was forced off after only 30 minutes against Wales, appearing to clutch the back of his left thigh. He subsequently left the Danish camp and returned to Manchester for treatment, leaving United potentially without two important players from the same international window. The extent of Dorgu’s injury is not yet known.
Liverpool’s Injury List Is Growing, Too
Liverpool have their own international-break headache. Alexander Isak has already returned from Sweden after suffering a minor thigh problem during the win over Romania. Swedish coach Graham Potter stressed that it was not considered a major injury, but the striker was withdrawn from the remainder of the international window and will now be assessed by Liverpool’s medical staff.
Now Cody Gakpo has joined him. The Liverpool forward was forced off just 17 minutes into the Netherlands’ 2-1 victory over Serbia after a heavy challenge left him with an apparent ankle problem. The Dutch coaching staff did not immediately have a definitive diagnosis, meaning Liverpool are left waiting. With the club’s next major Premier League fixture against Manchester City not until October 11, there is some recovery time — but two key attacking players returning from international duty with injuries is hardly ideal.
Bayern and Arsenal Have Also Taken Hits
The Netherlands-Germany match was particularly costly. Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala suffered a torn muscle fiber in his right thigh during the warm-up and returned to Munich for rehabilitation, while Arsenal’s Kai Havertz suffered a muscle strain during the match and was also sent home from Germany’s camp.
That is two major clubs losing important players before the international window is not even at it’s halfway stage. Havertz had started every Premier League game for Arsenal this season, while Musiala had just come off a goal-and-assist performance in Bayern’s 7-0 win over Union Berlin.
Mbappé Adds Another Major Concern
Then there is Real Madrid, where Mbappé’s situation deserves attention. The French superstar scored against Türkiye before being forced off with discomfort in his left knee. Tests performed by Real Madrid later diagnosed a hyperextension of the posterior capsule of that knee, with the club saying his progress will be monitored.
This is the uncomfortable side of international football for clubs. They can plan meticulously around their domestic schedules, only to see key players leave for national-team duty and return carrying fresh problems. And with this international window continuing into early October, the injury list still has plenty of time to grow.
For United in particular, the next few days will be important. Fernandes will be managed carefully, Dorgu’s diagnosis is still pending, and both situations could look very different by the time club football resumes. For Liverpool, Bayern, Arsenal and Real Madrid, the same uncertainty applies — and that is why these international break injuries matter so much beyond the national teams themselves.
International Break Injuries Are Piling Up — Big Clubs Feel the Pain