Hello everyone, an international break is upon us again, so I thought I’d take the time to point out some of the more exciting players who could be in line to receive their first cap for country over the next weeks. Now having been scouting the U21 Euro tournament, I got to watch several of these players play at this summers tournament. Here are some of my favorite potential first cap selections from the latest team selections.

England: Djed Spence and Elliot Anderson

Both players made a case to be in the England squad last year, and are now receiving slightly overdue callups. Elliot Anderson had a strong season after moving to Nottingham Forest from his boyhood club Newcastle, being pulled back from the #10 role he was asked to play previously and succeeding as a left sided #8 under Nuno. Anderson is a real all-round midfielder; last season he averaged 8 duels won p90, 1.2 dribbles p90, and 0.2 assists p90. At the U21 Euro he played in a double pivot for England and was England’s metronome, dictating the tempo and getting a lot of touches. Anderson’s future is bright, and his callup is well deserved.

Djed Spence has really pushed on over the past year and become one of the Premier League’s best fullbacks. There might not be another fullback in the league who has such a high level of ability on both sides of the ball. “Bring me your favorite winger,” Spence posted on social media after another strong performance against Manchester City where he nullified Oscar Bobb, showing his confidence is reaching new levels. Defensively, he has been performing at a very high level, and going forward he offers unpredictability and goal threat from fullback. Able to comfortably play either side of the pitch, this is a smart selection for Tuchel.

Spain: Jesús Rodríguez

Another player who I had the pleasure of watching at the U21 Euro, Spain’s new LW callup, Jesús Rodríguez, is having himself quite the past few months. A graduate of the Real Betis academy, Rodríguez played only one full season for the Betis senior team before Como made him their club record signing for 22.5 million euros. If you like wingers with flair and tricks, then this is the player for you. One thing has been consistent in Rodríguez’s career so far: he will take on defenders, no matter what level he is playing at. Last season for Betis, he averaged 2.4 successful dribbles p90 and over 3 fouls won p90. This style of play caught the eye of Cesc Fabregas at Como, and of Luis de la Fuente, who rewarded Rodríguez with his first senior callup this international break. If he is given his first cap, expect him to make the most of it.

Germany: Nnamdi Collins and Paul Nebel

Both representatives of the German U21 team at this past summer’s Euro’s, Eintracht Frankfurt defender Nnamdi Collins and FC Mainz 05 midfielder Paul Nebel have both received senior callups and have the opportunity to gain their first caps. Collins, a rapid defender who can play as a CB or on the right flank, was in contention for best RB of the tournament at the U21 Euro. He had the most touches of any defender in the tournament, being a key player in buildup and showing a strong passing range. Collins averaged 2.3 accurate long balls p90 and 1.13 chances created p90, while also showing strong dribbling metrics. This season at Frankfurt, he has mostly played at CB, with his strong pace and technicality making him a productive ball-playing CB.

Paul Nebel really caught my eye at the U21 Euro, as I had not heard too much about him beforehand. Enjoying a breakout season at Mainz (his first full season in the first team) in which Nebel contributed 10 goals and 5 assists. While small in stature, Nebel seems to just slip away from stronger defenders, using his superior agility to his advantage. He is adept at long passing and switches the play very effectively. Out of possession, Nebel presses like he’s been deprived of ever getting to kick a football before, covering a lot of space in the midfield. He averaged 1 successful tackle and 5 recoveries, along with 4.5 duels won p90 in the Bundesliga last season. Julian Nagelsmann clearly sees something in him, and it will be exciting to see what Nebel can do in the senior team if given the opportunity.

Denmark: William Osula

Osula was one of my favorite strikers that I saw during the U21 Euro’s when he lead the line for a very successful Denmark team. Osula scored 3 and assisted 2 in 185 minutes played at the tournament. His workrate and pressing is top notch, and has already shown that he can score in the Premier League for Newcastle this season. There are a few players at ST with seniority over Osula, and his first cap may be dependent on the game state in Denmark’s two matches this international break. If not now though, Osula’s breakthrough into the Danish national team seems imminent.

France: Maghnes Akliouche

Monaco’s breakout star Maghnes Akliouche has shown quite a rise in his play over the past year. Deployed as an attacking midfielder or winger, he featured 43 times for Monaco last season across all competitions, scoring 7 goals and adding 12 assists. In Ligue 1, Akliouche provided consistent xG and xA numbers, averaging out to around 0.6 expected goal contributions p90. He likes a dribble, and works hard out of possession to recover the ball fairly often. Through three matches in Ligue 1 this season, Akliouche has provided two goals and an assist, with over 1 expected goal contributions p90. Having been linked to clubs such as Spurs this past summer, Akliouche’s first senior callup will certainly help accelerate interest in him. While I haven’t had the chance to watch him play live yet, there are certainly signs of a potentially bright prospect here.

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These are some of the recent uncapped players who have received senior international callups that I’m most excited to see in action! Check back later for more football articles on Futbird!

Thanks for reading,

LM