Games between the Champions League final and the Club World Cup, the Nations League final four give another opportunity to win a trophy for players who could probably use a break.

Seven players from France, four from Portugal, one each from Spain and Germany were involved as PSG beat Inter Milan in the Champions League final on Saturday.

The German defender Yann Aurel Bisseck got an injury while he was playing for Inter, and he will miss the Nations League semifinal against Portugal in Munich on Wednesday.

These PSG players, Gonçalo Ramos, João Neves, Nuno Mendes, and Vitinha will need to recover as fast as possible from their recent celebrations to enable them to represent the Portugal team.

France will face Spain in the other semifinal in Stuttgart on Thursday, with Spain’s Fabián Ruiz expected to start in midfield after delivering an impressive performance for PSG on Saturday.

France internationals Désiré Doué, Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembélé, Lucas Hernandez, and Warren Zaïre-Emery played key roles in helping PSG finally end its long wait to win the Champions League. Meanwhile, fellow Frenchmen Marcus Thuram and Benjamin Pavard were on the losing side with Inter Milan.

France coach Didier Deschamps faces a challenging situation, not only having to evaluate the effects of recent celebrations involving PSG players, but also dealing with a growing injury list. Three of his preferred defenders, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano, and Jules Koundé, are sidelined. In addition, Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga is out, as the demands of a long season begin to show.

The winners of each semifinal will meet in the final in Munich on Sunday, while the losers will play in Stuttgart for third place.

What is the Nations League?

The Nations League was introduced in 2018 by UEFA to replace what it described as “meaningless friendlies” with more competitive matches.

This tournament brings together teams of similar rankings to face each other in meaningful games..

To achieve this, a league structure was established with four divisions, which comprise groups of national teams.

Starting with this edition, a new knockout round has been introduced after the group stage, which will feature the top division’s group winners and runners-up to determine who advances to the finals.

In the quarterfinals, Spain won against the Netherlands, France won against Croatia, Germany won against Italy 5-4 on aggregate, and Portugal won against Denmark 5-3 on aggregate.

This ensures all three previous winners of the competition, which are Portugal (2019), France (2021), and Spain (2023), qualify for the final four alongside host Germany.

How important is the Nations League?

On the importance of the Nations League, the Spain team used their success in 2023 as a springboard for winning the European Championship in 2024, while France reached the World Cup final in 2022 after winning the Nations League the previous year.

Fans might find it difficult to remember the past winners amid a crowded schedule, but coaches and players appreciate the competitive edge it brings.

For Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann, this represents an opportunity to claim his first title. Although it doesn’t hold the same prestige as winning a European Championship or World Cup, it would help restore some pride in German soccer after the national team’s decline since their 2014 World Cup victory.

Key facts

1. France’s match against Spain is a rematch of their Euro 2024 semifinal, where the team that featured Lamine Yamal won Kylian Mbappé’s France side on their way to winning the title.

2. Lyon attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki may probably make his debut for France.

3. Isco returns to the Spain squad after a six-year absence. The 33-year-old former Real Madrid star had an impressive season with Real Betis, and he is happy to return to the Spain National team.

4. The German captain Joshua Kimmich will make his 100th national team appearance if he plays against Portugal.

5. With Jamal Musiala out injured, Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz will face increased pressure to create opportunities for Germany.

6. Porto’s Rodrigo Mora has been called up by Portugal for the first time. The 18-year-old attacking midfielder has attracted interest from several clubs, including Manchester United, Barcelona, and PSG.

The evergreen Cristiano Ronaldo, now 40, will lead Portugal again. He might not get a break after this tournament either.

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