Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has joined the growing list of injured players during the international break. Fernandes played through pain in Portugal's win over Wales on Thursday but was not in the squad for Sunday's fixture against Norway. Portugal boss Jorge Jesus revealed that Fernandes had "played through the pain" against Wales and "wasn't his usual self". Fernandes had an injury he brought from Manchester United.
Liverpool striker Cody Gakpo also suffered an injury during the Netherlands' 2-1 win against Serbia on Sunday. Gakpo had to go off just 17 minutes into the game, grimacing and holding the lower part of his right leg. Netherlands boss Xavi Hernández confirmed that Gakpo will have a scan on Monday to assess the extent of the injury. Gakpo has started the season well for Liverpool with two goals and four assists in six appearances.
Patrick Dorgu, a Manchester United teammate of Fernandes, lasted 30 minutes before limping off in Denmark's 2-0 win against Wales. The first international break of the 2026-27 men's football season is lasting a week longer than it usually does, with the traditional October break now scrapped. There is now a three-week gap for international fixtures across late September and early October.
The injury list for Premier League teams continues to grow, with Alexander Isak withdrawing from Sweden duty with a minor thigh injury. The striker played the full 90 minutes and scored a goal in his side's 2-1 win over Romania in the Nations League. However, he will not be involved in Sweden's remaining three matches in this international break.
Other players who have suffered injuries during the international break include Arsenal forward Kai Havertz and Sunderland's Brian Brobbey. Havertz was caught on the knee by a high boot from Quinten Timber in Amsterdam and had to be replaced. Brobbey appeared to suffer a muscle injury, while Sunderland's Dan Ballard suffered a hamstring injury late in Northern Ireland's 1-0 win over Georgia.
Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe has been ruled out for at least two weeks after injuring his knee while scoring the winner in France's match against Turkey. Mbappe scored a record-extending 67th goal from Michael Olise's pass but was limping immediately and had to be replaced five minutes later. Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala also suffered a muscle injury during the warm-up for the game against the Netherlands.
The spate of injuries during the international break will be a concern for clubs, particularly Premier League teams. The long list of injured players will test the depth and resilience of teams as they navigate the demanding season ahead. Clubs will be monitoring the progress of their players and working to ensure their speedy recovery.
Key points
- Manchester United's Fernandes, Liverpool's Gakpo, and Patrick Dorgu suffered injuries during international matches.
- The injuries add to the growing list of players sidelined during the international break.
- Premier League teams are being impacted by the injuries to their players while on international duty.
