UEFA Nations League 20/21

UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE Time to renew and observe

by Antรณnio Valente Cardoso

Introduction

In an atypical year, the national teams returned to service. After the postponement of the 2020 European Championship towards 2021, the sides started the 2nd edition of the UEFA Nations League in September.

Many of the national teams use this competition to enter newcomers, to observe, to watch, to grow, while some keep strengthening the built squad.

Several questions arise. Are the players mature enough? What are the average ages of the lined players? How many call-ups do they have on average? With just three days apart between the two first matches and without a proper pre-season and no competition for lots of them in the last half year, did the national managers opt to shift or to force the first choices to both games?

The recruitment base differs a lot. Despite the rough and superficial argument linking only the possibilities to a nation’s population, there are other factors to consider, namely the number of enrolled players, how the youth development of the country’s sport is being carried out, the relation of the population with the specific sport and the other sports, it’s not just about the population numbers.

It was a huge success the inaugural edition of this newly formed competition.

Portugal will forever claim the pioneer title, but aims naturally to defend it.

Germany, for instance, used the matches to bring new players, to watch, observe, adjust, integrate. The usually boring friendly matches were replaced by competitive ones against relatively even opponents, which was a huge step up in the national teams’ calendar.

Hopefully this success can determine a change in the youth calendar, to replicate a model like this, that is already used with very positive return in the European basketball, for instance. It would captivate more youngsters, boys and girls, if they played against national teams more even, and also it would give all of them more competition, as they wouldn’t be left out in the first group stage, they would play throughout the season with promotions and demotions, so with a purpose, with a divisional title, even bringing autonomous regions like Greenland, Channel Islands, Manx, Gozo, that are left out of the national choices and would be able to promote football, futsal, beach soccer, boys and girls, even more locally, grabbing more and more players.

This is not a tactical analysis, it could be, most of the matches were observed, but there are a lot of people writing or talking about it, many of them wrongly, still fixated in the table football tactics, neglecting that each side can and should have defensive and offensive strategical tactics, shift the tactics often during the match, just by mixing wingers when one is a classical line one and the other likes to do internal movements, but that is not the purpose of this paper, at all.

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Index Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1 UEFA Nations League A .................................................................................................... 4 Portugal.............................................................................................................................. 4 France ................................................................................................................................. 5 Sweden ............................................................................................................................... 6 Croatia ................................................................................................................................ 6 Italy ..................................................................................................................................... 7 Bosnia-Herzegovina....................................................................................................... 8 Netherlands ...................................................................................................................... 9 Poland ................................................................................................................................. 9 Iceland .............................................................................................................................. 10 England............................................................................................................................. 11 Denmark .......................................................................................................................... 12 Belgium ............................................................................................................................ 13 Germany........................................................................................................................... 14 Spain.................................................................................................................................. 14 Ukraine ............................................................................................................................. 15 Switzerland ..................................................................................................................... 16 Overall Ranking – League A – 2018/19 ............................................................... 20 UEFA Nations League B .................................................................................................. 21 Norway ............................................................................................................................. 21 Austria .............................................................................................................................. 22 Romania ........................................................................................................................... 23 Northern Ireland ........................................................................................................... 24 Scotland ........................................................................................................................... 25 Israel ................................................................................................................................. 25 Slovakia ............................................................................................................................ 26 Czech Republic .............................................................................................................. 27 Russia................................................................................................................................ 28 Serbia ................................................................................................................................ 29 Turkey ............................................................................................................................... 29 Hungary............................................................................................................................ 30

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Finland .............................................................................................................................. 31 Wales................................................................................................................................. 32 Bulgaria ............................................................................................................................ 33 Republic of Ireland ...................................................................................................... 33 Overall Ranking – League B 2018/19 ................................................................... 39 UEFA Nations League C .................................................................................................. 40 Cyprus ............................................................................................................................... 40 Montenegro..................................................................................................................... 41 Azerbaijan ....................................................................................................................... 41 Luxembourg.................................................................................................................... 42 North Macedonia........................................................................................................... 43 Armenia ............................................................................................................................ 44 Estonia .............................................................................................................................. 45 Georgia ............................................................................................................................. 45 Moldova ............................................................................................................................ 46 Kosovo .............................................................................................................................. 46 Slovenia ............................................................................................................................ 47 Greece ............................................................................................................................... 48 Lithuania .......................................................................................................................... 49 Kazakhstan ..................................................................................................................... 49 Belarus .............................................................................................................................. 50 Albania .............................................................................................................................. 51 Overall Ranking – League C...................................................................................... 56 UEFA Nations League D .................................................................................................. 57 Faroe Islands.................................................................................................................. 57 Malta.................................................................................................................................. 57 Latvia................................................................................................................................. 58 Andorra............................................................................................................................. 59 Gibraltar ........................................................................................................................... 59 San Marino ...................................................................................................................... 60 Liechtenstein .................................................................................................................. 60 Overall Ranking – League D ..................................................................................... 63 Conclusions ......................................................................................................................... 64

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UEFA Nations League A As most of the ones who will read this surely know, the UEFA Nations League is a divisional tournament, split into four divisions, the top three having four groups of four national teams each and the last division, which should be again subjected to a change, with the remaining seven national sides, that could be playing in a single group, single hand, adding to the same six matches and matchdays as the above divisions. The inaugural edition wasn’t like this, but this one gives a better sight and allows almost all the sides to play competitive matches in all matchdays, contrary to the previous one, where many played one competitive match and one friendly as the groups were partially split into three teams.

Some federations started to look towards the UEFA Nations League with some doubts, for they get payed in the friendly matches, but rapidly understood, all, that this model has several advantages, sporting, financially, marketing, because it captivates much more interest, more direct and much more indirect revenue to the federation and to the country.

Portugal The title holder has dibs on this first take over the national sides’ return after the Covid-19 outbreak which stopped the entire world and postponed major events like the European football Championship and the Olympic Games.

This Euro’20 postponement led to Portugal becoming the only title holder to sustain the scepter for five years in a row and appears in this 2nd edition as the European champion and Nations League champion.

Fernando Santos started the defense of the title with two wins, only changing one player in the starting lineup from the first match to the second, being the captain and multi-record holder Cristiano Ronaldo with a minor injury, only starting in the second game. The national manager used 17 players, four of them born outside Portugal, two in France, Anthony Lopes and Raphael Guerreiro, one in Brazil, Pepe, and one in the Guinea-Bissau, Danilo Pereira. Four of the 17 still play in Portugal, three in FC Porto, one in Benfica, six in the Premier League, three in Spain, two in Germany, one in France and one in Italy.

The average age of the starting lineup in the opening match, against Croatia, was 27,58 and in the Swedish visit 28,66. The average age of the used players was 27,06.

On average the debut callup happened five and a half years ago and the debut average age stands in 21,54 years old. The youngest debutant is Cristiano Ronaldo, lined up for the first time with 18,54 years old, while Sérgio Oliveira is 4

the oldest to get started in the ‘AA’ Portuguese national team with 26,26 years old.

Five of the fielded players debuted in the first national team still as teenagers, Cristiano Ronaldo, Rúben Neves, João Moutinho and Gonçalo Guedes, still under 19 years old, and João Félix.

The average number of callups within the 17 players used by Fernando Santos is 40 matches, 27,71 of which official/competitive ones. Anthony Lopes played his first competitive matches with the Portuguese jersey after participating in seven friendlies before. Viana do Castelo born new Barcelona sensation wannabe, Francisco Trincão was debuted in this national teams matchdays window.

France Portugal got France, one of the traditional problems for the Portuguese team but beaten in the 2016 Euro, played in French soil, Sweden and Croatia, with the start giving Portuguese and French the clear edge, it will be between them the decision of the side that will advance to the Final 4.

France won both matches, as did the Portuguese. Didier Deschamps, contrary to Santos, changed a lot between games, only starting the same four players.

The starters average age in the first match is 27,38 and in the second went to 27,93, with the average age of the 20 footballers used nearing 27 with 26,94.

The average age of the debut callups stands on 22,50 and they were called on average circa four and a half years ago, averaging 32,85 callups, 18,95 of which in competitive matches.

Deschamps debuted two players, the centre back Upamecano and the midfielder Camavinga, who becomes the youngest callup with 17,83 years old. Another central midfielder, Steven Nzonzi was the oldest to debut in the national team with 28,90 years old.

Four of the players lined up debuted when still under 20 years old, Eduardo Camavinga, under 18, Kylian Mbappé, under 19, and Raphael Varane and Anthony Martial.

Despite having global roots, only the teenager Eduardo Camavinga was born outside France, in Angola, from the 20 players used by Deschamps.

Six of the 20 footballers still play in the French Ligue 1, another six of then play in England, five play in Spain, two in Germany and one in Italy.

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Sweden Two home defeats aren’t the best start of this 2nd edition of the Nations League to Janne Andersson, but the Swedes are one of the promoted sides, winning their Group B2 in the inaugural edition, ahead of Russia and Turkey. It would be interesting to have a Final 4 to both League B and League C and have a trophy, perhaps using legends of UEFA or naming sponsors, to each of the UEFA Nations League winners, with the D played in a single group and the winner grabbing the trophy, as above mentioned.

The opening match had a side with the average age above 30, 30,36, while on the second one it dropped to 27,56. The 20 players used in these two matches averaged 28,29 years old. Andersson only repeated five players in the starting lineups from the first to the second match.

Despite not debuting anyone, Kulusevski and Svanberg played their 2 nd match for the ‘AA’ Swede side, with the Macedonian heritage forward also entering in the 2nd one, becoming his 3rd. The average age of the debut callup is at 21,39 years old, with the youngest being the striker Alexander Isak, debuting with only 17,30 years old, and the oldest central defender Helander, called up for the first time into the main Swedish national team with 23,93 years old.

Five of the footballers fielded had their first call up while under 20 years old, Alexander Isak, under 18, Robin Quaison, Emil Krafth, Dejan Kulusevski and John Guidetti.

The average number of international lineups is 34,45, with the competitive matches being on average 23,15. In the group it’s the nation with the oldest average presence in the national side, with the first call up happening on average almost seven years ago.

Only two of the 20 named lined up players still play in Sweden and even with several Balkan, African and Asian roots, all the footballers were born in Sweden.

The Sweden purpose will be to fight with Croatia for a spot in the third edition of the UEFA Nations League Group A.

Croatia Eight goals conceded isn’t a motive to be proud, but the League for the Croatians will be of honor in the return matches against Portugal and France and to prove strength against Sweden.

Zlatko Dalic needs to change some things, it will be tough with the creatives leaving the national team, as announced Rakitic, for instance, but the defense is old and clearly not equipped to face fast and mobile attacking lines.

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The average age of the starting lineup for the opening match was near the 28 years old, 27,82, with the second being just above 27 years old. The average age of the 17 players fielded was 26,76 years old.

Six footballers repeated the starting callup in both matches. Central defender Uremovic debuted while also defender Melnjak got his first competitive match in this start of the UEFA Nations League 2nd chapter.

The average debutant age for these Croatian fielded players was 21,64, the youngest being Tin Jedvaj, with 18,77 when first lined up with Croatia ‘AA’ national team, and the oldest precisely Dario Melnjak, with 26,61 years old.

Within the 17 players fielded the average debut happened in July 2015, so over five years ago.

In Croatia there are also five footballers who were first lined up while still teenagers, Tin Jedvaj and Mateo Kovacic, under 19, Mario Pasalic, Nikola Vlasic and Ante Rebic.

They average 31,35 call ups, 22,29 of which in competitive matches.

Two footballers play in the Croatian Prva Liga, both with Dinamo Zagreb.

Two of the 17 fielded players were born outside Croatia, Kovacic in Austria and Pasalic in Germany.

Italy Roberto Mancini took the Italian helm after the ‘Azzurra’ failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. The team showed it really needed to change and the former forward tried to make some changes. The debutant edition of the UEFA Nations League saw Italians being drawn with Portugal and Poland, with the Portuguese prevailing in the group stage, but the Italian national side managed to sweep the Euro 2020 qualification with 10 out of 10 victories.

The 2nd edition of the UEFA Nations League started with an unexpected draw, against promoted Bosnia, but proceeded with a win in Dutch land.

Mancini fielded 20 players, keeping only four starters between the two matches.

Jorginho is the only won born outside Italy, in Brazil, and just three footballers play abroad, two in England, Kean and Jorginho, and the right winger now back Florenzi, recently transferred to French side PSG. The average age of the starters in the match against Bosnia was 27,23 years old, maturing to 27,85 in the away win in the Netherlands. The average age of the fielded footballers is 27,07 years old.

The debut in the first national team appears on average at 22,50 years old, within these 20 fielded footballers, with the goalie Donnarumma being the youngest 7

debutant, at 17,52 years old, and the versatile right back D’Ambrosio the oldest with his first at 28,55 years old. The average number of years since the first match is of four and a half for the Italians.

Midfielder Manuel Locatelli was debuted by Mancini, starting in the 2 nd match of this double header.

The renewal in this Italian outfit, as well as the broader specter of callups, is shown by the average number of matches played, 24,15, 16,25 competitive ones, with nine of the 20 fielded footballers having less than 10 matches with the first ‘Azzurra’ side.

Only three of the call up players debuted while still under 20, the keeper Donnarumma, under 18, the Italian of Ghanaian roots Moise Kean, under 19, and Roma’s sensation Zaniolo, again suffering a serious injury.

Bosnia-Herzegovina Veteran Dusan Bajevic returned to his home Bosnia-Herzegovina over 30 years after leaving Velez Mostar, in his hometown, to embrace a fulfilling career in Greece. He took over the Bosnian side in the end of 2019 and the purpose is to try a 1st qualification to a major tournament in Europe after the 2014 World Cup participation. The postponement of the 2020 Euro led to the playoffs only being played next year and Bosnia-Herzegovina, as winner of its group in the League B of the UEFA Nations League, will take on Northern Ireland with the winner playing either Slovakia or Republic of Ireland for the desired spot in the finals.

The goal for this 2nd edition of the Nations League will be to try and maintain the spot in the League A, a difficult task in hands with the opponents present, but it started with a good draw in Italy, losing the 2nd one home to Poland.

Bajevic used 19 players, five of which repeated starting lineup in both matches, debuting three, left footed central defender Sanicanin, Croatian born right back Cipetic and Danish born defensive midfielder Hadziahmetovic.

The average age of the fielded footballers was 28,04 years old, the starting lineup against Italy 27,93 and versus Poland 27,95. They debuted in the first national team at 22,51 years old. The youngest debutant, and also the only one called up while still a teen, was the midfielder Muhamed Besic with 18,18. Creative Haris Hajradinovic is the oldest to debut, with 25,75 years old.

Seven of the 19 have less and 10 fielded matches with the first national team, with the lot averaging 25,74 caps, 17,63 of which in competitive matches. The average time since debuting is of five and a half years.

With a civil war splitting and devastating the country during the 90’s, many of the Bosnian footballers were born and raised abroad, seven of these 19 enter 8

that lot, Kolasinac and Besic in Germany, Cipetic in Croatia, the above mentioned Hadziahmetovic in Denmark and Hajradinovic in North Macedonia, Milosevic in Belgium and Koljic in Spain.

Only one is playing in the Bosnian Premijer Liga.

Netherlands Reference Koeman was thought to be the man to make the already happening change in the ‘Oranje’, but the Barcelona call was too challenging to say not and the Netherlands were left with a rapid choice for the bench. Interim manager was Canadian born Dwight Lodeweges, handling the transition before Frank De Boer takeover. As national manager Lodeweges beat Poland and lost to Italy by the minimum margin.

Contrary to most managers, Lodeweges barely changed his lineup from the 1st to the 2nd. With a very fast and mobile treble in the front, Depay, Promes and Bergwijn, for the opening round, Lodeweges showed a great deal of respect for Italy, benching the Tottenham versatile winger and giving starting lineup for the recently transferred ‘Red Devil’ Donny van de Beek, central midfielder.

Twice used substitute, striker Luuk De Jong is the only born outside the Netherlands, having birth in Switzerland.

Only 14 players were fielded in this doubleheader, averaging 27,47 years old in the 1st and 27,51 in the 2nd for the starters, 27,14 all footballers taking part in these matches for the Netherlands considered.

The average number of callups within the fielded footballers is 28,07, with 17,64 competitive matches on average. The debutant callup happened on average five years ago and the average age of the first cap is 22,20 years old. Memphis Depay is the only one to be called up while still in his teen years.

Just two of the fielded footballers still play in the Netherlands, Dumfries with PSV outfit and Promes for Ajax.

Poland Jerzy Brzeczek took over Poland after the 2018 World Cup, qualified the squad for the Euro 2020 finals and, with the postponement of the European Championship, keeps with the team and is the responsible for the Nations League 2nd edition after failing to prevent the, at the time, thought demotion from the League A which didn’t happen due to the rethinking of the format and the growth

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o the group stage from 3 sides per group to 4. Now the goal is, again, try to not be demoted.

Poland lost in the Netherlands but went on to win in Bosnia-Herzegovina, keeping an eye on the possible final, but grabbing the edge over Balkan rivals in the fight for the League A spot in the next edition.

Brzeczek used 18 players in this doubleheader, repeating six starters in both matches. Only two players were still in the Ekstraklasa, both with Lech Poznan, Moder, who got his first cap and Jozwiak who grabbed his 2nd and 3rd callups just before moving to England, signing with Championship outfit Derby County.

The average age in the 1st match was of 27,08 years old while in the 2nd one it grew to 28,70 years old. The average age of the fielded footballers is of 27,67 years old. The average age at the first callup is of 20,85 years old. Milik is the youngest debutant, at 18,62 years old, with the oldest being Goralski with 24,15 years old. The debut happened on average almost seven years ago.

Six footballers were called up while still teenagers, goalie Szczesny, Piotr Zielinski and Kamil Grosicki, under 20, and Krychowiak, Linetty and Milik, under 19.

The average number of callups is 35, with 21,44 of them competitive matches.

Iceland Iceland and Belgium share again the group stage in the 2nd edition of the UEFA Nations League, with the Arctic Vikings taking advantage of the restructure of the league and keeping the spot despite grabbing zero points in the inaugural edition, playing Belgium and Switzerland.

England and Denmark, promoted from the League B, are the other two members of this Group 2 of the League A. The surprise package from Iceland got around and made a very good impression in the 2016 Euro, however brought attention to them and now they’re not disregarded by any opponent. Even so, they put out a good resistance against England, only falling for one goal, in injury time and through penalty, even getting a penalty in the last minute of the added minutes, but not converting it, then they were heavily beaten against Belgium.

Swedish Erik Hamren took over the team after the 2018 World Cup, didn’t manage to get Iceland directly into the Euro 2020, but the fact that all other League A inaugural UEFA Nations League participants got the ticket, Iceland will enter the play-off taking on Romania, with the winner playing Bulgaria or Hungary for the Path A spot in the finals.

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Hamren recurred to 20 footballers, only four of which repeated the place in the starting lineups for both matches. The average age of the starters in the 1st one, against England, was of 29,49, while against Belgium lowered to 27,63 years old.

The average age of the entire fielded footballers was 28,43 years old. The first call up happened on average when they were 21,55 years old. Five of the 20 players debuted still as teenagers, Andri Fannar Baldursson, of Bologna, the most recent one, debutant versus Belgium, under 19, Arnor Sigurdsson, Mikael Anderson, Albert Thor Gudmundsson and Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson under 20.

As with the Poles, the Icelandic footballers fielded debuted in the first national team on average almost seven years ago. On average they sum 31,80 caps, 19,85 of which in competitive matches.

The captain Kari Arnason is the only one born outside the Arctic Archipelago, in Sweden. Only two play in Iceland, both returning home after continental experiences, keeper-movie director Halldorsson and Arnason himself.

Debutant in this window, Baldursson is the youngest of this set of players, debuting with 18,66 years old. Hannes Thor Halldorsson, fielded for the 1 st time with 27,36 years old, is the oldest of the debutants in the national side.

England The aspiration for titles continues in the English kingdom and the apparent interim solution turned into a nice choice, Southgate has been able to promote many of the talents he boosted while managing the Under 21 side.

This is a different England, more creative and unpredictable, with African and Caribbean blood, hungry for titles, but still with some distance to make up towards the continental top sides.

England has an advantage, comparing with other European nations usually considered candidates to the titles, the side is younger. It’s curious to watch how Italy, Germany, England, even Spain, broaden their callups, not only due to their wider range of choices, but also because they feel and see the hunger in the players, if they’re playing on a high note with their clubs, they have the perfect mental state to enter the national team, like it happened with promoted Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips, and this is something other managers should look and perceive, it’s not all about the names, it’s about form, will, mental capacity and belief, because it won’t do any good to call a new name just to be a sparring partner to the ones with the status, even if he shows better shape and proves himself. It’s not about to make all new callup, it’s about giving confidence to all, showing that if they perform well in their clubs, they will get a chance to be capped with their national side.

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In the opening match the average age of the starters was 25,26 years old, while in the 2nd lowered to 25,06, with the average age of the fielded footballers being 24,67 years old.

Southgate debuted six players in this doubleheader, Foden and Greenwood, who misbehaved in the hotel after the win facing Iceland and were returned to their clubs, central defender Coady, defensive midfielder Phillips, right back MaitlandNiles and creative Villa star Grealish!

This amount of novelties helps to explain the short stint since the average debut, only two and a half years ago, with an average of 22 years old in the first match played, the youngest debutant being Raheem Sterling at 17,94 years old and the oldest Wolves’ sheriff Coady, at 27,53 years old.

Nine out of the 19 have less than 10 caps, the six debutants plus Ward-Prowse, Danny Ings and Mason Mount.

One player was born outside England, Sterling, who is Jamaican of birth. Two of them play abroad, Trippier with Spanish Atletico Madrid and Sancho at German Borussia Dortmund.

Southgate repeated eight footballers in the start of both matches.

After a putting a good show in the road towards the Euro 2020, England started this doubleheader with a sweaty and scrapy win over Iceland, not being able to leave the null against Denmark in the second match.

Denmark Another promoted side from the 1st UEFA Nations League B, Denmark started losing to Belgium, achieving a good draw against England in the 2nd match.

Kasper Hjulmand was chosen to replace Hareide after the Euro 2020 finals, with the postponement giving Hjulmand the chance of being him the manager in those finals. The young manager did a very good job in his two spells in the FC Nordsjaelland which granted him this task.

The Danish Dynamite is long gone but the Danes have some very interesting creative players, a couple of them not reaching their full potential still, also with a good fire power from the strikers. Now some of these stars aren’t in a good place, low on form, losing space in their clubs, which reflects inevitably in their national performance and to some in their absence.

Skov is the only in the fielded players to born outside the country, in Spain.

Hjulmand kept nine starters from the 1st to the 2nd match. The average age of the starting lineup was of 27,85 years old in the opening game and 27,89 in the draw facing England. With 16 footballers used, the average age is of 27,67.

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The debut call happened on average with 21,27 years old, with the time in the national team since the first cap being on average of six years and a half. The oldest debutant was Norgaard with 26,50 years old and the youngest being Eriksen with 18,05 years old. Six of the 16 had their debutant cap before hitting 20 years old, Eriksen, Hojbjerg and Zanka Jorgensen under 19, Christensen, Cornelius and Dolberg.

The average number of caps is 34,81, 22,75 in competitive matches.

Only one footballer is playing in Denmark.

Belgium There was talk about Roberto Martinez returning to England, having several proposals, but the Spanish keeps heading the revamped ‘Red Devils’, now in the mature age and ready to grab some silver.

The two matches were convincing and Belgium grabs the edge to win this group and get into the Final 4.

Martinez debuted three players, goalkeeper Koen Casteels, winger Trossard and teen sensation Doku, debuting and scoring for the Belgians.

Six players started both matches. The average age of the starting lineup in the opening match was 28,87 years old, 28,56 in the 2nd. The average age of the 20 fielded players was 27,42 years old.

The Belgian players entering this doubleheader had their debut on average at 21,33 years old and debuted on average a little over six years ago. They average 40,85 caps, 26,05 in competitive matches. Romelu Lukaku is the youngest debutant, at 16,80 years old, and goalie Koen Casteels the oldest, having his first cap at 28,21 years old.

Seven of the 20 players were first debuted in the Belgian Red Devils while still in their teen years, Lukaku under 17, Verschaeren, Doku under 19, De Bruyne, Tielemans, Witsel and Denayer.

Although with African roots very rich in the squad, none of the fielded players was born outside Belgium.

Four of the 20 footballers play in Belgium.

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Germany Only the UEFA Nations League A – Group 3 has a clear cleavage between the winners and the losers, all the other groups are much more even.

In the Group 4 Germany and Spain draw each other in the opening game, with Ukraine beating Switzerland and losing to the Spaniards and the Swiss side tying Germany in the 2nd match.

Löw seemed to be exiting the German national team, there was a note of some discontent between the locker room leaders, but he’s becoming an institution and continues at the helm.

The German purpose, as in the 1st edition, isn’t so much claiming the title, but more importantly bringing new players, creating the spirit, enlarging the evaluation within the German specter.

It was a tough beginning, suffering the tying goal in the last minute of injury time against Spain. This match saw the debut of Gosens, left back with Atalanta without background in the German national youth teams, opening his participation with an assist to Werner’s goal against ‘La Roja’.

Germany used 17 players in this doubleheader, Löw repeated nine footballers in the start of both matches. The starters average age in the opening match was of 26,92 years old, in the 2nd was 26,77 years old. The average age of the fielded footballers was 26,34 years old.

The average age of the first callup is 21,75 years old, being Draxler the youngest debutant at 18,68 years old, and goalie Kevin Trapp the oldest, with 26,91 years old. The amount of time since the first callup on average in this German side is four years and a half. They average 25,29 caps, of which 15,76 in competitive matches.

None was born outside German territory and only two were called up before hitting the 20 years old mark, Draxler and Leroy Sané.

Eight out of the 17 play in the German Bundesliga.

Spain Despite the recent issues with the management, first with the Lopetegui affair, exiting the squad just before the World Cup finals opening match, then with the family lost for Luis Enrique and the Robert Moreno situation, replacing him after being his assistant but not glad with his return, Spain continues to be one of the strongest sides in the world and candidate to all trophies.

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Luis Enrique’s second spell started in Germany and the national side scrapped for a point in the last drop of the match. In the 2nd match ‘La Roja’ thrashed Ukraine.

Six players were debuted in this doubleheader, recently transferred to England Ferran Torres, sensation Ansu Fari, Mikel Merino, creative Óscar Rodríguez, left backs Eric García and Reguilón, with Dani Olmo adding his 2nd cap and Pau Torres his 2nd and 3rd caps.

Within the 19 players fielded, Luis Enrique doubled five as starters, in the 1 st match averaging 28,42 years old and dropping to 26,62 years old in the 2nd. The average age of the fielded footballers was 26,07 years old.

Two players weren’t born in Spanish territory, Thiago Alcântara, son of former Brazilian star Mazinho, was born in Italy, when his father was playing there, and Ansu Fati was born in Guinea-Bissau.

The average age of the first callup is 22,21 years old and almost four years ago is the average time passed since that first cap. Debutant Ansu Fati is the youngest to be called up, with 17,84 years old, Villarreal forward Gerard Moreno is the oldest, debuting at 27,52 years old.

The average number of matches played for the national team is 26,79, 17,58 of which in competitive games. 11 of the footballers had less than 10 caps in the fielded players for Spain.

Also 11 of the players are putting the show in their home country, five in England, now six, two in Germany, now one with Thiago finally moving to Liverpool, and Fabián Ruiz in Italian outfit Napoli.

Only three of the called-up footballers had their debut as teenagers, Ansu Fati, under 18, captain Sergio Ramos, under 19, and Eric García.

Ukraine Shevchenko’s side started well this group 4 of the UEFA Nations League A beating Switzerland, losing heavily in the 2nd match to Spain.

The former attacking star debuted three footballers, two of them playing both matches fulltime, right back Tymchyk and left back Mykhaylichenko and also defensive midfielder Kharatin, starter in the 2nd tie.

Eight players started both matches. The average age of the starters in the opening round was 28,59 years old, dropping to 27,43 in the 2nd game. The average age of the 17 fielded players was 27,87 years old.

The average amount of time since the first cap is five years and a couple of months, with the average age of the debut cap being 22,72 years old. Winger turned left back Zinchenko is the youngest debutant, with 18,82 years old, 15

Brazilian born Junior Moraes, with 31,96 years old, is the oldest to earn the first international cap with the Ukrainian shirt.

Junior Moraes and Marlos were both born in Brazil, Tsygankov was born in Israel, they’re the three not born in Ukrainian turf.

11 out of the 17 fielded players continue in Ukraine.

Switzerland Used to welcome foreigners from all around, the neutral country by reference, Switzerland has a very diverse society and that’s shown in the national sides, also giving dozens of youth players to other national teams, namely Balkan ones.

The national manager is an example of that, being Vladimir Petkovic born in Yugoslav Sarajevo and holding Bosnian nationality as well as Swiss. He is one of the longest standing managers in European football, only beaten by Jogi Löw, Andorran Koldo, Luxembourg Luc Holtz and French Deschamps, serving Switzerland since July 2014.

Petkovic only used 16 players, with several roots but young striker Embolo being the one born outside Helvetia, in Cameroon.

Eight of the footballers repeated starting lineup.

In the lost against Ukraine the average age of the starters was 26,29, in the draw versus Germany went up to 27,06 years old. The average age of the fielded players was 26,33.

On average they were first calledup at 21,91 years old, the youngest being Breel Embolo, just over 18 years old, 18,12, and the oldest left back Loris Benito, at 26,85 years old. The average amount of years since the debut is four years and a half. Four of them were debuted while still in their teen years, Embolo and Granit Xhaka, Under 19, Ricardo Rodríguez and Nico Elvedi.

Five of the fielded footballers have less than 10 caps. The average amount of caps is 28, 21,25 in competitive matches.

Only two of the 16 play in the Swiss league, nine are in Germany and the other five divide themselves between England, France, Italy, Portugal and Scotland.

Club Anderlecht Club Brugge AA Gent Genk KV Oostende Standard Liege

League Bel Bel Bel Bel Bel Bel

Nr 3 2 1 1 1 1

Nat Bel/Ukr Bel Bel Dnk Isl BiH 16

Siroki Brijeg Levski Sofia Beijing Gu’oan Dinamo Zagreb AGF Aarhus Brondby FC Copenhagen FC Midtjylland Newcastle Manchester City Liverpool Tottenham Hotspur Brighton & Hove Albion Everton Leicester Chelsea Brentford Crystal Palace Watford Wolverhampton Wanderers West Bromwich Albion West Ham Arsenal Bournemouth Manchester United Southampton Leeds United Aston Villa Millwall Valencia Villarreal Atletico Madrid Barcelona Real Madrid Betis Sevilla Sevilla Alaves Real Sociedad Girondins Bordeaux Olympique Lyon Paris-SG Stade Rennais AS Monaco Olympique Marseille OGC Nice RB Leipzig

BiH Bul Chn Cro Dnk Dnk Dnk Dnk Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Esp Esp Esp Esp Esp Esp Esp Esp Esp Fra Fra Fra Fra Fra Fra Fra Ger

1 1 1 3 1 1 2 1 1 12 5 7 2 4 4 6 2 1 1 4 1 3 4 1 6 3 4 1 1 4 2 3 7 6 1 3 1 2 1 4 5 2 1 1 1 4

BiH Isl BiH Cro/BiH Isl Isl Swe/Dnk Isl Swe Por/Ned/Eng/Bel/Ger/Esp/Ukr Ned/Eng/Ger Fra/Ned/Eng/Dnk/Bel Ned/Bel Fra/Ita/BiH/Eng Dnk/Bel Fra/Cro/Ita/Eng/Dnk Swe/Dnk Bel Swe Por/Eng Pol Pol/Eng/Ukr BiH/Eng/Ger/Swi BiH Fra/Por/Swe/Ned/Eng/Esp Pol/Eng Pol/Eng/Ger/Esp Eng Isl Por/Ned/Dnk/Esp Esp Por/Eng/Bel Por/Fra/Ned/Dnk/Esp Fra/Ger/Esp Fra Ned/Esp Swe Swe/Esp Swi Fra/Por/Ned/Bel Fra/Ita/Ger Fra Fra Cro Dnk Fra/Swe/Dnk/Esp 17

FC Augsburg Eintracht Frankfurt Borussia Dortmund Bayern Munich Mainz Bayer Leverkusen Schalke 04 Borussia Monchengladbach Hertha Berlin Werder Bremen VfL Wolfsburg TSG 1899 Hoffenheim Darmstadt Olympiacos PAOK Thessaloniki MOL Fehervar Ferencvaros Valur Reykjavik Vikingur Reykjavik Juventus AC Milan Inter Milan AS Roma Lazio Roma Sampdoria Atalanta Fiorentina Benevento Bologna Napoli Parma Torino Brescia Sassuolo Padova Kairat Almaty Ajax Amsterdam PSV Eindhoven AZ Alkmaar Aalesunds Brann Bergen Lech Poznan Benfica FC Porto CSU Craiova Dinamo Moscow

Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Gre Gre Hun Hun Isl Isl Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Kzk Ned Ned Ned Nor Nor Pol Por Por Rou Rus

1 4 9 4 1 2 1 4 1 1 4 3 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 6 3 7 6 2 2 5 2 1 2 5 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 3 1 1

Swi Por/Ger/Swi Por/Eng/Dnk/Bel/Ger/Swi Fra/Ger/Esp Swe Cro/Ger Ger Ger/Swi Pol Swe Cro/Bel/Swi Cro/BiH/Dnk Isl Isl Isl BiH BiH/Ukr Isl Isl Fra/Por/Swe/Ita/Pol Cro/Ita/Dnk Cro/Ita/Dnk/Bel Swe/Ita/BiH Ita Swe/Pol Cro/Ned/Ger/Ukr Ita Pol Swe/Isl Ita/Pol/Bel/Esp Dnk Ita/Pol/Swi Isl Ita Ita Pol Ned Ned Isl Isl Isl Pol Por/Bel/Swi Por BiH Pol 18

FK Krasnodar Zenit SP CSKA Moscow Lokomotiv Moscow Rubin Kazan Celtic Glasgow Rangers AIK Solna Malmo Ff FC Basel Young Boys Vojvodina Novi Sad Besiktas Çaikur Rizespor Konyaspor Basaksehir Fenerbahce Kayserispor Dinamo Kyiv Shakhtar Donetsk Seattle Sounders

Rus Rus Rus Rus Rus Sco Sco Swe Swe Swi Swi Srb Tur Tur Tur Tur Tur Tur Ukr Ukr USA

2 1 3 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 4 8 1

Swe Cro Cro/Isl Pol Cro Swi Swe/Cro Swe Isl Swi Swi BiH Cro Cro BiH BiH Dnk BiH Pol/Ukr Ukr Swe

119 different clubs of 28 distinct nations had players fielded in this 1st doubleheader of the UEFA Nations League 2nd edition, two of which outside the UEFA, one Chinese and one from the United States of America.

England, with 21 clubs, Italy, 16, and Germany, 14, are the nations with more clubs represented in this 2nd UEFA League Nations A, being also the ones with more footballers, 73 playing in England, 48 in Italy, 40 in Germany, then 29 spread across nine Spanish clubs and 15 in seven French sides, underlining the ‘Big 5’ leagues value and higher power. Ukraine and Russia, with 12 and 10 respectively, follow those five major European football countries and leagues, noting that in those ‘Big 5’ nations some players are from 2nd tier sides.

The team with more footballers fielded was Manchester City, with 12 players, also heading the diversity, in seven different national sides. Borussia Dortmund had nine in six nations and Manchester United leads the diversity percentage, 100 percent, six footballers in six national teams! Shakhtar Donetsk heads the one sides teams, with eight representatives, all of which in the home national side of Ukraine.

As presented below, the fielded players varied between 14 and 20, the average age range between 24 and eight months and 28 and almost a half, Poland makes the earlier debut, while Ukraine the oldest, England as the least number of internationals played, Belgium and Portugal the highest, with the Portuguese averaging the highest number of competitive matches. Surprise as the 19

Netherlands, known for its youth talents, only has one debutant in his teen years, contrasting with the neighbor Belgium, with seven. England and Spain fielded six newcomers, Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland none.

Nation

PU

Av Age

Av Age Debut 22 22,21 21,91 21,75 21,64 22,50 21,54 22,50 22,20 21,33 20,85 21,27 22,72 22,51

Av Caps

Av Teen Av Debut Debut Born Comp Debut Abr Matches 11,74 4 04/01/2018 6 1 17,58 3 30/10/2016 6 2 21,25 4 02/04/2016 0 1 15,76 2 06/02/2016 1 0 22,29 5 29/07/2015 1 2 18,95 4 31/03/2016 2 1 27,71 5 28/02/2015 1 4 16,25 3 10/02/2016 1 1 17,64 1 30/09/2015 0 1 26,05 7 07/08/2014 3 0 21,44 6 11/11/2013 1 0 22,75 6 14/04/2014 2 1 21,29 3 14/07/2015 3 3 17,63 1 27/02/2015 3 7

England 19 24,67 16 Spain 19 26,07 26,79 Switzerland 16 26,33 28 Germany 17 26,34 25,29 Croatia 17 26,76 31,35 France 20 26,94 32,85 Portugal 17 27,06 40 Italy 20 27,07 24,15 Netherlands 14 27,14 28,07 Belgium 20 27,42 40,85 Poland 18 27,67 35 Denmark 16 27,67 34,81 Ukraine 17 27,87 32,65 Bosnia19 28,04 25,74 Herzegovina Sweden 20 28,29 21,39 34,45 23,15 5 14/10/2013 0 Iceland 20 28,43 21,55 31,80 19,85 5 22/10/2013 1 PU – number of players fielded; Av Age – Average Age of the fielded players; Av Age Debut – Average Age of Debut for the fielded players; Av Caps – Average number of international matches; Av Comp Matches – Average number of caps in competitive matches; Teen Debut – number of the fielded players debuting while still teenagers; Av Debut – Average date of the first national team debut; Debut – number of players debuting in this UEFA Nations League edition; Born Abr – fielded footballers not born in the country/nation they represent.

0 1

Overall Ranking – League A – 2018/19 1st – Portugal – UEFA Nations League 1st Champion 2nd – Netherlands 3rd – England 4th – Switzerland 5th – Belgium 6th – France 20

7th – Spain 8th – Italy 9th – Croatia 10th – Poland 11th – Germany 12th - Iceland If the change didn’t happen for the 2nd edition Germany, Croatia, Poland and Iceland would be demoted to the 2nd tier of this UEFA Nations League.

UEFA Nations League B The change in the format, clearly benefiting all participants, led to the promotion of the four group winners in the 1st edition of the UEFA Nations League B, no demotions, either from the League A or the League B, and naturally the double of promoted sides into the League B, to fill the groups with four nations each.

So, alongside the winners Scotland, Finland, Norway and Serbia, from the League C were also promoted Israel, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania.

These 16 nations prove how even is football in Europe and after the opening matchday doubleheader none is left without points, 13 out of the 16 matches ended in one goal difference or tied.

This being said, it’s naturally wide open in every group, both in the promotion and in the demotion, remembering that this Nations League also serve as qualifier towards the 2024 European Championship, the four playoff spots will be determined by the positions in this tournament, so it’s very important for the nations who have more problems in qualifying directly through the group stage or can face some difficulties, giving the performance in the UEFA Nations League a huge importance, it’s not just the presence in the Euro finals, it’s all the financial return that includes.

Norway After a desert of ideas following the great generation of the 90’s and the turn of the century, Norway is bringing a new set of talents, ready to again shock the footballing world.

Swedish Lagerback is at the helm of the squad since the beginning of 2017, got the win and promotion from the League C to the League B, failed to enter directly 21

to the Euro 2020 finals, with the win in its group granting a spot in the League C playoff where Norway will face Serbia home and if it wins it will again receive the winner of the other semi, Scotland versus Israel.

The opening match hosting Austria, also with a very interesting generation, some of them already climbing from the Red Bull academy in Salzburg, ended with a defeat, even with Haaland’s goal, but the Norwegians come back with a bang, hitting Northern Ireland with five.

There’s a mix of generations in the callup, some players nearing the end of the career, several mature and the young guns who are making a fuss in the European top leagues.

The average age of the starters in the opening match was 27,30 years old, not shifting to the 2nd one, with 27,35. The fielded players average age was 27,39 years old.

21,47 years old is the average age of the fielded players debut, being left back Aleesami the oldest, with 24,19 years old in his first callup, and the youngest Markus Henriksen, 18,21 years old, curiously both of them without a club at the time of this doubleheader. The average amount of caps in this set is 27,94, 18,39 in competitive matches, with almost six years since the debut in the first national team on average.

Five of the 18 footballers started in the first national team while still in their teen years, Markus Henriksen, under 19, Sander Berge, Erling Haaland, Mohamed Elyounoussi and Kristoffer Ajer.

Lagerback didn’t debut anyone but three of the fielded footballers have less than 10 caps.

Besides the pair that doesn’t have a club, two of the 18 footballers play in Norway, both at Rosenborg.

Seven players started both matches. Two of the fielded footballers were born outside Norwegian territory, Elyounoussi in Morocco and Haaland in Leeds where his father was playing, father who was part of the golden generation of the 90’s and had a severe injury shortening his career.

Austria Former German international defender Franco Foda ended his playing career in Austria and made his coaching life in the Alps, now the national manager, since 2017, after the 5th consecutive failure to qualify to the World Cup, able to get the team into the Euro 2020, where the goal will certainly be to advance the group stage, never achieved before. They lost the promotion to the League A to Bosnia

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and Herzegovina in the 1st edition and will also want to top this 2nd edition group stage and get into the ‘major’ League.

Austria got of to a good start, winning in Norway, but then got a surprise loss home to Romania, 2-3.

Foda doubled nine starters between both matches. The average age in the 1st was 26,86 years old, dropping little to 26,68 in the 2nd game. 27,17 is the average age of the 16 fielded footballers.

The debut callup happened on average at 22,46 years old, debutant Momschein, Austria Vienna’s forward, is the oldest in these 16 names to get the callup, with 27,88 years old, with the youngest being Sabitzer with 18,22 years old. Only Sabitzer and Dragovic, both under 19 at the time, were first named and fielded while still teenagers.

The average cap number is 25,13, of which 16,75 competitive matches, with the average first callup happening almost five years ago.

No player was born outside Austria, three play in the Austrian Bundesliga, all others, with the exception of Grbic, at French side Lorient, play in Germany.

The German manager of the Austrian national team debuted three players, above mentioned forward Momschein, French playing forward Grbic, entering in both matches after starting in the bench, and offensive midfielder Baumgartner, fulltime use to the Hoffenheim creative.

Romania Romania ended the 1st doubleheader as the surprise leader in the Group A, drawing home to Northern Ireland and winning in Austria to get 4 points.

Former international Mirel Radoi had a short spell with Steaua’s bench and started working in the federation as a sport director to the under 21 side, then taking over the team as manager and in the end of 2019, after the first team failed to qualify directly to the Euro 2020, Contra was fired and Radoi promoted to the senior side, where he’ll have the task of trying to qualify Romania via playoffs, where they will face Iceland in the Arctic and, if win, travel to either neighbors Bulgaria or Hungary, for the path A playoff spot.

Radoi used 19 footballers, repeating six starters in both matches. The average age of the starting lineup in the opening match was 27,90 years old, maturing to 29,75 years old in the win in Austria.

Eight footballers are competing in the Romanian Liga 1 and ‘Carpathian Maradona’s’ son, Ianis Hagi, being the only one born outside Romania, in Turkey.

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The average age of the squad used is 28,25 years old, with the debut callup happening on average at 23,78 years old. Ianis Hagi is the youngest debutant, at 20,07 years old, the oldest being Alexandru Cretu, who was debuted by Radoi in this doubleheader, with 28,36 years old. The average time passed since the first callup is four and a half years.

Alongside defensive midfielder Cretu, now playing with Slovenian outfit Maribor, Radoi debuted another two names, CFR Cluj-Napoca central and right defender Andrei Burca, who played right back versus Austria, and also Viitorul forward Iancu.

Despite being experimented in age, these footballers don’t have that much caps, on average 20,26, 14,05 of which in competitive matches.

Northern Ireland Ian Baraclough used 18 footballers in this start of UEFA Nations League B edition and his own debut as manager of the first team after three years at the helm of the under 21 of Northern Ireland.

It was an interesting start, grabbing a point in Romania, but the match hosting Norway was a nightmare, getting hit by five.

Eight players started both matches, being the average age in the first 27,75 years old and 27,93 in Norway. The average age of the fielded players was 27,71 years old.

The average debut age in the first national team is 21,04 years old, the youngest debutant being left midfielder turn left back Shane Ferguson with 17,90 years old and the oldest versatile right and left defender and midfielder Michael Smith at 27,56 years old.

Seven footballers debuted with the first Northern Irish side while still teenagers, Shane Ferguson of Millwall, under 18, Kyle Lafferty, now with Italian Reggina, and Blackburn Rovers’ Corry Evans, under 19, homegrown Shayne Lavery, still with Linfield, Liam Boyce of Scottish Heart of Midlothian, Josh Magennis of Hull City and Paddy McNair of Middlesbrough.

The average number of caps is 33, with 23 in competitive matches, with the debut happening on average over six and a half years ago.

With the exception of the star Lafferty, all footballers play in the British Islands, the majority in England, where five of them were born and raised, goalkeeper Peacock-Farrell, playing with Burnley, Newcastle’s left back Jamal Lewis, Ballard,

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central midfielder Saville of Middlesbrough and forward Conor Washington, now with Charlton.

Arsenal under 23 player, Daniel Ballard was the only debutant in this doubleheader, starting both and being replaced also in the two games.

Scotland Steve Clarke will try to surprise Israel in the important playoff qualifier semi towards the Euro 2020 after tying the match in Israel for the 2 nd edition of the UEFA Nations League. They are in the path C and the winner of that semi will either face Serbia or Norway for the ticket to the Euro 2020, which will happen in 2021.

In the 2nd match of this opening round the scots grabbed a lot of confidence with the win in the house of favorite Czech Republic.

18 players were used with the starters averaging 26,74 years old against Israel and 27,65 years old in the Czech Republic. The average age of the fielded players was 27,09.

Five footballers play in Scotland, the rest in England, where four were born, one other in the Isle of Manx and one in Australia.

Clarke repeated six starters in this doubleheader, with Australian born, forward for QPR, Lyndon Dykes being one of them and the only debutant in this round.

The average age of the debut in the Scottish first team for these players is 22,97 years old, the youngest being Arsenal’s defender Kieran Tierney, with 18,81 years old, and the oldest Sheffield United’s John Fleck, at 28,13 years old. Like with the Northern Irish, despite the experience in age, there’s a lack in caps, a sign of renewal, 15,67 on average, 11,56 in competitive matches, debuting on average little over four years ago.

Five players had their first appearance while still teens, Kieran Tierney and Oliver Burke, under 18, David Marshall, Andrew Robertson and James Forrest.

Israel After competing in the OFC, in the AFC, Israel settled and entered UEFA, not making a mark. Lately, a new set of players has been causing some stir and grabbing attention, with the national side also taking advantage of that and dreaming of a qualification to the Euro finals.

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Former Austrian legend Andy Herzog was the responsible of the side, but left due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Willi Ruttensteiner, fellow Austrian, who was sporting director, took over the helm, getting two draws, Scotland and Slovakia, and aiming to get through Scotland in the Euro 2020 playoff semi again against Scotland.

Ruttensteiner didn’t make a single change in the starting lineup for both matches, averaging 28,95 years old on it, with the fielded footballers averaging 27,45 years old. A conservative approach that payed off, at least preventing losses, but will need more to beat Scotland in the Euro 2020 playoff.

Only 15 players were used, four of them playing in Israel, all with Maccabi Tel Aviv outfit. There was no debutant, but six of the players have less than 10 caps.

The average age in the 1st match for the national team is 22,16 years old, with the caps averaging 22,53, of which 17,67 in competitive matches.

The average age in the debut callup is 22,16, the youngest being Nir Bitton, with 18,57 years old, and the oldest Abd Elhamed, with 28,23 years old, both wearing Celtic Glasgow’s jersey.

Four players opened their participation with Israeli first team before reaching 20 years old, defender Tawatha and Nir Bitton, under 19, winger Manor Solomon and center midfielder Elkmies.

Slovakia Anyone who visits both Czech Republic and Slovakia, not the border areas but the deep inside, the Bohemian North and Northwest of Czechia and the South and East of Slovakia understands the difference in both, despite having been merged in Czechoslovakia for decades. Naturally there are a lot of similarities, but there are also behavioral and other differences in between. The 2 nd edition of the UEFA Nations League for the former ‘brothers’ started with a match between them, this time favoring the Czechs in Slovakia. Then Slovakia draw Israel, not having the best start of campaign, coming down again after the historical debut qualification towards the 2010 World Cup and the 2016 Euro. The purpose will be to enter the 2020 Euro through the playoff where they will take the path B, hosting Republic of Ireland in the semi and in case of victory facing either Bosnia or Northern Ireland for the ticket.

Jan Kozak got a good job and the succession would always be difficult. It’s the Czech Pavel Hapal the man at the helm, starting in 2018. The national side has large talent(s) but the retirement of legend Marek Hamsik and reference Skrtel left the side a bit orphan, as all others were used to follow these two and not lead.

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The main purpose is to get Kucka, Duda, Lobotka, Skriniar, Pekarik and make them understand the value of the squad and their part as leaders of it.

Hapal fielded 20 players, only four of them starting both encounters. The average age against Czech Republic was 26,95, maturing to 27,21 years old in the Israeli draw. The average age of the 20 players is 26,91 years old.

The debut callup happened at 22,26 years old on average, the youngest debutant being Adam Zrelak, Nuremberg forward, with 19,54 years old, and the oldest also a forward, Jablonec striker Schranz, with 26,98 years old, one of the three newcomers in this doubleheader, alongside Fulham’s goalie Rodak and right back Koscelnik of Czech side Slovan Liberec. Besides Zrelak, only striker Bozenik and creative Duda had their first cap while still teenagers. The average amount of time since the debut is over four and a half years.

The average amount of caps in these 20 players is 21,90, with 13,05 of them in competitive matches. Eight of the fielded footballers have less than 10 caps.

Goalkeeper Greif is the only playing in Slovakia.

Czech Republic Silhavy was a footballer and when he transited to the bench made a decade as assistant manager, most of it helping Karel Bruckner in the Czech national side, between 2003 and 2009. After several experiences as manager in Czechia he was again called to national duty, in 2018, to rebuild the Czech Republic, qualifying the team to the Euro 2020 and now with the purpose of winning the UEFA Nations League B Group 2 and climb to the UEFA Nations League A for the 3rd edition of the competition.

Silhavy and several other members of the squad were positive for Covid-19 after the draw in Slovakia, meaning they had all to be quarantined and an entire new team faced Scotland, managed by U19 national coach David Holoubek, losing that match by only 1-2 despite featuring nine debutants in the starting lineup.

This means the numbers of the Czechs are very bias in this 1st doubleheader due to the circumstances. The average age of the starters in Slovakia was 27,49 years old, with the home tie against Scotland watching the average rise to 28,49 years old. The average age of the 28 fielded footballers was 27,69 years old.

With all this forced new callups, it’s natural the rise of the debut age, which stands at 25 years old. The same can be said to the international caps, 11,46 on average, 7,04 in competitive matches, natural when 14 out of the 28 debuted for the first Czech national side in this doubleheader!

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Sparta Praha’s teen sensation Hlozek, forward, is the youngest debutant, with 18,11 years old, the oldest being Breite, midfielder from Sigma Olomouc, debuting against Scotland with 31,08 years old.

There also a consequence in the average amount of time since debut, with half debuting in this window, less than three years.

Only six of the 28 named footballers play outside Czech Republic and only one was born outside the territory, Kral, who was born in Slovakia.

Russia The dimension and global importance of Russia makes it want to be in the top league, so they will try to clean the Group 3 of the UEFA Nations League B in order to climb to the League A. It was a clean start, beating Serbia home and winning in Hungary. Former international goalie Cherchesov is the man at the helm, taking over after the 2016 Euro.

There isn’t much change, a very conservative idea of game, not many shifts, betting on experience, only placing new faces when it’s really mandatory.

The average age of the starters nears the 30-year-old mark, 29,67 years old against Serbia, 29,62 in Hungary, with the average age of the 16 fielded footballers being 29,75 years old. Eight players started both games.

The average age of the first national team debut is 24,08 years old, none called as a teenager, the youngest being goalie Shunin, at 20,57 years old, and the oldest Kudryashov, at 29,41 years old.

No debutant and only three with less than 10 caps, being on average capped in 24,94 matches, 15,56 of which competitive ones.

Five and a half years is the average amount of time since the debut callup.

Only one player is abroad, Kudryashov with Turkish side Antalyaspor, with two names without a club, Neustädter and Kuzyaev. Mário Fernandes is a naturalized Brazilian, all the other footballers were born in Russia or in the Soviet Union before the dissolution of the USSR, the likes of Neustädter himself, born in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk.

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Serbia Tumbakovic is one of the most successful managers in Serbian side Partizan but his beginning at the helm of Serbia was a bit troubled, less than a month after leaving neighbor Montenegro when they were up to face Kosovo. He failed to qualify the side directly to the Euro 2020 and as one of the winners of UEFA Nations League C they will try to enter via playoff, first in Norway and in case of win hosting the winner of the duel between Scotland and Israel.

The preparation for that playoff wasn’t the best, losing in Russia and then not leaving the null against Turkey.

18 players were used, the average of the starters in the opening match was 26,83 years old, growing to 26,95 years old in the 2nd tie. The average age of the fielded footballers was 27,38 years old and Tumbakovic repeated eight players in the starting lineup of both games.

Central defender Pavlovic was the only debutant, with the average debut age being at 21,08 years old. Goalie Rajkovic is the youngest of the set to debut in the senior national team, with 17,79 years old, the oldest being the other goalie, Dmitrovic, with 25,81 years old. The average number of caps is 29,28, with 17,89 in competitive matches.

Five footballers debuted while still teenagers, Rajkovic, under 18, Lazovic and Mitrovic, under 19, Ljajic and Pavlovic.

None of the footballers play in the Serbian league.

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is the only one born outside Serbian territory, in Spain, Lleida, where is father was playing at the time.

Turkey Veteran legend Senol Gunes is in his 2nd spell as Turkish manager, after being the responsible for the historical 3rd place in the 2002 World Cup. Returning to the national side in 2019, Gunes qualified the squad for the Euro 2020.

In this UEFA Nations League B 2nd edition, the Turkish side started losing home to Hungary, then going to draw in Serbia.

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Gunes used 24 players, only repeating one starter from the 1st to the 2nd match.

The average age was 25,23 years old in the home defeat to Hungary and 25,62 in the draw in Serbia. The fielded footballers average age is 25,40 years old.

Fenerbahce offensive midfielder Mert Hakan Yandas and Dutch born Feyenoord midfielder Orkun Kokcu were the two debutants. The average age of the first lineup is 21,71 years old, the youngest being striker Enes Unal at 17,89 years old and the oldest Tekdemir at 27,19 years old.

Eight of the fielded players have less than 10 caps, seven of them with three or less in a universe of footballers with an average amount of caps of 17,46, 10,54 in competitive matches. The average amount of time since the first lineup is less than four years.

Nine out of the 24 play in Turkey and eight were born outside Turkish turf, six in Germany, one in Austria and Kokcu in the Netherlands.

The teen debutants add to nine, Enes Unal, under 18, Cengiz Under, Ozan Tufan, Orkun Kokcu, Ahmet Kutucu, Hakan Çalhanoglu, Ozan Kabak, Mert Muldur and Soyuncu.

Hungary With a discrete career in Italy, Marco Rossi accepted the challenge to take over historical Honved Budapest, winning the Hungarian league in 2017, 24 years after the last league title for one of the best sides in the country. This opened the doors to the national side and he took over Hungary in 2018, didn’t manage to qualify the squad for the Euro 2020 finals, will try to do so through the playoff where they will face Bulgaria in the semi.

Rossi used 16 footballers, 10 starters repeated in both matches, winning in Turkey and losing home to Russia.

Schafer from Dunajska Streda, Rossi’s former club, and winger Tamas Cseri debuted in this doubleheader.

The average age of the starters varied between 26,91 years old in the opening match and 26,53 in the defeat to Russia. The fielded footballers’ average years is of 27,14.

On average they debuted with 23,16 years old, the youngest being Szoboszlai, at 18,40 years old, and the oldest Tamas Cseri grabbing his first lineup in the national team with 32,64 years old. Alongside Szoboszlai, Zsolt Kalmar, also still under 19, and Roland Sallai two days after completing 19 years old, were the teenagers gaining first national team caps. The average amount of matches 30

played is 20,06, 14,63 of which in competitive matches. Four years is the average amount of time passed since the debut in the first national team for the fielded players used by Rossi in this doubleheader.

Two players were born abroad, RB Leipzig’s Willi Orban, born in Germany, and Swiss side Lugano’s forward Holender, born in Serbia.

Four footballers play in the Hungarian league.

Finland The Group 4 of this UEFA Nations League B has two sides in the peak of their football history, both Wales and Finland achieving their first qualifications to a final stage of a major event, now facing each other and with tough but distant from their 90’s golden era Bulgaria and Republic of Ireland for a spot in the 3rd edition of the UEFA Nations League A and, of course, for a spot in the playoffs for the FIFA 2022 World Cup, if the qualification doesn’t go has planned.

Former international defender Kanerva, elementary school teacher, has been with the Finnish federation, as a coach, since 2004, responsible for the under 21 side six years and in 2010 taking over as assistant manager, manager since 2016, knowing all the players, having worked with them and operating a shift in the mind, making them believe they could go further.

Kanerva made history by getting the first ever qualification to the Under 21 Euro, in 2009, got the UEFA Nations League C ‘title’ as winner of the group, and claimed the first ever major qualification with the entrance for the Euro 2020!

The opening match of this UEFA Nations League 2nd edition ended with a tough defeat hosting Wales, but they made up with a win in the Republic of Ireland.

18 players were used with Kanerva repeating eight starters in both matches.

Winger Niskanen, of KuPS, was the only debutant.

In the 1st match the starters averaged 27,74 years old, 27,53 in the 2 nd, having the fielded footballers 26,78 years old on average.

The average debut age is 21,14, the youngest being Jere Uronen at 17,87 and the oldest Soiri at 23,04 years old. Four had their first appearance while still in teen years, Uronen, under 18, attackers Pohjanpalo and Pukki, under 19, and Fredrik Jensen.

Three of the players were born outside Finland, goalie Hradecky, born in the then Czechoslovakia but in the Slovak capital Bratislava, Thomas Lam, born in the Dutch capital Amsterdam, and left back Hamalainen, born in the USA.

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The average amount of caps by the footballers lined up is 25,17 of which 14,44 in competitive matches.

Three footballers play in the Finnish Veikkausliiga.

Wales

In the beginning of 2018, legend man Ryan Giggs took over the Welsh side succeeding his former national teammate Chris Coleman, who made history, qualifying Wales to its ever first major event, Euro 2016, and getting the team to the podium, 3rd spot, only falling in the semis to future champion Portugal. Giggs managed to successfully qualify Wales again to a final stage, Euro 2020, and now will try to win the UEFA Nations League B and get into League A for the 3 rd edition.

Two wins to start is the best wish scenario, beating Finland and Bulgaria by a single goal, achieving the most important, not conceding any goal, so a very good start in terms of results.

Giggs used 17 footballers, nine started both matches, averaging 25,83 years old in the first and 25,58 in the second. The average age of the squad fielded was 24,85 years old.

Three players were debuted in this doubleheader, right back and winger Neco Williams, used as a substitute in both, central back Benjamin Cabango and central midfielder Dylan Levitt. The average debutant age is 20,32, with the youngest debutant being Liverpool’s winger Harry Wilson at 16,57 years old and the oldest striker Kieffer Moore with 27,09 years old. Eight players started in the main national team in their teen years, Wilson and Bale under 17, Ethan Ampadu under 18, Matt Smith under 19, Ben Davies, Neco Williams, Jonathan Williams and Dylan Levitt.

Bale was still a Real Madrid squad member, now back with Tottenham, but apart from him all players are competing in the English football pyramid. Eight were born in England.

The average amount of caps is 24,24, 17,71 in competitive matches.

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Bulgaria On the opposite side of both Finland and Wales, Bulgaria is going through a crisis, long ago goes the time where Bulgarian football was admired and looked for, the 70’s, the 80’s and the golden generation of the 90’s that extended towards the 21st century ended and football went bankrupt.

Local talents are raring, the league lost its interest, Ludogorets dominating, every season champion since it first arrived to the championship, still a lot of problems and issues, people not going to the stadia and the national team suffering from it.

Demerdzhiev took over Bulgaria roughly one year ago, the purpose will be to try and qualify the side through the Euro 2020 playoffs, but the task won’t be easy and not many believe it can be done.

The start of this campaign came with a draw and a defeat.

Seven players started both matches, with an average age of 28,93 in the first and 28,02 in the second, averaging 28,22 years old within the 19 footballers fielded.

The average age at debut is 24,38 years old, the youngest debutant being Filip Krastev with 18,89 years old and the oldest forward Dimitar Iliev, from Lokomotiv Plovdiv, with 31,95 years old, both debutants in this doubleheader, alongside Brazilian born Cicinho and Galabov.

This is also a squad in renewal and the number of caps prove that,13,05 of which 9,53 in competitive matches, 10 of the 19 have less than 10 international caps.

Cicinho is the only one born outside Bulgaria and there are six playing outside Bulgaria, a small number comparing with the turn of the century and the first decade.

Republic of Ireland

The resource to English born with Irish roots footballers boosted Ireland in the end of the 80’s and through the 90’s up until de 21st century, with Republic of Ireland bridging a gap towards the European mid national sides, now again lowering a bit but still chasing those positions, that is the current UEFA Nations

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League B, however aiming to get more final tournaments in European Championships and World Cups.

As in other national sides, Stephen Kenny comes from the under 21 side, but the passage was fast, already aiming the first team and replacing former defensive legend Mick McCarthy during the Covid-19 outbreak, in April 2020, beginning is practical job in this doubleheader, already preparing for the Euro 2020 playoff, where they will face Slovakia in the semi.

Kenny has the press and public with him due to his performance in the local league, winning three titles, but the job is tough.

There were two debutants, midfielder Molumby and striker Idah. The average age of debut is 22,99 and three of the 19 fielded footballers started their national senior side path while still teenagers, Scottish born James McCarthy, Adam Idah and Aaron Connolly.

The average age of the starters in the draw in Bulgaria was 27,48 years old and in the home defeat to Finland 26,79 years old. The fielded footballers average age was 28,11 years old.

Seven players were born outside Republic of Ireland, two of them in the border zone of Derry. With the exception of Duffy, with Celtic Glasgow, all footballers play in England.

The number of average caps is 27,89, 17,89 of which in competitive matches.

Club No Club Austria Vienna LASK Linz Red Bull Salzburg Genk Charleroi Club Brugge OH Leuven Ludogorets Levski Sofia Slavia Sofia Botev Plovdiv Lokomotiv Plovdiv Arda CSKA Sofia Beroe Stara Zagora Guangzhou R&F Hajduk Spit Apollon Limassol

League Aut Aut Aut Bel Bel Bel Bel Bul Bul Bul Bul Bul Bul Bul Bul Chn Cro Cyp

Nr 4 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 4 1 3 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 1

Nat Nor/Rus Aut Aut Aut/Hun Svk/Fin Bul Cze Hun/Bul Rou/Isr/Bul Bul Bul Bul Bul Bul Bul Bul Isr Bul Hun 34

Omonia Nicosia Slavia Prague Sparta Prague Jablonec Slovan Liberec Sigma Olomouc FC Slovacko Zbrojovka Brno Mlada Boleslav Banik Ostrava Esbjerg FC Midtjylland Vejle Leicester Sheffield Wednesday Norwich Southampton Queens Park Rangers Manchester United Aston Villa Brighton & Hove Albion Liverpool Derby County Millwall Stoke City Crystal Palace Tottenham Hotspur Luton Town Manchester City West Bromwich Albion West Ham Charlton Hull City Middlesbrough Blackburn Rovers Newcastle Arsenal Leeds United Watford Burnley Fulham Sheffield United Reading Bournemouth Bristol City Getafe

Cyp Cze Cze Cze Cze Cze Cze Cze Cze Cze Dnk Dnk Dnk Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Esp

2 9 5 2 2 4 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 3 2 2 2 2 2 3 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 2 1 3 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 2 3 7 1 3 4 2

Svk/Hun Rou/Cze Svk/Cze Svk/Cze Svk/Cze Cze Cze Cze Cze Cze Fin Bul Fin Tur Sco Sco/Fin/Eir Sco/Eir Sco/Fin Sco/Wal Sco/Eir Eir Sco/Wal Sco Uls Uls/Eir Wal/Eir Wal/Eir Wal Wal Wal/Eir Eir Uls/Wal Uls Uls Uls Uls/Eir Uls/Sco Uls/Sco Uls Uls/Eir Nor/Svk/Srb Nor/Sco/Wal/Eir Rou Nor/Wal/Eir Cze/Hun/Wal/Eir Srb/Tur 35

Eibar Valladolid Sevilla Mallorca Real Madrid HJK Helsinki KuPS Le Havre Stade Reims Racing Strasbourg Olympique Marseille Lille AS Monaco Lorient Nimes Augsburg TSG 1899 Hoffenheim Eintracht Frankfurt Borussia Monchengladbach Hertha Berlin Schalke 04 Fortuna Düsseldorf Borussia Dortmund VfL Wolfsburg RB Leipzig Mainz 05 Freiburg Bayer Leverkusen Nuremberg Larisa MOL Fehervar Ferencvaros Mezokovesd Maccabi Tel Aviv Juventus Hellas Verona Sampdoria AC Milan Sassuolo Reggina Salernitana Inter Milan Napoli AS Roma Lazio Roma Parma

Esp Esp Esp Esp Esp Fin Fin Fra Fra Fra Fra Fra Fra Fra Fra Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Gre Hun Hun Hun Isr Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita

1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 2 6 3 1 4 2 1 1 1 3 2 1 4 1 1 2 1 1 4 1 1 2 2 5 1 1 2 2 1 1 1

Srb Isr Cze/Srb Svk Wal Fin Fin Tur Srb Srb Srb Tur Srb Aut Nor Aut/Fin Aut/Isr/Srb Aut/Srb Aut Nor/Svk/Cze Tur Tur Nor Aut Aut/Hun Aut/Hun Hun Aut/Fin Svk Fin Hun Hun Hun Isr Tur Srb Nor/Cze Rou/Tur Rou/Svk/Srb/Tur Uls Svk Svk/Srb Svk/Srb Tur Srb Svk 36

Fiorentina Ajax Amsterdam Feyenoord AZ Alkmaar PEC Zwolle Vitesse Brann Bergen Rosenborg Lechia Gdansk MKS Cracovia Astra Giurgiu CFR Cluj-Napoca CSU Craiova FCSB Viitorul Constanta Rostov FK Ufa Spartak Moscow Dynamo Moscow Akhmat Grozny CSKA Moscow Zenit SP Rostov Lokomotiv Moscow FK Krasnodar Hibernian Aberdeen Celtic Glasgow Rangers Heart of Midlothian Maribor Partizan Slovan Bratislava Dunajska Streda Elfsborg Orebro Lugano Antalyaspor Fatih Karagumruk Basaksehir Besiktas Fenerbahce Galatasaray Hatayspor Trabzonspor Gaziantep FK

Ita Ned Ned Ned Ned Ned Nor Nor Pol Pol Rou Rou Rou Rou Rou Rus Rus Rus Rus Rus Rus Rus Rus Rus Rus Sco Sco Sco Sco Sco Slo Srb Svk Svk Swe Swe Swi Tur Tur Tur Tur Tur Tur Tur Tur Tur

1 1 2 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 2 3 1 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 1 1 8 4 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 4 1 2 3 1 2 2

Srb Srb Svk/Tur Nor Fin Isr/Svk Fin Nor Svk Rou Rou Rou Rou Rou Rou Nor Rou Cze/Rus Rus Rus Rus Rus Rus Rus Rus Isr Sco Nor/Sco/Isr/Eir Rou/Uls/Sco/Fin Uls Rou Isr Svk Hun Fin Fin Hun Rus/Tur Svk Tur Srb Tur Nor/Tur Bul Nor/Tur Rou 37

Shakhtar Donetsk Linfield Cardiff City Swansea City

Ukr Uls Wal/Eng Wal/Eng

1 1 3 2

Isr Uls Uls/Sco/Wal Wal

The 2nd Edition of this UEFA Nations League B sees 161 different clubs, plus four players unattached, serving the 16 nations competing. 31 distinct nations, excluding the Welsh sides playing in the English football pyramid.

As in the UEFA Nations League A, the English football system has the highest number of clubs and footballers, 32 sides and 64 players, followed by Germany, 14 clubs and 32 players, and Italy with 13 teams and 21 footballers. The Czech Fortuna Liga tops Italy in the number of players, 26, split into 9 squads, Turkey has 18 in 9 teams, Russia and Scotland have 16 players each, from 10 Russian sides and five Scottish clubs.

Israel fielded the lesser number of players, 15, opposite to the Czech Republic, obligated to use an entire new set due to the Covid-19, so fielding 28 players.

The youngest average of the used players is in the Welsh team, under 25 years old, four and a half younger than Russia, with most sides, half, standing in the 27 years old mark.

The younger age to debut on average is Welsh and disregarding the Czech situation, the oldest debut on average happens with Bulgaria, four years older than the Welsh.

Northern Irish are the most experimented footballers on the national side, being Bulgaria the less experienced team, excluding the Czech particular situation.

Turkey tops Wales in the number of teenage debutants, 9 to 8, with Romania and Russia not having a single one. Russia, Israel and Norway didn’t enter any newcomer whilst Czech Republic had 14, being Bulgaria with four the next best.

Nation

PU

Av Age

Wales Turkey Finland Slovakia Scotland Hungary Austria Serbia Norway Israel

17 24 18 20 18 16 16 18 18 15

24,85 25,40 26,78 26,91 27,09 27,14 27,17 27,38 27,39 27,45

Av Age Debut 20,32 21,71 21,14 22,26 22,97 23,16 22,46 21,08 21,47 22,16

Av Caps 24,24 17,46 25,17 21,90 15,67 20,06 25,13 29,28 27,94 22,53

Av Teen Av Debut Debut Born Comp Debut Abr Matches 17,71 8 23/02/2016 3 8 10,54 9 27/12/2016 2 8 14,44 4 15/01/2015 1 3 13,05 3 14/01/2016 3 0 11,56 5 25/07/2016 1 6 14,63 3 10/09/2016 2 2 16,75 2 21/12/2015 3 0 17,89 5 22/05/2014 1 1 18,39 5 06/10/2014 0 2 17,67 4 27/05/2015 0 0 38

Czech 28 27,69 25 11,46 7,04 2 30/12/2017 14 Republic Northern 18 27,71 21,04 33 23 7 04/01/2014 1 Ireland Republic 18 28,11 22,99 27,89 17,89 3 22/07/2015 2 Ireland Bulgaria 19 28,22 24,38 13,05 9,53 2 03/11/2016 4 Romania 19 28,25 23,78 20,26 14,05 0 18/03/2016 3 Russia 16 29,75 24,08 24,94 15,56 0 05/01/2015 0 PU – number of players fielded; Av Age – Average Age of the fielded players; Av Age Debut – Average Age of Debut for the fielded players; Av Caps – Average number of international matches; Av Comp Matches – Average number of caps in competitive matches; Teen Debut – number of the fielded players debuting while still teenagers; Av Debut – Average date of the first national team debut; Debut – number of players debuting in this UEFA Nations League edition; Born Abr – fielded footballers not born in the country/nation they represent.

1 5 7 1 1 1

Overall Ranking – League B 2018/19 1st – Bosnia and Herzegovina 2nd – Ukraine 3rd – Denmark 4th – Sweden 5th – Russia 6th – Austria 7th – Wales 8th – Czech Republic 9th – Slovakia 10th – Turkey 11th – Republic of Ireland 12th – Northern Ireland

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UEFA Nations League C The League A has the top nations and some transitional sides, balancing between the A and B leagues, as are most of the B League nations. The UEFA Nations League C possesses several countries that could easily fit the B and aim that promotion naturally with some nations that are between C and D. Naturally this is not a fixed set, some generations, some players, can make a difference and hoist some sides up, the development of the youth system, the transfer and playing in stronger and more competitive leagues, a new technical team and view, goals, objectives, can make a difference and shift the set of results.

Cyprus Former Belgian Red Devil midfielder Johan Walem is the head of the Cyprus side, taking over in the beginning of 2020 after managing Belgium under 21 side during seven years or so with a brief spell in the middle to manager KV Kortrijk in the 15/16 season. His first matches were precisely the UEFA Nations League C Group 1, with a poor start, losing home to Montenegro and Azerbaijan The goal by hiring a manager with a trajectory based on the youngsters is to renew an aged side and try to grow with these youth talents. The immediate results need and the confidence it brings or not, pending on the outcome, can shorten Walem’s spell in Cyprus, as he will face another tough issue, the lack of game time for the local youngsters which will probably increase with the decision of the Cyprus FA to increase the possibility of fielding up to seven foreign, nonEU, players per match – the limit was five.

The numbers shown prove how young and inexperienced the side is, nine with less than 10 caps, seven of them with three or less, two debutants. The average starters’ age in the opening match was 24,48 years old, maturing to still young 25,86 years old. The 18 fielded footballers average 25,43 years old.

The average debutant age stands at 21,23 years old, being teen winger Loizos Loizou the youngest debuting at 17,14 years old, another winger, Marios Ilia, is the oldest, opening his participation at 24,30 years old. Six players were called up while still in the teenage years, Loizou and Kastanos, under 18, Tzionis, Christofi, Sotiriou and Charalampos Kyriakou, Apollon’s defensive midfielder. On average the debut call happened over four years ago.

The average number of caps is 16,56, 12,44 in competitive matches.

Five players are employed abroad, two in Italy, one in Belgium, one in distant Kazakhstan and another in the even further distant South Korea.

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Opening the participation for the main national team were goalkeeper Charalampos Kyriakidis, Marinos Tzionis and Loizis Loizou.

Montenegro Despite having only round 700.000 inhabitants, Montenegro has been amazingly great, getting into main events in male and female handball, volleyball, basketball, water polo and the men football almost got a qualification in the first attempt. Now it’s been a little harder to close the gap and enter a major stage, although it seems to be a matter of time.

Former Yugoslavia and Bosnia legend Faruk Hadzibegic took over the side after the unexpected Tumbakovic breach of contract. In this 2nd edition of the UEFA Nations League, Montenegro started with a bang, aiming to win the Group 1, get a spot in the playoffs to the FIFA 2022 World Cup if it can’t qualify directly and climb to the UEFA Nations League B, winning both matches, in Cyprus and in Luxembourg.

Nine players doubled as starters in both matches, with the average age being 27,53 in Cyprus and 27,38 in Luxembourg. The average age for the 15 fielded players is 27,61 years old.

The debut age happens on average at 21,96 years old, star Jovetic is the youngest debutant, at 17,39 years old, the oldest being goalie Mijatovic at 28,21 years old. These 15 players sum on average 25,40 caps, 18,13 in competitive matches. Five players were first called and lineup still teenagers, Jovetic and Boljevic, under 18, Haksabanovic and Bakic, under 19, and centre back Stefan Savic.

There is no player from the local league and two of the used footballers were born abroad, both in Sweden, Haksabanovic and Islamovic, the latter, Rosenborg forward, debutant in this doubleheader.

Azerbaijan One of the richest nations in the world, Azerbaijan is again engaging in the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, so many issues that should be solved through the UN mandate and regulations and just result in wars, death, destruction.

In the football set, despite the investment, the country is still very far from achieving anything. The naturalization processes didn’t result that much, in the national team production and in the local football development, proving it’s not enough to just give a passport, there’s a need for a well sustained project with

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view on the mid and long term, which wasn’t very much observed with Berti Vogts.

Italian Giovanni De Biasi made history with Albania, qualifying the team for its first ever major competition, but the work will be harder in Azerbaijan.

The Italian only took over the side in last July and it started with a home defeat to Luxembourg but went on to win in Cyprus, so mixed feelings in the Caucasus.

Only two players are abroad, showing the poverty of current Azeri football as the home league isn’t very competitive, once in a while grabs a couple of interesting names, but not that much to improve the standards.

In the 17 footballers used, nine repeated the starting lineup in both games, averaging 26 years old in the defeat and 26,05 in the win, with the average age of the entire group used being 25,59 years old.

The debut call happened on average at 21,38 years old, the youngest being Abdullayev with 16,48 years old, and the oldest goalie Balayev, first lined up at 25,40 years old. Only German born Renat Dadashov was also debuted in the first team while still teenager, under 19.

Russian born Ragim Sadykhov was the only debutant in this doubleheader but nine players have less than 10 caps. Five players were born outside Azerbaijan.

The average amount of time since the debut is over four years and the average number of caps is 19,06 of which 13,29 in competitive matches.

Luxembourg For decades Luxembourg was the punching bag of the European football, alongside Malta. The dissolution of the USSR and Yugoslavia and the entrance to the UEFA set of other European even smaller states gave some equivalence, but Luxembourg was still at the bottom, the difference being it had more company.

With a country made up of foreign people, it was mandatory that at some time they would understand it and open their national teams to those so diverse roots, with a great gain.

Nowadays both clubs and national teams are more respected and climbed several steps in the European football pyramid and they will defy favorite Montenegro for the win in this group, even if Luxembourg got promoted from League D, get another promotion.

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Luc Holtz has been doing a great job and contrary to the recent and distant past, most of the footballers are now professional and playing abroad, only two out of the 14 used are playing in the Luxembourg National Division.

The choices are still scarce, as in other countries, being funny to hear that from federations that own the number of players as the entire population of other countries, not the case here, which doesn’t allow a wider range of solutions, that together with the conservative view that still exists towards the foreign roots players, it’s open but not wide open, it’s like a window and not a door in Luxembourg.

Five of the 14 fielded players were born outside Luxembourg and circa half the nominees have foreign roots, which is good for the diversity that characterizes the country people.

Holtz only changed one of the starters from the win in Azerbaijan to the home loss to Montenegro, averaging 25,16 years old in the first match and 24,74 in the second. The fielded footballers averaged 25,39 years old.

Despite being young, the squad is experienced, averaging 33,64 caps, with 21 in competitive matches, having started in the national team on average five and a half years ago. The younger of the Thill brothers, Vincent, is the youngest to get a debut in the senior side, with 16,14 years old, the oldest is Belgian born goalie Moris, at 24,07 years old. Six players debuted as teenagers, Alongside Thill, Martins Pereira, under 18, Lars Gerson, Carlson, Leandro Barreiro, under 19, and Deville.

North Macedonia This Group 2 of the UEFA Nations League C has two of the contenders for a debut in the Euro 2020. The path D opposes Georgia to Belarus and North Macedonia to Kosovo, neither ever been in a major final and this group holds both North Macedonia and Georgia who will face each other again round a week after each semi and already knowing if they’ll face off in the final for that spot, if one of them will get through to the final or if they both fail to get to that so important match, historical for whoever the four gets the ticket.

North Macedonia opened with a win against Armenia, then went on to draw Georgia.

It’s young Igor Angelovski who is in charge of the team, starting as assistant manager in 2015 but less than six months he took over and got the side to win the UEFA Nations League D, get promoted and grab a spot in the playoffs.

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In this doubleheader Angelovski used 16 players, keeping eight starters from the 1st to the 2nd match, with 26,87 years old and 27,66, respectively. The average age of the fielded footballers is 27,83 years old.

Goalkeeper Siskovski was the only debutant, with the average debut age being 21,50 years old. The average first lineup for the national team happened over six years ago and they own on average 32,20 caps, 25,07 of which in competitive matches.

Eljif Elmas is the youngest debutant, with 17,71 years old at his start in the senior national team, with star Nestorovski, curiously, the oldest, at only 25,58 years old. Six players started their senior national career as teenagers, Elmas and Pandev, under 18, Trajkovski and Velkovski, under 19, Ristovski and Bardhi.

Only one footballer plays in North Macedonia.

Armenia

Experimented Spaniard Joaquín Caparrós was the man chosen to try and get Armenia to a standard it seemed to get close to but is failing to bridge that gap.

Mkhitaryan is far from his brilliant Dortmund years and the years keep on passing, the next generation needs to show what it’s made of.

Now Armenia is getting some South Americans naturalized, to see if with any kind of success. Caparrós lost in Macedonia, however Armenia got a win against Estonia in the second match.

Despite debuting six players, the average age is one of the oldest, 29,08 in the starting lineup against North Macedonia, 29,46 in the victory against Estonia, changing three of the starters, with 28,02 years old average in the 18 fielded footballers.

The international debut average age is 24,22 years old, the oldest was debutant goalie Yurchenko, with 34,44 years old, and the youngest Varazdat Haroyan, central defender, with 18,96 years old.

Six players were born outside Armenia, Briasco in Buenos Aires, Angulo in Colombia, Edgar Babayan in Germany, Calisir in Sweden and Serob Grigoryan and Arshak Koryan in Russia.

Four footballers play in the Armenian league.

Debuted in the senior national team as teenagers Varazdat Haroyan, under 19, Hovhannes Hambardzumyan, Kamo Hovhannisyan and Taron Voskanyan. On average the first line up happened almost four years ago and the caps average in 16, 11 in competitive matches.

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Estonia Estonia lost both ties and Karel Voolaid, in the Estonia federation since 2009, manager in all youth teams and in the senior side from 2019, will probably step out and return to the youth system or go to the club management, the performance so far is very poor, only drawing one of the eight matches managed, losing the rest.

Voolaid is renewing the team, very young, but these UEFA Nations League ties, against sides of fairly even strength need to have better outcomes. The average age of the starters in the opening match was 26,18 and in the second 24,67 years old, with the 20 footballers fielded averaging 26,30 years old. Voolaid changed seven players in the starting lineup between the two matches. The average debut age is 20,44 years old with the squad averaging 36,15 caps, 18,40 of which in competitive matches. Central midfielder Mattias Kait, with Slovenian outfit Domzale, is the youngest debutant with 17,52 years old, left defender Ken Kallaste the oldest, at 24,19 years old.

No player was born outside Estonia and 12 play abroad.

Half of the players fielded debuted while still teenagers, Kait and Liivak, under 18, Karl Hein, under 19, Sappinen, Antonov, Zenjov, Tunjov, Kreida, Tamm and Taio Tenniste.

Voolaid debuted in this doubleheader teenage goalie from Arsenal reserves Karl Hein, Danish Vendsyssel left back Jarvelaid and Italian SPAL midfielder Georgi Tunjov.

Georgia Vladimir Weiss son is the Slovak manager of Georgia, three generations of international footballers, all sharing the name, is managing the Caucasian side since 2016. He was responsible for the Slovakian success in the 2010 World Cup and has several trophies in the clubs he managed. Now the goal is to get Georgian talent, known since the amazing Soviet teams in the 50’s and 60’s, into a major event.

In this doubleheader Weiss used 17 footballers, maintaining eight starters in both matches, 27,52 of average age in the win in Estonia, 26,82 in the draw against North Macedonia. The average age of the fielded players was 26,30 years old.

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The debut average age is 21,33 years old, the youngest debutant being Kvaratskhelia with 18,31 years old and the oldest Kocholava and Shengelia with 23,96 years old. The debut happened on average five years ago.

Saburtalo’s right back Mali was the only debutant for this doubleheader.

Alongside Jigauri, the only who play in Georgia.

Five players debuted as teenagers, all still under 19, Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, Jaba Kankava, Zurab Davitashvili, Giorgi Chakvetadze and Tornike Okriashvili.

Kacharava is the only born outside Georgia, in Cyprus.

The average number of caps is 24,41, 15,65 of which in competitive matches.

Moldova German-Turkish Engin Firat has a career of bench, starting as assistant in his 20’s, spending nearly a decade in that role, then taking some as manager and in the last five years taking sporting director roles and in October of 2019 accepting the Moldovan challenge, only achieving one draw and four defeats in the matches managed, the draw being in the opening match of the this UEFA Nations League C, against Kosovo, then losing to Slovenia, a natural outcome.

Moldova’s goal will be to avoid relegation to the League D. Firat used 17 players, only changing one in the starting lineup. Three of them play in Moldova. The starters average age was 26,96 in the 1 st match and 26,93 in the 2nd. The fielded squad average age was 27,36 years old.

Slovenian surprise champion Denis Marandici, with his youth growth in Portugal and possessing also Portuguese passport, left back, was given his debut in this doubleheader. The average debut age in this setup of players used is 21,60 years old, the youngest debutant being Benevento’s Artur Ionita, at 18,61 years old, and the oldest winger Platica at 25,61. The average number of caps is 24,88, 17,47 in competitive matches. Near six years is the amount of time on average since the first callup.

Kosovo Kosovo longed for the acceptance in the UEFA and other sporting federations, now they’re trying to make history and enter a major final.

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The nation counts heavily on the Diaspora, having footballers born and/or raised in Switzerland, Germany, Scandinavia, former Yugoslavia partners, Albania, Greece, and other nations.

Swiss Bernard Challandes is the manager since 2018 and he will be the one trying to get Kosovo through the playoffs and into a historical first participation in a major stage, Euro 2020.

Kosovo started this 2nd edition of the UEFA Nations League with a draw in Moldova, losing the next match to Greece.

Challandes used 21 players, five of them starters in both games. The average age of the starters ranged from 26,24 years old in Moldova to 26,81 in the defeat to Greece. The average age of the fielded squad is 26,76 years old.

The average age of the debut is 23,46 years old, the oldest being Finnish side SJK central midfielder Rashkaj, at 30,05 yeas old and the youngest Dijon’s Bersant Celina with 19,73 years old.

All footballers play outside Kosovo and 13 were born abroad.

Slovenia Slovenia and Greece are among the UEFA Nations League C sides who can claim spot in the League B, being the favorites on that matter. They begun annulling each other and went on to win their 2nd match.

Kek is on his second spell as Slovenian manager, failed to qualify Slovenia to the Euro 2020 and the nation didn’t grab a spot in the playoffs through the inaugural UEFA Nations League. The purpose will be to get a ticket to the League B. Eight players started both encounters, averaging 27,40 years old in the Greek draw and 27,65 in the win over Slovenia. The average age of the 16 fielded footballers is 27,48 years old.

Kek debuted three players, Mura’s defensive midfielder Nino Kouter, Polish Zaglebie Lubin’s winger Zivec and FC Zurich’s striker Blaz Kramer. The average debut age is 23,65 years old, being Stojanovic the youngest debutant at 19,12 years old, while Sasa Zivec, with 29,42 years old, is the oldest to debut. Four players debuted as teenagers. Alongside Petar Stojanovic, creative Haris Vuckic, goalie Jan Oblak and midfielder Bijol.

The average number of caps with these fielded footballers is 14,13, 11,19 in competitive matches. On average the debut happened almost four years ago.

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Greece

Canadian born Dutch former winger Van’t Schip is the Greek manager, part of the 80’s and 90’s Dutch generation, taking over Greece in July of 2019 aiming to chase again the unexpected success in this century first decade, with the shocking European title in 2004 and qualifications to the 2006 and 2010 World Cups and 2008 and 2012 Euro finals, but back to reality after that, missing out on direct spots and playoffs.

Greek football, the entire sport, suffered a lot with the financial and economic crisis in this second decade, league restructuring, clubs closing doors, bankruptcy, corruption, which affected naturally the national teams’ performances.

The goal is to climb the ladder to the UEFA Nations League B, a tough task, being theoretically Slovenia and Greece the two strongest teams in this C League, both pairing in the same group, meaning only one will win the group and get promoted.

The match between them ended as it began with Greece winning the away match against Kosovo.

Van’t Schip recurred to 16 footballers, eight of which started both matches. The average age of the starters against Slovenia was 26,78 years old, dropping to 26,45 years old in the win versus Kosovo. The average age of the bunch fielded is 26,59 years old.

AEK’s defender Svarnas was the only debutant with the average age of debut for the fielded footballers being 22,54 years old, left back Stafylidis the youngest at 18,95 years old, the oldest being Portuguese naturalized Greek Zeca at 28,56 years old. Besides Stafylidis, lined up while still under 19, other three of the used footballers were first played in the main Greek side as teenagers, Fortounis, Fountas and winger Limnios.

The average number of matches in the national team is 17,38 of which 13,56 in competitive games, debuting on average four years ago.

Nine out of the 16 play outside Greece and alongside Zeca, goalkeeper Barkas, born in the Netherlands, is the only born abroad.

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Lithuania The group 4 of this UEFA Nations League C is the one with the best start, all nations won and lost so all are tied with 3 points. Curiously, or not, all wins were for the visitors, Kazakhstan in Lithuania, Albania in Belarus, Belarus in Kazakhstan and Lithuania in Albania.

Valdas Urbonas took over the Lithuanian bench in the beginning of 2019 and will try to prevent the demotion of the side or overcome stronger opponents and get the win of the group.

Despite being the most ‘sporting’ of the Baltic states, with tremendous basketball players, athletics references and even football ones, it has been having trouble to grow as it was expected during the 90’s, having the shock of witnessing Latvia get into a major final – Euro 2004 – while the Lithuanians are still far from something like that and local football seems to be fading away.

Urbonas didn’t change much, keeps the experienced footballers, but the team isn’t responding, keeps on the track of mediocre results.

17 players were used, shifting four starters from the 1 st match to the 2nd, averaging 27,90 years old in the opening loss and 28,21 in the Albanian surprise win. The average age of the fielded squad was 27,80 years old.

The debut average age is 22,24 years old, the oldest being goalie Bartkus, at 28,57 years old, and the youngest creative Sirgedas, with 18,73 years old. Only Baravykas was also named for the first time while still teenager in these set of footballers.

On average the debut happened five and a half years old.

Nine footballers were playing abroad and forward captain Chernykh was without a club, now back to Ekstraklasa with Jagiellonia Bialystok. He is the only one born outside Russia.

Kazakhstan Another extremely wealthy country trying to promote itself through sport, with ‘invented’ Astana attending some Champions League group stages, but with difficulties to get the national team into better spots and getting into a major tournament.

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Former Czech reference Michal Bilek is the manager of the Kazakh national side, since the start of 2019, with the aim to get this UEFA Nations League C group and improve the results in the qualifiers.

16 players were used by Bilek in this doubleheader, with the starters averaging 27,16 years old in the away win and 27,36 in the home defeat, changing three starters from one to the other, with the squad fielded averaging 27,04 years old.

The debut average age is 23,02 years old, the youngest being Khizhinichenko, with 17,90 years old, the oldest Marochkin, with 28,90. Two other players of this set started with Kazakhstan first national side in their teen years, Islamkhan and Zaynutdinov.

The average number of caps of the fielded footballers is 20,50, of which 15,44 in competitive matches. On average the debut happened four years ago.

Defender Maliy is the only one born outside Kazakhstan, just five footballers play outside the Kazakh league.

Belarus

Markhel took over Belarus in June 2019 and he’ll be the one leading the side in the Euro 2002 playoff semi, trying to make history for the nation.

It was a very mature side, the starting lineup was higher than 30 years old, with the 16 fielded footballers averaging 28,74 years old. Defensive midfielder Selyava was the only debutant, becoming the oldest of this pack to become international at 28,30 years old, the youngest is Ebong with 20,04 years old. The average debut age stands at 23,46 years old and the first line up happened on average over five years ago.

No player was born abroad and only five play outside Belarussian turf.

It’s not the best of times for Belarus, with internal uprisings, but the national football team is on the highest note ever, with the best chance to enter a major event.

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Albania Edy Reja is the veteran who accepted the challenge to manage Albania, trying to emulate the amazing work of Di Biase.

After grabbing a very good win in Belarus, the Albanian side was surprised home to Lithuania, but it’s a very, very open group.

Reja fielded 17 players, eight started both matches, averaging 27,48 years old in the 1st and 27,04 in the 2nd. The used footballers average 27,21 years old.

Ajaccio’s midfielder Qazim Laci was the only debutant. The average debut age is 22,83 years old, the youngest debutant being Barcelona’s youth Rey Manaj, with 18,72 years old, and the oldest German born Gjasula with 29,73 years old.

Seven players were born outside Albania, goalie Strakosha and centre back Mihaj in Greece, centre back Dermaku in Italy, Gjasula in Germany and Djimsiti and Veseli in Switzerland.

All 17 footballers play outside Albania.

Club No Club Huracán Alashkert Gandzasar Pyunik Yerevan Ararat-Armenia Rapid Vienna Sturm Graz TSV Hartberg Qarabag Sabah Neftchi Baku Zira Sabail Sumgayit AA Gent Beerschot Mouscron Standard Liège Lommel St. Gilloise Shakhtyor Soligorsk Torpedo Zhodino

League Arg Arm Arm Arm Arm Aut Aut Aut Aze Aze Aze Aze Aze Aze Bel Bel Bel Bel Bel Bel Blr Blr

Nr 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 5 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 3 2

Nat Lit Arm Arm Arm Arm Est Gre Alb Slo Aze Aze/Mda Aze Aze Aze Aze Geo Kzk Mne Cyp/Mne Lit Lux Blr Blr 51

BATE Borisov Dinamo Minsk Neman Grodno Slavia Mozyr Dinamo Zagreb Istra Pula Rijeka AEL Limassol APOEL Nicosia Omonia Nicosia Ethnikos Achnas Apollon Limassol Anorthosis Famaguta AEK Larnaca Doxa Katokopias Karmiotossa Nea Salamis FC Copenhagen Hobro Vendsyssel FF Huddersfield Town Leeds United Norwich Manchester City Arsenal Barcelona B Malaga Mallorca Atletico Madrid Leganes Levante Zaragoza FCI Levadia Flora Tallinn Paide SJK Ajaccio AS Monaco Dijon Metz Stade Reims Toulouse Dinamo Batumi Saburtalo Karlsruher Mainz

Blr Blr Blr Blr Cro Cro Cro Cyp Cyp Cyp Cyp Cyp Cyp Cyp Cyp Cyp Cyp Dnk Dnk Dnk Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Esp Esp Esp Esp Esp Esp Esp Est Est Est Fin Fra Fra Fra Fra Fra Fra Geo Geo Ger Ger

5 1 1 1 2 1 2 3 2 4 1 2 5 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1

Blr Blr Arm Mda Mkd/Slo Lit Mne/Mkd Cyp Cyp/Kos Cyp Cyp Cyp Cyp/Arm/Geo Cyp/Mkd Mkd Est Lit Gre Arm Est Kos Mkd Lux Kos Est Alb Alb Mkd Mne/Slo Gre Mne/Mkd Slo Est Est Est Kos Alb Mne Kos Lux Kos Gre Geo Geo Lux Lux 52

Hamburg Freiburg Saarbrücken Sandhausen St. Pauli TSG 1899 Hoffenheim Werder Bremen KFC Uerdingen Jahn Regensburg OFI Crete AEK Athens PAOK Thessaloniki Panathinaikos Olympiacos Diosgyor Ferencvaros MTK Budapest MOL Fehervar Ujpest Hapoel Kyriat Shmona Atalanta Frosinone Salernitana Lazio Roma SPAL Genoa Udinese Napoli Parma Benevento Torino Jeju United Al-Qadsia Tobol Kostanay Shakhter Karagandy Astana Kairat Almaty Kaysar Ordabasy Taraz Zhetysu FC Vaduz Zalgiris Vilnius Kaunos Zalgiris Riteriai Progres Niederkorn

Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Gre Gre Gre Gre Gre Hun Hun Hun Hun Hun Isr Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Kor Kuw Kzk Kzk Kzk Kzk Kzk Kzk Kzk Kzk Lie/Swi Lit Lit Lit Lux

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 2 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 3 2 1 2 1 1 4 2 5 7 2 1 1 1 1 3 3 1 1

Alb Alb Lux Kos Kos Gre Kos Lit Lit Lux Gre Gre/Alb Gre Gre Kos Slo/Alb Mne Mkd Mkd Lit Alb Cyp Cyp/Alb Mne/Alb Mne/Est Mkd Mkd Mkd/Kos/Alb Slo/Alb Mda Kos Cyp Alb Arm/Geo/Kzk Arm/Est Cyp/Arm/Kzk/Blr Mne/Arm/Kzk Kzk Kzk Lit Blr Mda Lit Lit Lit Lux 53

Fola Esch Sfintul Sheriff Tiraspol Petrocub Shkendija RKC Waalwijk Fortuna Sittard Twente Enschede Heerenveen Willem II Tilburg Brann Bergen Rosenborg Valerenga Odds BK Wisla Krakow Widzew Lodz Lech Poznan Zaglebie Lubin Nacional Madeira Sporting CP Paรงos Ferreira Chindia Targoviste Voluntari FK Ufa Ural Khimki Tambov Rostov Rotor Volgograd Rubin Kazan Akhmat Grozny FC Sochi CSKA Moscow FK Krasnodar Lokomotiv Moscow Celtic Glasgow NS Mura Domzale Olimpija Ljubljana Celje Partizan Vozdovac Zilina Dunajska Streda Kalmar FF AIK Solna

Lux Mda Mda Mda Mkd Ned Ned Ned Ned Ned Nor Nor Nor Nor Pol Pol Pol Pol Por Por Por Rou Rou Rus Rus Rus Rus Rus Rus Rus Rus Rus Rus Rus Rus Sco Slo Slo Slo Slo Srb Srb Svk Svk Swe Swe

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 2 1 3 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1

Lux Mda Mda Mda Mkd Mda Mda Geo Kos Gre Est Mne Kos Kos Mne Est Geo Slo Lux Mkd/Slo Mda Mda Mda Lux/Mda Arm/Bl Arm/Kzk Arm Arm Geo Geo Kos/Kzk/Alb Slo Slo/Kzk Blr Blr Gre Slo Est Mda Mda Mne Lit Arm Mda Kos Est 54

IFK Norrkoping IFK Gothenburg Grasshopper Young Boys Luzern FC Zurich MKE Ankaragucu Basaksehir Boluspor Erzurumspor Fatih Karagumruk Fenerbahce Konyaspor Rizespor Alanyaspor Al-Ain Dynamo Kiyv Desna PFK Lviv Shakhtar Donetsk Olimpik Donetsk

Swe Swe Swi Swi Swi Swi Tur Tur Tur Tur Tur Tur Tur Tur Tur UAE Ukr Ukr Ukr Ukr Ukr

2 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Mne/Lux Arm Aze Lux Geo Kos/Slo Geo Mda Aze Alb Slo Slo Geo/Alb Slo Gre Kzk Lux Est Est Geo Lit

In total 181 clubs are represented in this UEFA Nations League C initial doubleheader of 46 different nations, including Liechtenstein’s Vaduz in the Swiss pyramid. The Kazakh league is the most represented with 23 footballers, nearly followed by the Cypriot with 22, 19 from Russia and 18 from Italy.

In terms of clubs, Russia is the leader with 12, ahead of Germany and Italy, both with 11, and Cyprus with 10.

In these 16 squads Luxembourg presented the youngest one, used less players, opposite to Kosovo, in terms of players fielded, and Belarus in maturity of age.

Estonia mirrors the league, with 10 of the used players debuting while still teenagers, therefore topping the number of caps on average, with Slovenia having the lowest number. North Macedonia presents the longer time on average since debut and Armenia debuted six new footballers.

Kosovo, naturally, has the highest number of players born abroad, 13!

Nation

PU

Av Age

Luxembourg Cyprus Azerbaijan Estonia Georgia

14 18 17 20 17

25,39 25,43 25,59 26,30 26,30

Av Age Debut 19,80 21,23 21,38 20,44 21,33

Av Caps 33,64 16,56 19,06 36,15 24,41

Av Teen Av Debut Debut Born Comp Debut Abr Matches 21 6 03/02/2015 0 5 12,44 6 27/06/2016 3 0 13,29 2 22/06/2016 1 5 18,40 10 31/10/2014 3 0 15,65 5 18/09/2015 1 1 55

Greece 16 26,59 22,54 17,38 13,56 4 20/08/2016 1 Kosovo 21 26,76 23,46 17,38 13,48 1 18/05/2017 0 Kazakhstan 16 27,04 23,02 20,50 15,44 3 30/08/2016 0 Albania 17 27,21 22,83 22,41 15,06 2 21/04/2016 1 Moldova 17 27,36 21,60 24,88 17,47 4 02/12/2014 1 Slovenia 16 27,48 23,65 14,13 11,19 4 09/11/2016 3 Montenegro 15 27,61 21,96 25,40 18,13 5 11/01/2015 1 Lithuania 17 27,80 22,24 20,76 12,71 2 15/02/2015 0 North 15 27,83 21,50 32,20 25,07 6 09/05/2014 1 Macedonia Armenia 18 28,02 24,22 16 11 4 20/11/2016 6 Belarus 16 28,74 23,46 22,50 13 0 27/05/2015 1 PU – number of players fielded; Av Age – Average Age of the fielded players; Av Age Debut – Average Age of Debut for the fielded players; Av Caps – Average number of international matches; Av Comp Matches – Average number of caps in competitive matches; Teen Debut – number of the fielded players debuting while still teenagers; Av Debut – Average date of the first national team debut; Debut – number of players debuting in this UEFA Nations League edition; Born Abr – fielded footballers not born in the country/nation they represent.

2 13 1 7 0 0 2 1 1 6 0

Overall Ranking – League C 1st – Scotland 2nd – Norway 3rd – Serbia 4th – Finland 5th – Bulgaria 6th – Israel 7th – Hungary 8th – Romania 9th – Greece 10th – Albania 11th – Montenegro 12th – Cyprus 13th – Estonia 14th – Slovenia 15th - Lithuania 56

UEFA Nations League D For this 2nd edition of the UEFA Nations League, the reformatting of the competition left the League D with the remaining seven UEFA members, the more fragile ones, still divided into two groups although, as written above, it would be better for all involved to have this seven sides play one group on one hand, giving each six matches, as the other leagues’ groups and promoting the top two directly within the entire set and not in a group of four and a group of three.

Faroe Islands Swedish Hakon Ericson, who was part of the Swedish federation managing staff and responsible for the under 21 European title in 2015, is the new manager of the Arctic Archipelago of Faroe, autonomous region belonging to the Kingdom of Denmark.

The recent evolution of the local football is seen and the national team started with two wins, beating Malta and Andorra, grabbing a comfortable advantage to Latvia, favorite, drawing both matches.

With a very narrow field of recruitment, Ericson used 16 players repeating nine in the starting lineup. Averaging 27,82 years old in the defeat of Malta and 27,43 in the Andorra win. The used squad averaged 27,40 years old.

Five footballers are playing abroad.

The average debut age is 22,01 years old, being the youngest Hendriksson Olsen with 18,81 years old and the oldest winger Vatnhamar with 27,54 years old. The average number of caps is 21,19, 18,06 of which in competitive matches.

Nattestad was born in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince.

Creative Dan ì Soilu was the only debutant in this doubleheader.

Malta With Devis Mangia taking over Malta it’s Italy dominating the national teams’ benches in the UEFA with six managers, Mancini in Italy, Rossi in Hungary, Reja in Albania, De Biasi in Azerbaijan, Mangia in Malta and Varrella in San Marino, curiously ahead of Sweden, with four, Ericson in the Faroe Islands, Janne Andersson in Sweden, Lagerback in Norway and Hamren in Iceland.

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Even with the few choices available, the Maltese archipelago is very peculiar, the island of Gozo, just 21 km from the main island of Malta, has an autonomous championship, the teams don’t enter the Maltese competitions. The Gozo FA developed the Gozo FC to enter the Maltese competition, it did well, got several titles in the minor divisions, climbed to the second tier, but failed to get to the top and was disbanded. Basically, Malta rarely or doesn’t look at all to Gozo for their national teams or for the league clubs, which is a bit odd since they form the same archipelago, being Gozo players only in their own leagues.

Mangia used 15 footballers, repeating nine starters in the defeat to Faroe Islands and the draw against Latvia. The average age of the starting lineup in the opening match was 27,23 years old, dropping to 26,83 in the draw facing Latvia. The used squad average age is 27,29 years old.

Six of the 15 were born outside the Mediterranean archipelago, Mbong and Nwoko in Nigeria, Gambin in England, Casa Pia’s Zach Muscat in Scotland, Enrico Pepe in Italy and Teuma in France.

The average debut age is 22,48 years old, with the only teen debutant being Andrei Agius, with 19,56 years old, and the oldest being one of the debutants in this window, Italian naturalized Enrico Pepe with 30,82 years old.

Mangia debuted Enrico Pepe and Teddy Teuma, two naturalizations.

Only three players are outside Malta playing their trade.

Latvia All these teams have changed manage recently. In Latvia young Dainis Kazakevics, 39, spent seven years at the helm of the under 21 side and got upgraded to the senior first in the beginning of 2020, starting officially with two draws, not the outcomes expected as Latvia goes into this League D as clear favorite.

18 players were used, nine were starters in both ties, averaging 26,55 years old in the 1st and 25,71 in the 2nd, Andorra home and Malta abroad, respectively. The squad average age is 25,56 years old.

The debut average age happened at 21,88 years old, the youngest being debutant striker Krollis with 18,86 years old and the oldest being goalkeeper Steinbors, debuting internationally at 30,14 years old. Kazakevics debuted two other players alongside Krollis, right back Karklins and right winger Jaunzems.

The caps average number is 15,39, 10,39 in competitive matches.

Seven footballers are playing abroad.

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Andorra Koldo Alvarez took over the Andorran national team little after stopping defending the nets, three years apart, assuming the Pyrenees side in 2010.

The choice is short also in Andorra, but Koldo used 16 footballers, keeping nine in both starting lineups, with an average age of 29,67 in the draw with Latvia and 29,99 in the defeat to Faroe Islands. The used squad average age is 29,40 years old.

Three of the players were born in Barcelona and one in Marco de Canaveses, Portugal, only three are playing abroad, Portuguese-born Márcio Vieira, with Spanish side Monzon, Llovera with Granollers, also from Spain, and Marc Vales, playing in Norway with Sandefjord.

The debut average age is 20,84 years old, being the youngest Marc Pujol, at 17,46 years old, and the oldest one of the Spaniards naturalized, Victor Bernat, with 33,31 years old.

Ten of the 16 fielded footballers were first called up while still teenagers, Pujol, Alex Martínez and Marc Vales, under 18, Jordi Alaéz, Ludovic Clement and Max Llovera, under 19, San Nicolás, Emili García, Aaron Sánchez and Cristian Martínez.

On average the debut happened eight and a half years ago, with the side fielded averaging 41,13 caps, of which 31,63 in competitive matches.

Gibraltar The little rock in southern Spain disputed by both Spaniard and English got the by to enter the UEFA world but not much is expected, just the chance of their teams and players to get some international competition and in the national side to create some upset every once in a while.

In the UEFA Nations League D they get some more balanced matches, with sides of similar power.

Gibraltar opened with a win over San Marino, remembering this group 2 has only three sides.

Veteran Uruguayan Julio Ribas is the manager since 2018. He debuted Graeme Torrilla and Kian Ronan in the match against San Marino, with the side averaging 28,42 years old in the starting lineup, 27,74 including the three substitutes used.

Five footballers were born abroad, Mouelhi in Barcelona, Spain, Badr Hassan in Egypt, Wiseman, Chipolina and Annesley in England.

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San Marino San Marino lost both matches, confirming itself as the weakest national football side in UEFA. Varrella used 20 players, only six were starters in both matches, averaging 27,13 in the defeat to Gibraltar and 27,41 in the loss to Liechtenstein. The named footballers average age is 26,85 years old.

Four players were born abroad, two in Italy and two in Argentina, one of them debutant in this doubleheader, Dante Rossi, debuting alongside Kevin Zonzini.

11 out of the 20 play in Italy.

Liechtenstein

Iceland’s Helgi Kolvidsson took over Liechtenstein in the start of 2019 and the purpose will be to win this group and climb to UEFA Nations League C for the 3rd edition of the competition, which will probably again grant the play-off spots for the Euro 2024.

Kolvidsson used the 14 footballers against San Marino, winning as expected, averaging 26,40 years old in the starting lineup and 26,22 for the all the 14 footballers.

Six were born abroad, Ospelt in Bavaria, Malin and Marcel Bücher in Austrian border city of Feldkirch, and Yildiz, Kaufmann and Sele in Grabs Saint Gallen, also near the border to Liechtenstein, but on the Swiss side.

Most players are in the Swiss football pyramid, as do the Liechtenstein clubs, with two exceptions, Malin in Austrian side Dornbirch and Marcel Büchel with Italian Ascoli.

Club Engordany FC Santa Coloma UE Santa Coloma Inter d’Escaldes Noah Dornbirn

League And And And And Arm Aut

Nr 1 6 1 5 1 1

Nat And And And And Lat Lie 60

St. Gilloise Mlada Boleslav Vejle AC Horsens Colchester Blackburn Rovers Granollers Monzon KI Klaksvik B36 Torshavn Vikingur Gota NSI Runavik HB Torshavn Lincoln Red Imps Europa FC St. Joseph’s FH Hafnarfjordur Ascoli Novara Portorecanati Marignanese Carli Pietracurta Vibonese Crotone FYA Riccione Tropical Coriano FK RFS FC Riga FK Liepaja Valmiera METTA FC Vaduz Balzers Eschen-Mauren Balzan FC Birkirkara Floriana Gzira United Hamrun Spartans Hibernians Valletta FC Sandefjord Jagiellonia Bialystok Rakow Czestochowa Casa Pia Virtus Acquaviva

Bel Cze Dnk Dnk Eng Eng Esp Esp Far Far Far Far Far Gib Gib Gib Isl Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Lat Lat Lat Lat Lat Lie/Swi Lie/Swi Lie/Swi Mlt Mlt Mlt Mlt Mlt Mlt Mlt Nor Pol Pol Por Smr

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 5 1 2 1 2 8 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 2 3 3 2 2 1 2 1 4 1 2 1 1 1 3 3 1 1 1 1 1

Mlt Lat Far Far Mlt Gib And And Far Far Far Far Far Gib Gib Gib Far Lie Smr Smr Smr Smr Smr Smr Smr Smr Lat Lat Lat Lat Lat Lie Lie Lie Mlt Mlt Mlt Mlt Mlt Mlt Mlt And Lat Lat Mlt Smr 61

Folgore Pennarossa La Fiorita Tre Penne Tre Fiori Cosmos Libertas Helsingborgs GAIS Gothenburg Rapperswil-Jona Thun Neuchatel Xamax Chur 97 Sion Oleksandria Zorya Luhansk Glentoran

Smr Smr Smr Smr Smr Smr Smr Swe Swe Swi Swi Swi Swi Swi Ukr Ukr Uls

1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1

Smr Smr Smr Smr Smr Smr Smr Far Far Lie Lie Lie Lie Lat Lat Lat Gib

69 different clubs give players to this UEFA Nations League D, from 23 distinct nations. Italy, Gibraltar and Malta, with 12 each, have the higher number of players, nine clubs in Italy and eight in San Marino.

Nation

PU

Av Age

Av Av Av Teen Av Debut Debut Born Age Caps Comp Debut Abr Debut Matches Latvia 18 25,56 21,88 15,39 10,39 4 28/12/2016 3 0 Liechtenstein 14 26,22 20,23 27,07 19,29 9 11/09/2014 0 6 San Marino 20 26,85 21,31 21,75 19,35 10 21/02/2015 2 4 Malta 15 27,29 22,48 23,40 16,33 1 16/11/2015 2 6 Faroe Islands 16 27,40 22,01 21,19 18,06 2 17/04/2015 1 1 Gibraltar 14 27,74 24,01 18,07 13,93 6 12/12/2016 2 5 Andorra 16 29,40 20,84 41,13 31,63 10 14/02/2012 2 4 PU – number of players fielded; Av Age – Average Age of the fielded players; Av Age Debut – Average Age of Debut for the fielded players; Av Caps – Average number of international matches; Av Comp Matches – Average number of caps in competitive matches; Teen Debut – number of the fielded players debuting while still teenagers; Av Debut – Average date of the first national team debut; Debut – number of players debuting in this UEFA Nations League edition; Born Abr – fielded footballers not born in the country/nation they represent.

The youngest squad of this set is the Latvian, San Marino, despite being, alongside Gibraltar, the place with less population, round 33.000 people, managed to field 20 players.

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The youngest debut on average is with the Liechtenstein side, the oldest Gibraltar.

Andorra is the side more experienced, by far, with over 40 caps on average, with Latvia being the greenest one. Andorra and San Marino gave teenage first team national football to 10 players, Malta only one. Latvia debuted three players, Liechtenstein none. No Latvian footballer was born abroad, six in Liechtenstein and Malta.

Overall Ranking – League D 1st – Georgia 2nd – Northern Macedonia 3rd – Kosovo 4th – Belarus 5th – Luxembourg 6th – Armenia 7th – Azerbaijan 8th – Kazakhstan 9th – Moldova 10th – Gibraltar 11th – Faroe Islands 12th – Latvia 13th – Liechtenstein 14th – Andorra 15th – Malta 16th – San Marino

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Conclusions 970 players were used in 54 matches during this opening doubleheader of the UEFA Nations League 2nd edition and in the eve of the playoffs semis towards the Euro 2020, which will happen in 2021, playoffs reserved for the UEFA Nations League 1st edition performances, and the 2nd doubleheader of the UEFA Nations League 2020/21, over 400 clubs in 57 nations had footballers playing in these matches!

Manchester City leads the lot with 14 players spread across nine nations. Borussia Dortmund, 1899 Hoffenheim, Napoli, Celtic Glasgow and Shakhtar Donetsk, all with 10 players, follow the English side, Italian Napoli in nine different nations, both German outfits, Dortmund and Hoffenheim, in seven sides, Celtic in six and Ukrainian champion Shakhtar in three.

Club Manchester City Borussia Dortmund TSG 1899 Hoffenheim Napoli Celtic Glasgow Shakhtar Donetsk Slavia Prague Tottenham Hotspur Inter Milan Liverpool Manchester United Lincoln Red Imps Kairat Almaty Arsenal Leeds United Sheffield United Barcelona Real Madrid Eintracht Frankfurt RB Leipzig AS Roma Juventus FC Santa Coloma Qarabag Omonia Nicosia Chelsea Flora Tallinn

League Eng Ger Ger Ita Sco Ukr Cze Eng Ita Eng Eng Gib Kzk Eng Eng Eng Esp Esp Ger Ger Ita Ita And Aze Cyp Eng Est

Nr 14 10 10 10 10 10 9 9 9 8 8 8 8 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 6 6 6 6 6

Nat Por/Ned/Eng/Bel/Ger/Esp/Ukr/Wal/Kos Por/Eng/Dnk/Bel/Ger/Swi/Nor Cro/BiH/Dnk/Aut/Isr/Srb/Gre Ita/Pol/Bel/Esp/Svk/Srb/Mkd/Kos/Alb Swi/Nor/Sco/Isr/Eir/Gre Ukr/Isr/Geo Rou/Cze Fra/Ned/Eng/Dnk/Bel/Wal/Eir Cro/Ita/Dnk/Bel/Svk/Srb Ned/Eng/Ger/Sco/Wal Fra/Por/Swe/Ned/Eng/Esp/Sco/Wal Gib Pol/Mne/Arm/Kzk BiH/Eng/Ger/Swi/Uls/Sco/Est Pol/Eng/Ger/Esp/Uls/Sco/Mkd Nor/Sco/Wal/Eir Por/Fra/Ned/Dnk/Esp Fra/Ger/Esp/Wal Por/Ger/Swi/Aut/Srb Fra/Swe/Dnk/Esp/Aut/Hun Swe/Ita/BiH/Tur Fra/Por/Swe/Ita/Pol/Tur And Aze Svk/Hun/Cyp Fra/Cro/Ita/Eng/Dnk Est 64

Bayer Leverkusen Atalanta Sassuolo CSKA Moscow Rangers Basaksehir Inter d’Escaldes Sabah BATE Borisov Dinamo Zagreb Anorthosis Famaguta Sparta Prague Leicester Southampton Atletico Madrid Sevilla KI Klaksvik Paris-SG Borussia Monchengladbach Hertha Berlin VfL Wolfsburg Ferencvaros MOL Fehervar AC Milan Lazio Roma Torino Astana Zenit SP Konyaspor Dinamo Kyiv Ludogorets Sigma Olomouc Bournemouth Brighton & Hove Albion Bristol City Everton Norwich West Ham Wolverhampton Wanderers Valencia Olympique Lyon

Ger Ita Ita Rus Sco Tur And Aze Blr Cro Cyp Cze Eng Eng Esp Esp Far Fra Ger Ger Ger Hun Hun Ita Ita Ita Kzk Rus Tur Ukr Bul Cze Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Esp Fra

6 6 6 6 6 6 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

Cro/Ger/Aut/Fin Cro/Ned/Ger/Ukr/Alb Ita/Rou/Svk/Srb/Tur Cro/Isl/Rus/Slo/Kzk Swe/Cro/Rou/Uls/Sco/Fin BiH/Tur/Mda And Aze/Mda Blr Cro/BiH/Mkd/Slo Cyp/Arm/Geo Svk/Cze Dnk/Bel/Tur Pol/Eng/Sco/Eir Por/Eng/Bel/Mne/Slo Ned/Esp/Cze/Srb Far Fra/Ita/Ger Ger/Swi/Aut Pol/Nor/Svk/Cze Cro/Bel/Swi/Aut Hun/Slo/Alb/BiH/Ukr Hun/Mkd/BiH Cro/Ita/Dnk/Rou/Tur Ita/Srb/Mne/Alb Ita/Pol/Swi/Kos Cyp/Arm/Kzk/Blr Cro/Rus BiH/Geo/Alb Pol/Ukr/Lux Rou/Isr/Bul Cze BiH/Nor/Wal/Eir Ned/Bel/Eir Cze/Hun/Wal/Eir Fra/Ita/BiH/Eng Sco/Fin/Eir/Lux Pol/Eng/Ukr/Eir Por/Eng Por/Ned/Dnk/Esp Fra/Por/Ned/Bel 65

Bayern Munich Mainz Maccabi Tel Aviv Parma Sampdoria Tobol Kostanay Eschen-Mauren CSU Craiova Akhmat Grozny FK Krasnodar Lokomotiv Moscow Spartak Moscow Fenerbahce Anderlecht Club Brugge Genk Standard Liege Shakhtyor Soligorsk Slavia Sofia AEL Limassol Apollon Limassol FC Copenhagen Aston Villa Charlton Crystal Palace Fulham Newcastle West Bromwich Albion AS Monaco Lille Stade Reims FC Augsburg Schalke 04 Europa FC AEK Athens PAOK Thessaloniki Carli Pietracurta Fiorentina Salernitana FC Riga FK RFS

Ger Ger Isr Ita Ita Kzk Lie/Swi Rou Rus Rus Rus Rus Tur Bel Bel Bel Bel Blr Bul Cyp Cyp Dnk Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Fra Fra Fra Ger Ger Gib Gre Gre Ita Ita Ita Lat Lat

4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

Fra/Ger/Esp Swe/Aut/Hun/Lux Isr Dnk/Svk/Slo/Alb Swe/Pol/Nor/Cze Arm/Geo/Kzk Lie BiH/Rou Rus/Kos/Kzk/Alb Swe/Rus/Blr Pol/Rus/Blr Cze/Rus Dnk/Tur/Slo Bel/Ukr Bel/Cze Dnk/Svk/Fin BiH/Cyp/Mne Blr Bul Cyp Hun/Cyp Swe/Dnk/Gre Eng/Sco/Eir Uls/Wal Bel/Wal/Eir Nor/Svk/Srb Swe/Uls/Eir Pol/Wal/Eir Fra/Srb/Mne Tur Srb/Kos Swi/Aut/Fin Ger/Tur Gib Gre Isl/Gre/Alb Smr Ita/Srb Svk/Cyp/Alb Lat Lat 66

FC Vaduz Kaunos Zalgiris Zalgiris Vilnius Hibernians Valletta FC Brann Bergen Rosenborg Lech Poznan Benfica FC Porto FK Ufa Rostov Partizan Dunajska Streda AIK Solna FC Zurich Galatasaray Cardiff City Alashkert Red Bull Salzburg Neftchi Baku AA Gent OH Leuven St. Gilloise Torpedo Zhodino CSKA Sofia Levski Sofia Lokomotiv Plovdiv Rijeka AEK Larnaca APOEL Nicosia Jablonec Mlada Boleslav Slovan Liberec Esbjerg Vejle Blackburn Rovers Brentford Burnley Millwall Queens Park Rangers

Lie/Swi Lit Lit Mlt Mlt Nor Nor Pol Por Por Rus Rus Srb Svk Swe Swi Tur Wal/Eng Arm Aut Aze Bel Bel Bel Blr Bul Bul Bul Cro Cyp Cyp Cze Cze Cze Dnk Dnk Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Mda/Lie Lit Lit Mlt Mlt Isl/Fin/Est Nor/Mne Pol/Geo Por/Bel/Swi Por Rou/Lux/Mda Nor/Rus/Arm Isr/Mne Hun/Arm Swe/Est Kos/Slo Nor/Tur Uls/Sco/Wal Arm Aut/Hun Aze Bel/Geo Hun/Bul Lux/Mlt Blr Bul Isl/Bul Bul Mne/Mkd Cyp/Mkd Cyp/Kos Svk/Cze Cze/Lat Svk/Cze Fin Fin/Far Uls/Gib Swe/Dnk Uls/Eir Isl/Uls Sco/Fin 67

Stoke City Watford Getafe Levante Mallorca Real Sociedad Villarreal HB Torshavn Vikingur Gota HJK Helsinki Olympique Marseille Stade Rennais Werder Bremen Olympiacos Benevento Bologna SPAL Tropical Coriano Kaysar Shakhter Karagandy FK Liepaja Valmiera Birkirkara Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar Feyenoord Vitesse Zaglebie Lubin Sporting CP CFR Cluj-Napoca Dinamo Moscow Khimki Rotor Volgograd Ural Heart of Midlothian Tre Fiori IFK Norrkoping FC Basel Thun Antalyaspor Besiktas

Eng Eng Esp Esp Esp Esp Esp Far Far Fin Fra Fra Ger Gre Ita Ita Ita Ita Kzk Kzk Lat Lat Mlt Ned Ned Ned Ned Pol Por Rou Rus Rus Rus Rus Sco Smr Swe Swi Swi Tur Tur

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Uls/Eir Swe/Uls Srb/Tur Mne/Mkd Svk/Mkd Swe/Esp Esp Far Far Fin Cro/Srb Fra Swe/Kos Isl/Gre Pol/Mda Swe/Isl Mne/Est Smr Kzk Arm/Est Lat Lat Mlt Ned/Srb Isl/Nor Svk/Tur Isr/Svk Slo Mkd/Slo Rou Pol/Rus Arm/Kzk Geo Arm/Blr Uls Smr Mne/Lux Swi/Lux Lie Rus/Tur Cro/Srb 68

Fatih Karagumruk Gaziantep FK Trabzonspor Swansea City Engordany UE Santa Coloma Huracán Ararat-Armenia Gandzasar Noah Pyunik Yerevan Austria Vienna Dornbirn LASK Linz Rapid Vienna Sturm Graz TSV Hartberg Sabail Sumgayit Zira Beerschot Charleroi KV Oostende Lommel Mouscron Siroki Brijeg Dinamo Minsk Neman Grodno Slavia Mozyr Arda Beroe Stara Zagora Botev Plovdiv Beijing Gu’oan Guangzhou R&F Hajduk Spit Istra Pula Doxa Katokopias Ethnikos Achnas Karmiotossa Nea Salamis Banik Ostrava

Tur Tur Tur Wal/Eng And And Arg Arm Arm Arm Arm Aut Aut Aut Aut Aut Aut Aze Aze Aze Bel Bel Bel Bel Bel BiH Blr Blr Blr Bul Bul Bul Chn Chn Cro Cro Cyp Cyp Cyp Cyp Cze

2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Svk/Slo Rou Nor/Tur Wal And And Arm Est Arm Lat Arm Aut Lie Aut Gre Alb Slo Aze Aze Aze Kzk Bul Isl Lit Mne BiH Blr Arm Mda Bul Bul Bul BiH Isr Bul Lit Mkd Cyp Est Lit Cze 69

FC Slovacko Zbrojovka Brno AC Horsens AGF Aarhus Brondby FC Midtjylland FC Midtjylland Hobro Vendsyssel FF Colchester Derby County Huddersfield Town Hull City Luton Town Middlesbrough Reading Sheffield Wednesday Alaves Barcelona B Betis Sevilla Eibar Granollers Leganes Malaga Monzon Valladolid Zaragoza FCI Levadia Paide B36 Torshavn NSI Runavik KuPS SJK Ajaccio Dijon Girondins Bordeaux Le Havre Lorient Metz Nimes OGC Nice

Cze Cze Dnk Dnk Dnk Dnk Dnk Dnk Dnk Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Eng Esp Esp Esp Esp Esp Esp Esp Esp Esp Esp Est Est Far Far Fin Fin Fra Fra Fra Fra Fra Fra Fra Fra

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Cze Cze Far Isl Isl Bul Isl Arm Est Mlt Sco Kos Uls Wal Uls Rou Sco Swe Alb Fra Srb And Gre Alb And Isr Slo Est Est Far Far Fin Kos Alb Kos Swi Tur Aut Lux Nor Dnk 70

Racing Strasbourg Toulouse Dinamo Batumi Saburtalo Darmstadt Fortuna Düsseldorf Freiburg Freiburg Hamburg Jahn Regensburg Karlsruher KFC Uerdingen Nuremberg Saarbrücken Sandhausen St. Pauli St. Joseph’s Larisa OFI Crete Panathinaikos Diosgyor Mezokovesd MTK Budapest Ujpest FH Hafnarfjordur Valur Reykjavik Vikingur Reykjavik Hapoel Kyriat Shmona Ascoli Brescia Crotone Frosinone FYA Riccione Genoa Hellas Verona Marignanese Novara Padova Portorecanati Reggina Udinese

Fra Fra Geo Geo Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Ger Gib Gre Gre Gre Hun Hun Hun Hun Isl Isl Isl Isr Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita Ita

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Srb Gre Geo Geo Isl Tur Hun Alb Alb Lit Lux Lit Svk Lux Kos Kos Gib Fin Lux Gre Kos Hun Mne Mkd Far Isl Isl Lit Lie Isl Smr Cyp Smr Mkd Srb Smr Smr Ita Smr Uls Mkd 71

Vibonese Jeju United Al-Qadsia Ordabasy Taraz Zhetysu METTA Balzers Riteriai Fola Esch Progres Niederkorn Petrocub Sfintul Sheriff Tiraspol Shkendija Balzan FC Floriana Gzira United Hamrun Spartans Fortuna Sittard Heerenveen PEC Zwolle PSV Eindhoven RKC Waalwijk Twente Enschede Willem II Tilburg Aalesunds Odds BK Sandefjord Valerenga Jagiellonia Bialystok Lechia Gdansk MKS Cracovia Rakow Czestochowa Widzew Lodz Wisla Krakow Casa Pia Nacional Madeira Paรงos Ferreira Astra Giurgiu Chindia Targoviste

Ita Kor Kuw Kzk Kzk Kzk Lat Lie/Swi Lit Lux Lux Mda Mda Mda Mkd Mlt Mlt Mlt Mlt Ned Ned Ned Ned Ned Ned Ned Nor Nor Nor Nor Pol Pol Pol Pol Pol Pol Por Por Por Rou Rou

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Smr Cyp Alb Kzk Lit Blr Lat Lie Lit Lux Lux Mda Mda Mda Mkd Mlt Mlt Mlt Mlt Mda Kos Fin Ned Mda Geo Gre Isl Kos And Kos Lat Svk Rou Lat Est Mne Mlt Lux Mda Rou Mda 72

FCSB Viitorul Constanta Voluntari FC Sochi Rubin Kazan Rubin Kazan Tambov Aberdeen Hibernian Celje Domzale Maribor NS Mura Olimpija Ljubljana Cosmos Folgore La Fiorita Libertas Pennarossa Tre Penne Virtus Acquaviva Vojvodina Novi Sad Vozdovac Slovan Bratislava Zilina Elfsborg GAIS Gothenburg Helsingborgs IFK Gothenburg Kalmar FF Malmo FF Orebro Chur 97 Grasshopper Lugano Luzern Neuchatel Xamax Rapperswil-Jona Sion Young Boys Alanyaspor

Rou Rou Rou Rus Rus Rus Rus Sco Sco Slo Slo Slo Slo Slo Smr Smr Smr Smr Smr Smr Smr Srb Srb Svk Svk Swe Swe Swe Swe Swe Swe Swe Swi Swi Swi Swi Swi Swi Swi Swi Tur

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Rou Rou Mda Slo Cro Geo Arm Sco Isr Mda Est Rou Slo Mda Smr Smr Smr Smr Smr Smr Smr BiH Lit Svk Arm Fin Far Far Arm Kos Isl Fin Lie Aze Hun Geo Lie Lie Lat Swi Gre 73

Boluspor Çaikur Rizespor Erzurumspor Hatayspor Kayserispor MKE Ankaragucu Rizespor Al-Ain Desna Oleksandria Olimpik Donetsk PFK Lviv Zorya Luhansk Glentoran Linfield Seattle Sounders No Club

Tur Tur Tur Tur Tur Tur Tur UAE Ukr Ukr Ukr Ukr Ukr Uls Uls USA

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 5

Aze Cro Alb Bul BiH Geo Slo Kzk Est Lat Lit Est Lat Gib Uls Swe Nor/Rus/Lit

The Covid-19 effect entered in this doubleheader and is the reason why Czech Republic presented 28 players, since the ones playing the 1st match, after positive cases, were barred from playing the 2nd and entered mandatory confinement.

Liechtenstein and Gibraltar only played one match, so naturally only have 14 players used, since UEFA didn’t extend the five substitutions rule to these UEFA Nations League matches, with the Netherlands and Luxembourg also only recurring to 14 footballers.

Nation Czech Republic Turkey Kosovo San Marino Estonia Slovakia France Italy Belgium Sweden Iceland Bulgaria

PU

Av Age

28 24 21 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 19

27,69 25,4 26,76 26,85 26,3 26,91 26,94 27,07 27,42 28,29 28,43 28,22

Av Age Debut 25 21,71 23,46 21,31 20,44 22,26 22,5 22,5 21,33 21,39 21,55 24,38

Av Caps 11,46 17,46 17,38 21,75 36,15 21,9 32,85 24,15 40,85 34,45 31,8 13,05

Av Comp Match 7,04 10,54 13,48 19,35 18,4 13,05 18,95 16,25 26,05 23,15 19,85 9,53

Teen Deb

Aver Debut

2 9 1 10 10 3 4 3 7 5 5 2

30/12/2017 27/12/2016 18/05/2017 21/02/2015 31/10/2014 14/01/2016 31/03/2016 10/02/2016 07/08/2014 14/10/2013 22/10/2013 03/11/2016

Deb Born UNL Abr 14 2 0 2 3 3 2 1 3 0 1 4

1 8 13 4 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1

B B C D C B A A A A A B 74

Romania England Spain BosniaHerzegovina Latvia Cyprus Armenia Finland Scotland Serbia Norway Northern Ireland Republic Ireland Poland Azerbaijan Georgia Albania Moldova Lithuania Wales Germany Croatia Portugal Ukraine Faroe Islands Andorra Greece Kazakhstan Slovenia Belarus Hungary Austria Russia Switzerland Denmark Malta Montenegro North Macedonia Israel

19 19 19

28,25 24,67 26,07

23,78 22 22,21

20,26 16 26,79

14,05 11,74 17,58

0 4 3

18/03/2016 04/01/2018 30/10/2016

3 6 6

1 1 2

B A A

19

28,04

22,51

25,74

17,63

1

27/02/2015

3

7

A

18 18 18 18 18 18 18

25,56 25,43 28,02 26,78 27,09 27,38 27,39

21,88 21,23 24,22 21,14 22,97 21,08 21,47

15,39 16,56 16 25,17 15,67 29,28 27,94

10,39 12,44 11 14,44 11,56 17,89 18,39

4 6 4 4 5 5 5

28/12/2016 27/06/2016 20/11/2016 15/01/2015 25/07/2016 22/05/2014 06/10/2014

3 3 6 1 1 1 0

0 0 6 3 6 1 2

D C C B B B B

18

27,71

21,04

33

23

7

04/01/2014

1

5

B

18 18 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 15 15

28,11 27,67 25,59 26,3 27,21 27,36 27,8 24,85 26,34 26,76 27,06 27,87 27,4 29,4 26,59 27,04 27,48 28,74 27,14 27,17 29,75 26,33 27,67 27,29 27,61

22,99 20,85 21,38 21,33 22,83 21,6 22,24 20,32 21,75 21,64 21,54 22,72 22,01 20,84 22,54 23,02 23,65 23,46 23,16 22,46 24,08 21,91 21,27 22,48 21,96

27,89 35 19,06 24,41 22,41 24,88 20,76 24,24 25,29 31,35 40 32,65 21,19 41,13 17,38 20,5 14,13 22,5 20,06 25,13 24,94 28 34,81 23,4 25,4

17,89 21,44 13,29 15,65 15,06 17,47 12,71 17,71 15,76 22,29 27,71 21,29 18,06 31,63 13,56 15,44 11,19 13 14,63 16,75 15,56 21,25 22,75 16,33 18,13

3 6 2 5 2 4 2 8 2 5 5 3 2 10 4 3 4 0 3 2 0 4 6 1 5

22/07/2015 11/11/2013 22/06/2016 18/09/2015 21/04/2016 02/12/2014 15/02/2015 23/02/2016 06/02/2016 29/07/2015 28/02/2015 14/07/2015 17/04/2015 14/02/2012 20/08/2016 30/08/2016 09/11/2016 27/05/2015 10/09/2016 21/12/2015 05/01/2015 02/04/2016 14/04/2014 16/11/2015 11/01/2015

2 1 1 1 1 1 0 3 1 1 1 3 1 2 1 0 3 1 2 3 0 0 2 2 1

7 0 5 1 7 0 1 8 0 2 4 3 1 4 2 1 0 0 2 0 1 1 1 6 2

B A C C C C C B A A A A D D C C C C B B B A A D C

15

27,83

21,5

32,2

25,07

6

09/05/2014

1

1

C

15

27,45

22,16

22,53

17,67

4

27/05/2015

0

0

B 75

Liechtenstein 14 26,22 20,23 27,07 19,29 9 11/09/2014 0 6 Gibraltar 14 27,74 24,01 18,07 13,93 6 12/12/2016 2 5 Luxembourg 14 25,39 19,8 33,64 21 6 03/02/2015 0 5 Netherlands 14 27,14 22,2 28,07 17,64 1 30/09/2015 0 1 PU – number of players fielded; Av Age – Average Age of the fielded players; Av Age Debut – Average Age of Debut for the fielded players; Av Caps – Average number of international matches; Av Comp Matches – Average number of caps in competitive matches; Teen Debut – number of the fielded players debuting while still teenagers; Av Debut – Average date of the first national team debut; Debut – number of players debuting in this UEFA Nations League edition; Born Abr – fielded footballers not born in the country/nation they represent.

D D C A

The youngest fielded players on average are with England, followed by Wales, Luxembourg, Turkey, Cyprus, Latvia, Azerbaijan, Spain, Liechtenstein and Estonia.

As in the players used, the League played doesn’t interfere in the average age, leaded by a League A side, but closely followed by sides from League B, C and D.

Nation

PU

England Wales Luxembourg Turkey Cyprus Latvia Azerbaijan Spain Liechtenstein Estonia Georgia Switzerland Germany Greece Kosovo Croatia Finland San Marino Slovakia

19 17 14 24 18 18 17 19 14 20 17 16 17 16 21 17 18 20 20

Av Age 24,67 24,85 25,39 25,4 25,43 25,56 25,59 26,07 26,22 26,3 26,3 26,33 26,34 26,59 26,76 26,76 26,78 26,85 26,91

Av Debut 22 20,32 19,8 21,71 21,23 21,88 21,38 22,21 20,23 20,44 21,33 21,91 21,75 22,54 23,46 21,64 21,14 21,31 22,26

Av Comp Teen Born Av Debut Deb UNL Caps Matches Debut Abroad 16 11,74 4 04/01/2018 6 1 A 24,24 17,71 8 23/02/2016 3 8 B 33,64 21 6 03/02/2015 0 5 C 17,46 10,54 9 27/12/2016 2 8 B 16,56 12,44 6 27/06/2016 3 0 C 15,39 10,39 4 28/12/2016 3 0 D 19,06 13,29 2 22/06/2016 1 5 C 26,79 17,58 3 30/10/2016 6 2 A 27,07 19,29 9 11/09/2014 0 6 D 36,15 18,4 10 31/10/2014 3 0 C 24,41 15,65 5 18/09/2015 1 1 C 28 21,25 4 02/04/2016 0 1 A 25,29 15,76 2 06/02/2016 1 0 A 17,38 13,56 4 20/08/2016 1 2 C 17,38 13,48 1 18/05/2017 0 13 C 31,35 22,29 5 29/07/2015 1 2 A 25,17 14,44 4 15/01/2015 1 3 B 21,75 19,35 10 21/02/2015 2 4 D 21,9 13,05 3 14/01/2016 3 0 B 76

France 20 26,94 22,5 32,85 18,95 4 31/03/2016 2 1 Kazakhstan 16 27,04 23,02 20,5 15,44 3 30/08/2016 0 1 Portugal 17 27,06 21,54 40 27,71 5 28/02/2015 1 4 Italy 20 27,07 22,5 24,15 16,25 3 10/02/2016 1 1 Scotland 18 27,09 22,97 15,67 11,56 5 25/07/2016 1 6 Hungary 16 27,14 23,16 20,06 14,63 3 10/09/2016 2 2 Netherlands 14 27,14 22,2 28,07 17,64 1 30/09/2015 0 1 Austria 16 27,17 22,46 25,13 16,75 2 21/12/2015 3 0 Albania 17 27,21 22,83 22,41 15,06 2 21/04/2016 1 7 Malta 15 27,29 22,48 23,4 16,33 1 16/11/2015 2 6 Moldova 17 27,36 21,6 24,88 17,47 4 02/12/2014 1 0 Serbia 18 27,38 21,08 29,28 17,89 5 22/05/2014 1 1 Norway 18 27,39 21,47 27,94 18,39 5 06/10/2014 0 2 Faroe Islands 16 27,4 22,01 21,19 18,06 2 17/04/2015 1 1 Belgium 20 27,42 21,33 40,85 26,05 7 07/08/2014 3 0 Israel 15 27,45 22,16 22,53 17,67 4 27/05/2015 0 0 Slovenia 16 27,48 23,65 14,13 11,19 4 09/11/2016 3 0 Montenegro 15 27,61 21,96 25,4 18,13 5 11/01/2015 1 2 Poland 18 27,67 20,85 35 21,44 6 11/11/2013 1 0 Denmark 16 27,67 21,27 34,81 22,75 6 14/04/2014 2 1 Czech 28 27,69 25 11,46 7,04 2 30/12/2017 14 1 Republic Northern 18 27,71 21,04 33 23 7 04/01/2014 1 5 Ireland Gibraltar 14 27,74 24,01 18,07 13,93 6 12/12/2016 2 5 Lithuania 17 27,8 22,24 20,76 12,71 2 15/02/2015 0 1 North 15 27,83 21,5 32,2 25,07 6 09/05/2014 1 1 Macedonia Ukraine 17 27,87 22,72 32,65 21,29 3 14/07/2015 3 3 Armenia 18 28,02 24,22 16 11 4 20/11/2016 6 6 Bosnia19 28,04 22,51 25,74 17,63 1 27/02/2015 3 7 Herzegovina Republic 18 28,11 22,99 27,89 17,89 3 22/07/2015 2 7 Ireland Bulgaria 19 28,22 24,38 13,05 9,53 2 03/11/2016 4 1 Romania 19 28,25 23,78 20,26 14,05 0 18/03/2016 3 1 Sweden 20 28,29 21,39 34,45 23,15 5 14/10/2013 0 0 Iceland 20 28,43 21,55 31,8 19,85 5 22/10/2013 1 1 Belarus 16 28,74 23,46 22,5 13 0 27/05/2015 1 0 Andorra 16 29,4 20,84 41,13 31,63 10 14/02/2012 2 4 Russia 16 29,75 24,08 24,94 15,56 0 05/01/2015 0 1 PU – number of players fielded; Av Age – Average Age of the fielded players; Av Age Debut – Average Age of Debut for the fielded players; Av Caps – Average

A C A A B B A B C D C B B D A B C C A A B B D C C A C A B B B A A C D B

77

number of international matches; Av Comp Matches – Average number of caps in competitive matches; Teen Debut – number of the fielded players debuting while still teenagers; Av Debut – Average date of the first national team debut; Debut – number of players debuting in this UEFA Nations League edition; Born Abr – fielded footballers not born in the country/nation they represent.

The average debut in the first national side is younger in Luxembourg, ahead of Liechtenstein, Wales, Estonia and Andorra, being Poland the first major side to enter this table. Central, Balkan and Eastern Europe have the older average age to debut, with Czech Republic leading, however conditioned by the particular situation lived by the side, ahead of Bulgaria, Armenia, Russia and Gibraltar.

You can’t focus on the League itself, but the football schools determine something and the influence of the Eastern scientific and experimented is still well present.

The name and the status have further influence in the former Eastern bloc, alongside the resistance to newcomers, an habit hard to change, but slowly gaining pace with the shifts in the leagues and the earlier engagement in senior football.

Nation Luxembourg Liechtenstein Wales Estonia Andorra Poland Northern Ireland Serbia Finland Cyprus Denmark San Marino Georgia Belgium Azerbaijan Sweden Norway North Macedonia Portugal Iceland

PU 14 14 17 20 16 18 18 18 18 18 16 20 17 20 17 20 18 15 17 20

Av Age 25,39 26,22 24,85 26,3 29,4 27,67 27,71 27,38 26,78 25,43 27,67 26,85 26,3 27,42 25,59 28,29 27,39 27,83 27,06 28,43

Av Age Debut 19,8 20,23 20,32 20,44 20,84 20,85 21,04 21,08 21,14 21,23 21,27 21,31 21,33 21,33 21,38 21,39 21,47 21,5 21,54 21,55

Av Comp Teen Av Born Caps Match Deb Debut Deb Abr UNL 33,64 21 6 03/02/2015 0 5 C 27,07 19,29 9 11/09/2014 0 6 D 24,24 17,71 8 23/02/2016 3 8 B 36,15 18,4 10 31/10/2014 3 0 C 41,13 31,63 10 14/02/2012 2 4 D 35 21,44 6 11/11/2013 1 0 A 33 23 7 04/01/2014 1 5 B 29,28 17,89 5 22/05/2014 1 1 B 25,17 14,44 4 15/01/2015 1 3 B 16,56 12,44 6 27/06/2016 3 0 C 34,81 22,75 6 14/04/2014 2 1 A 21,75 19,35 10 21/02/2015 2 4 D 24,41 15,65 5 18/09/2015 1 1 C 40,85 26,05 7 07/08/2014 3 0 A 19,06 13,29 2 22/06/2016 1 5 C 34,45 23,15 5 14/10/2013 0 0 A 27,94 18,39 5 06/10/2014 0 2 B 32,2 25,07 6 09/05/2014 1 1 C 40 27,71 5 28/02/2015 1 4 A 31,8 19,85 5 22/10/2013 1 1 A 78

Moldova 17 27,36 21,6 24,88 17,47 4 02/12/2014 1 0 Croatia 17 26,76 21,64 31,35 22,29 5 29/07/2015 1 2 Turkey 24 25,4 21,71 17,46 10,54 9 27/12/2016 2 8 Germany 17 26,34 21,75 25,29 15,76 2 06/02/2016 1 0 Latvia 18 25,56 21,88 15,39 10,39 4 28/12/2016 3 0 Switzerland 16 26,33 21,91 28 21,25 4 02/04/2016 0 1 Montenegro 15 27,61 21,96 25,4 18,13 5 11/01/2015 1 2 England 19 24,67 22 16 11,74 4 04/01/2018 6 1 Faroe Islands 16 27,4 22,01 21,19 18,06 2 17/04/2015 1 1 Israel 15 27,45 22,16 22,53 17,67 4 27/05/2015 0 0 Netherlands 14 27,14 22,2 28,07 17,64 1 30/09/2015 0 1 Spain 19 26,07 22,21 26,79 17,58 3 30/10/2016 6 2 Lithuania 17 27,8 22,24 20,76 12,71 2 15/02/2015 0 1 Slovakia 20 26,91 22,26 21,9 13,05 3 14/01/2016 3 0 Austria 16 27,17 22,46 25,13 16,75 2 21/12/2015 3 0 Malta 15 27,29 22,48 23,4 16,33 1 16/11/2015 2 6 France 20 26,94 22,5 32,85 18,95 4 31/03/2016 2 1 Italy 20 27,07 22,5 24,15 16,25 3 10/02/2016 1 1 Bosnia-Herzegovina 19 28,04 22,51 25,74 17,63 1 27/02/2015 3 7 Greece 16 26,59 22,54 17,38 13,56 4 20/08/2016 1 2 Ukraine 17 27,87 22,72 32,65 21,29 3 14/07/2015 3 3 Albania 17 27,21 22,83 22,41 15,06 2 21/04/2016 1 7 Scotland 18 27,09 22,97 15,67 11,56 5 25/07/2016 1 6 Republic Ireland 18 28,11 22,99 27,89 17,89 3 22/07/2015 2 7 Kazakhstan 16 27,04 23,02 20,5 15,44 3 30/08/2016 0 1 Hungary 16 27,14 23,16 20,06 14,63 3 10/09/2016 2 2 Kosovo 21 26,76 23,46 17,38 13,48 1 18/05/2017 0 13 Belarus 16 28,74 23,46 22,5 13 0 27/05/2015 1 0 Slovenia 16 27,48 23,65 14,13 11,19 4 09/11/2016 3 0 Romania 19 28,25 23,78 20,26 14,05 0 18/03/2016 3 1 Gibraltar 14 27,74 24,01 18,07 13,93 6 12/12/2016 2 5 Russia 16 29,75 24,08 24,94 15,56 0 05/01/2015 0 1 Armenia 18 28,02 24,22 16 11 4 20/11/2016 6 6 Bulgaria 19 28,22 24,38 13,05 9,53 2 03/11/2016 4 1 Czech Republic 28 27,69 25 11,46 7,04 2 30/12/2017 14 1 PU – number of players fielded; Av Age – Average Age of the fielded players; Av Age Debut – Average Age of Debut for the fielded players; Av Caps – Average number of international matches; Av Comp Matches – Average number of caps in competitive matches; Teen Debut – number of the fielded players debuting while still teenagers; Av Debut – Average date of the first national team debut; Debut – number of players debuting in this UEFA Nations League edition; Born Abr – fielded footballers not born in the country/nation they represent.

C A B A D A C A D B A A C B B D A A A C A C B B C B C C C B D B C B B

79

Andorra fielded the most experience set of players in international matches, but followed by Belgium and Portugal, two sides of which people have been talking a lot for a while, the Belgian Red Devils new golden generation, with the Portuguese already grabbing silverware and the Belgians aiming for titles too.

This is the column where League A sides appear the most at top, with nine in the top 14, proving experience matters and when you’re on top you resist to change, making it more difficult for newcomers to enter the squad.

This can present a problem on the long term, because – not forced, naturally – constant renovation is needed. Belgium went through this same problem in the early 90’s, when managers opted to continue the 80’s Red Devils almost to the limit and then there were no references for the transition, names like Scifo and De Gryse or Nilis were short. It’s important to keep on introducing new names, to make all believe they can enter the national side if they perform well and with that maintain the intergenerational line.

Nation PU Andorra 16 Belgium 20 Portugal 17 Estonia 20 Poland 18 Denmark 16 Sweden 20 Luxembourg 14 Northern Ireland 18 France 20 Ukraine 17 North Macedonia 15 Iceland 20 Croatia 17 Serbia 18 Netherlands 14 Switzerland 16 Norway 18 Republic Ireland 18 Liechtenstein 14 Spain 19 Bosnia-Herzegovina 19 Montenegro 15 Germany 17

Av Age 29,4 27,42 27,06 26,3 27,67 27,67 28,29 25,39 27,71 26,94 27,87 27,83 28,43 26,76 27,38 27,14 26,33 27,39 28,11 26,22 26,07 28,04 27,61 26,34

Av Age Debut 20,84 21,33 21,54 20,44 20,85 21,27 21,39 19,8 21,04 22,5 22,72 21,5 21,55 21,64 21,08 22,2 21,91 21,47 22,99 20,23 22,21 22,51 21,96 21,75

Av Comp Teen Av Born Caps Match Deb Debut Deb Abr UNL 41,13 31,63 10 14/02/2012 2 4 D 40,85 26,05 7 07/08/2014 3 0 A 40 27,71 5 28/02/2015 1 4 A 36,15 18,4 10 31/10/2014 3 0 C 35 21,44 6 11/11/2013 1 0 A 34,81 22,75 6 14/04/2014 2 1 A 34,45 23,15 5 14/10/2013 0 0 A 33,64 21 6 03/02/2015 0 5 C 33 23 7 04/01/2014 1 5 B 32,85 18,95 4 31/03/2016 2 1 A 32,65 21,29 3 14/07/2015 3 3 A 32,2 25,07 6 09/05/2014 1 1 C 31,8 19,85 5 22/10/2013 1 1 A 31,35 22,29 5 29/07/2015 1 2 A 29,28 17,89 5 22/05/2014 1 1 B 28,07 17,64 1 30/09/2015 0 1 A 28 21,25 4 02/04/2016 0 1 A 27,94 18,39 5 06/10/2014 0 2 B 27,89 17,89 3 22/07/2015 2 7 B 27,07 19,29 9 11/09/2014 0 6 D 26,79 17,58 3 30/10/2016 6 2 A 25,74 17,63 1 27/02/2015 3 7 A 25,4 18,13 5 11/01/2015 1 2 C 25,29 15,76 2 06/02/2016 1 0 A 80

Finland 18 26,78 21,14 25,17 14,44 4 15/01/2015 1 3 Austria 16 27,17 22,46 25,13 16,75 2 21/12/2015 3 0 Russia 16 29,75 24,08 24,94 15,56 0 05/01/2015 0 1 Moldova 17 27,36 21,6 24,88 17,47 4 02/12/2014 1 0 Georgia 17 26,3 21,33 24,41 15,65 5 18/09/2015 1 1 Wales 17 24,85 20,32 24,24 17,71 8 23/02/2016 3 8 Italy 20 27,07 22,5 24,15 16,25 3 10/02/2016 1 1 Malta 15 27,29 22,48 23,4 16,33 1 16/11/2015 2 6 Israel 15 27,45 22,16 22,53 17,67 4 27/05/2015 0 0 Belarus 16 28,74 23,46 22,5 13 0 27/05/2015 1 0 Albania 17 27,21 22,83 22,41 15,06 2 21/04/2016 1 7 Slovakia 20 26,91 22,26 21,9 13,05 3 14/01/2016 3 0 San Marino 20 26,85 21,31 21,75 19,35 10 21/02/2015 2 4 Faroe Islands 16 27,4 22,01 21,19 18,06 2 17/04/2015 1 1 Lithuania 17 27,8 22,24 20,76 12,71 2 15/02/2015 0 1 Kazakhstan 16 27,04 23,02 20,5 15,44 3 30/08/2016 0 1 Romania 19 28,25 23,78 20,26 14,05 0 18/03/2016 3 1 Hungary 16 27,14 23,16 20,06 14,63 3 10/09/2016 2 2 Azerbaijan 17 25,59 21,38 19,06 13,29 2 22/06/2016 1 5 Gibraltar 14 27,74 24,01 18,07 13,93 6 12/12/2016 2 5 Turkey 24 25,4 21,71 17,46 10,54 9 27/12/2016 2 8 Greece 16 26,59 22,54 17,38 13,56 4 20/08/2016 1 2 Kosovo 21 26,76 23,46 17,38 13,48 1 18/05/2017 0 13 Cyprus 18 25,43 21,23 16,56 12,44 6 27/06/2016 3 0 Armenia 18 28,02 24,22 16 11 4 20/11/2016 6 6 England 19 24,67 22 16 11,74 4 04/01/2018 6 1 Scotland 18 27,09 22,97 15,67 11,56 5 25/07/2016 1 6 Latvia 18 25,56 21,88 15,39 10,39 4 28/12/2016 3 0 Slovenia 16 27,48 23,65 14,13 11,19 4 09/11/2016 3 0 Bulgaria 19 28,22 24,38 13,05 9,53 2 03/11/2016 4 1 Czech Republic 28 27,69 25 11,46 7,04 2 30/12/2017 14 1 PU – number of players fielded; Av Age – Average Age of the fielded players; Av Age Debut – Average Age of Debut for the fielded players; Av Caps – Average number of international matches; Av Comp Matches – Average number of caps in competitive matches; Teen Debut – number of the fielded players debuting while still teenagers; Av Debut – Average date of the first national team debut; Debut – number of players debuting in this UEFA Nations League edition; Born Abr – fielded footballers not born in the country/nation they represent.

B B B C C B A D B C C B D D C C B B C D B C C C C A B D C B B

81

Again, the Eastern European are the nations with no teen debuts in the fielded footballers, Belarus, Romania and Russia all present none.

On the opposite hand are the smaller nations of Andorra, San Marino and Baltic Estonia, all with 10 players debuting while still teenagers.

Nation PU Belarus 16 Romania 19 Russia 16 Malta 15 Kosovo 21 Netherlands 14 Bosnia-Herzegovina 19 Faroe Islands 16 Azerbaijan 17 Albania 17 Lithuania 17 Austria 16 Czech Republic 28 Bulgaria 19 Germany 17 Kazakhstan 16 Slovakia 20 Hungary 16 Republic Ireland 18 Spain 19 Italy 20 Ukraine 17 Latvia 18 Greece 16 Moldova 17 Slovenia 16 Armenia 18 Finland 18 Israel 15 England 19 Switzerland 16 France 20 Georgia 17 Montenegro 15

Av Age 28,74 28,25 29,75 27,29 26,76 27,14 28,04 27,4 25,59 27,21 27,8 27,17 27,69 28,22 26,34 27,04 26,91 27,14 28,11 26,07 27,07 27,87 25,56 26,59 27,36 27,48 28,02 26,78 27,45 24,67 26,33 26,94 26,3 27,61

Av Age Debut 23,46 23,78 24,08 22,48 23,46 22,2 22,51 22,01 21,38 22,83 22,24 22,46 25 24,38 21,75 23,02 22,26 23,16 22,99 22,21 22,5 22,72 21,88 22,54 21,6 23,65 24,22 21,14 22,16 22 21,91 22,5 21,33 21,96

Av Comp Teen Av Born Caps Match Deb Debut Deb Abr UNL 22,5 13 0 27/05/2015 1 0 C 20,26 14,05 0 18/03/2016 3 1 B 24,94 15,56 0 05/01/2015 0 1 B 23,4 16,33 1 16/11/2015 2 6 D 17,38 13,48 1 18/05/2017 0 13 C 28,07 17,64 1 30/09/2015 0 1 A 25,74 17,63 1 27/02/2015 3 7 A 21,19 18,06 2 17/04/2015 1 1 D 19,06 13,29 2 22/06/2016 1 5 C 22,41 15,06 2 21/04/2016 1 7 C 20,76 12,71 2 15/02/2015 0 1 C 25,13 16,75 2 21/12/2015 3 0 B 11,46 7,04 2 30/12/2017 14 1 B 13,05 9,53 2 03/11/2016 4 1 B 25,29 15,76 2 06/02/2016 1 0 A 20,5 15,44 3 30/08/2016 0 1 C 21,9 13,05 3 14/01/2016 3 0 B 20,06 14,63 3 10/09/2016 2 2 B 27,89 17,89 3 22/07/2015 2 7 B 26,79 17,58 3 30/10/2016 6 2 A 24,15 16,25 3 10/02/2016 1 1 A 32,65 21,29 3 14/07/2015 3 3 A 15,39 10,39 4 28/12/2016 3 0 D 17,38 13,56 4 20/08/2016 1 2 C 24,88 17,47 4 02/12/2014 1 0 C 14,13 11,19 4 09/11/2016 3 0 C 16 11 4 20/11/2016 6 6 C 25,17 14,44 4 15/01/2015 1 3 B 22,53 17,67 4 27/05/2015 0 0 B 16 11,74 4 04/01/2018 6 1 A 28 21,25 4 02/04/2016 0 1 A 32,85 18,95 4 31/03/2016 2 1 A 24,41 15,65 5 18/09/2015 1 1 C 25,4 18,13 5 11/01/2015 1 2 C 82

Scotland 18 27,09 22,97 15,67 11,56 5 25/07/2016 1 6 Serbia 18 27,38 21,08 29,28 17,89 5 22/05/2014 1 1 Norway 18 27,39 21,47 27,94 18,39 5 06/10/2014 0 2 Croatia 17 26,76 21,64 31,35 22,29 5 29/07/2015 1 2 Portugal 17 27,06 21,54 40 27,71 5 28/02/2015 1 4 Sweden 20 28,29 21,39 34,45 23,15 5 14/10/2013 0 0 Iceland 20 28,43 21,55 31,8 19,85 5 22/10/2013 1 1 Gibraltar 14 27,74 24,01 18,07 13,93 6 12/12/2016 2 5 Luxembourg 14 25,39 19,8 33,64 21 6 03/02/2015 0 5 Cyprus 18 25,43 21,23 16,56 12,44 6 27/06/2016 3 0 North Macedonia 15 27,83 21,5 32,2 25,07 6 09/05/2014 1 1 Poland 18 27,67 20,85 35 21,44 6 11/11/2013 1 0 Denmark 16 27,67 21,27 34,81 22,75 6 14/04/2014 2 1 Northern Ireland 18 27,71 21,04 33 23 7 04/01/2014 1 5 Belgium 20 27,42 21,33 40,85 26,05 7 07/08/2014 3 0 Wales 17 24,85 20,32 24,24 17,71 8 23/02/2016 3 8 Liechtenstein 14 26,22 20,23 27,07 19,29 9 11/09/2014 0 6 Turkey 24 25,4 21,71 17,46 10,54 9 27/12/2016 2 8 San Marino 20 26,85 21,31 21,75 19,35 10 21/02/2015 2 4 Andorra 16 29,4 20,84 41,13 31,63 10 14/02/2012 2 4 Estonia 20 26,3 20,44 36,15 18,4 10 31/10/2014 3 0 PU – number of players fielded; Av Age – Average Age of the fielded players; Av Age Debut – Average Age of Debut for the fielded players; Av Caps – Average number of international matches; Av Comp Matches – Average number of caps in competitive matches; Teen Debut – number of the fielded players debuting while still teenagers; Av Debut – Average date of the first national team debut; Debut – number of players debuting in this UEFA Nations League edition; Born Abr – fielded footballers not born in the country/nation they represent.

B B B A A A A D C C C A A B A B D B D D C

Debut on average happened the longest in Andorra, followed by Nordic Sweden and Iceland. England, Czech Republic and Kosovo have started less time ago, two to three years ago only.

Av Av Nation Andorra Sweden Iceland Poland Northern Ireland

PU 16 20 20 18 18

Age 29,4 28,29 28,43 27,67 27,71

Age

Av

Comp Teen

Av

Debut Caps Match Deb Debut Deb 20,84 41,13 31,63 10 14/02/2012 2 21,39 34,45 23,15 5 14/10/2013 0 21,55 31,8 19,85 5 22/10/2013 1 20,85 35 21,44 6 11/11/2013 1 21,04 33 23 7 04/01/2014 1

Born Abr 4 0 1 0 5 83

UNL D A A A B

Denmark North Macedonia Serbia Belgium Liechtenstein Norway Estonia Moldova Russia Montenegro Finland Luxembourg Lithuania San Marino Bosnia-Herzegovina Portugal Faroe Islands Belarus Israel Ukraine Republic Ireland Croatia Georgia Netherlands Malta Austria Slovakia Germany Italy Wales Romania France Switzerland Albania Azerbaijan Cyprus Scotland Greece Kazakhstan Hungary Spain

16 15 18 20 14 18 20 17 16 15 18 14 17 20 19 17 16 16 15 17 18 17 17 14 15 16 20 17 20 17 19 20 16 17 17 18 18 16 16 16 19

27,67 27,83 27,38 27,42 26,22 27,39 26,3 27,36 29,75 27,61 26,78 25,39 27,8 26,85 28,04 27,06 27,4 28,74 27,45 27,87 28,11 26,76 26,3 27,14 27,29 27,17 26,91 26,34 27,07 24,85 28,25 26,94 26,33 27,21 25,59 25,43 27,09 26,59 27,04 27,14 26,07

21,27 21,5 21,08 21,33 20,23 21,47 20,44 21,6 24,08 21,96 21,14 19,8 22,24 21,31 22,51 21,54 22,01 23,46 22,16 22,72 22,99 21,64 21,33 22,2 22,48 22,46 22,26 21,75 22,5 20,32 23,78 22,5 21,91 22,83 21,38 21,23 22,97 22,54 23,02 23,16 22,21

34,81 32,2 29,28 40,85 27,07 27,94 36,15 24,88 24,94 25,4 25,17 33,64 20,76 21,75 25,74 40 21,19 22,5 22,53 32,65 27,89 31,35 24,41 28,07 23,4 25,13 21,9 25,29 24,15 24,24 20,26 32,85 28 22,41 19,06 16,56 15,67 17,38 20,5 20,06 26,79

22,75 25,07 17,89 26,05 19,29 18,39 18,4 17,47 15,56 18,13 14,44 21 12,71 19,35 17,63 27,71 18,06 13 17,67 21,29 17,89 22,29 15,65 17,64 16,33 16,75 13,05 15,76 16,25 17,71 14,05 18,95 21,25 15,06 13,29 12,44 11,56 13,56 15,44 14,63 17,58

6 6 5 7 9 5 10 4 0 5 4 6 2 10 1 5 2 0 4 3 3 5 5 1 1 2 3 2 3 8 0 4 4 2 2 6 5 4 3 3 3

14/04/2014 09/05/2014 22/05/2014 07/08/2014 11/09/2014 06/10/2014 31/10/2014 02/12/2014 05/01/2015 11/01/2015 15/01/2015 03/02/2015 15/02/2015 21/02/2015 27/02/2015 28/02/2015 17/04/2015 27/05/2015 27/05/2015 14/07/2015 22/07/2015 29/07/2015 18/09/2015 30/09/2015 16/11/2015 21/12/2015 14/01/2016 06/02/2016 10/02/2016 23/02/2016 18/03/2016 31/03/2016 02/04/2016 21/04/2016 22/06/2016 27/06/2016 25/07/2016 20/08/2016 30/08/2016 10/09/2016 30/10/2016

2 1 1 3 0 0 3 1 0 1 1 0 0 2 3 1 1 1 0 3 2 1 1 0 2 3 3 1 1 3 3 2 0 1 1 3 1 1 0 2 6

1 1 1 0 6 2 0 0 1 2 3 5 1 4 7 4 1 0 0 3 7 2 1 1 6 0 0 0 1 8 1 1 1 7 5 0 6 2 1 2 2

A C B A D B C C B C B C C D A A D C B A B A C A D B B A A B B A A C C C B C C B A 84

Bulgaria 19 28,22 24,38 13,05 9,53 2 03/11/2016 4 1 Slovenia 16 27,48 23,65 14,13 11,19 4 09/11/2016 3 0 Armenia 18 28,02 24,22 16 11 4 20/11/2016 6 6 Gibraltar 14 27,74 24,01 18,07 13,93 6 12/12/2016 2 5 Turkey 24 25,4 21,71 17,46 10,54 9 27/12/2016 2 8 Latvia 18 25,56 21,88 15,39 10,39 4 28/12/2016 3 0 Kosovo 21 26,76 23,46 17,38 13,48 1 18/05/2017 0 13 Czech Republic 28 27,69 25 11,46 7,04 2 30/12/2017 14 1 England 19 24,67 22 16 11,74 4 04/01/2018 6 1 PU – number of players fielded; Av Age – Average Age of the fielded players; Av Age Debut – Average Age of Debut for the fielded players; Av Caps – Average number of international matches; Av Comp Matches – Average number of caps in competitive matches; Teen Debut – number of the fielded players debuting while still teenagers; Av Debut – Average date of the first national team debut; Debut – number of players debuting in this UEFA Nations League edition; Born Abr – fielded footballers not born in the country/nation they represent.

B C C D B D C B A

Again, the Covid-19 situation made Czech Republic debut the number of players it did, or near it, with 14 newcomers used in the doubleheader.

Spain, England and Armenia were the sides which fielded more newcomers, with no conditional situation, six, followed by four Bulgarians.

A starting lineup, 11, had no new name fielded, Switzerland, Netherlands, Sweden, Israel, Russia, Norway, Kosovo, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein opted on no newcomers in that 1st doubleheader of the UEFA Nations League 2nd edition.

Nation Czech Republic Armenia Spain England Bulgaria Latvia Estonia Cyprus Slovenia Austria Slovakia Wales

PU 28 18 19 19 19 18 20 18 16 16 20 17

Av Age 27,69 28,02 26,07 24,67 28,22 25,56 26,3 25,43 27,48 27,17 26,91 24,85

Av Age Debut 25 24,22 22,21 22 24,38 21,88 20,44 21,23 23,65 22,46 22,26 20,32

Av Comp Teen Av Born Caps Match Deb Debut Deb Abr UNL 11,46 7,04 2 30/12/2017 14 1 B 16 11 4 20/11/2016 6 6 C 26,79 17,58 3 30/10/2016 6 2 A 16 11,74 4 04/01/2018 6 1 A 13,05 9,53 2 03/11/2016 4 1 B 15,39 10,39 4 28/12/2016 3 0 D 36,15 18,4 10 31/10/2014 3 0 C 16,56 12,44 6 27/06/2016 3 0 C 14,13 11,19 4 09/11/2016 3 0 C 25,13 16,75 2 21/12/2015 3 0 B 21,9 13,05 3 14/01/2016 3 0 B 24,24 17,71 8 23/02/2016 3 8 B 85

Romania Belgium Bosnia-Herzegovina Ukraine Andorra San Marino Malta Gibraltar Republic Ireland Hungary Turkey Denmark France Faroe Islands North Macedonia Moldova Montenegro Belarus Georgia Albania Azerbaijan Greece Northern Ireland Serbia Finland Scotland Iceland Poland Portugal Croatia Germany Italy Liechtenstein Luxembourg Lithuania Kazakhstan Kosovo Norway Russia Israel Sweden

19 20 19 17 16 20 15 14 18 16 24 16 20 16 15 17 15 16 17 17 17 16 18 18 18 18 20 18 17 17 17 20 14 14 17 16 21 18 16 15 20

28,25 27,42 28,04 27,87 29,4 26,85 27,29 27,74 28,11 27,14 25,4 27,67 26,94 27,4 27,83 27,36 27,61 28,74 26,3 27,21 25,59 26,59 27,71 27,38 26,78 27,09 28,43 27,67 27,06 26,76 26,34 27,07 26,22 25,39 27,8 27,04 26,76 27,39 29,75 27,45 28,29

23,78 21,33 22,51 22,72 20,84 21,31 22,48 24,01 22,99 23,16 21,71 21,27 22,5 22,01 21,5 21,6 21,96 23,46 21,33 22,83 21,38 22,54 21,04 21,08 21,14 22,97 21,55 20,85 21,54 21,64 21,75 22,5 20,23 19,8 22,24 23,02 23,46 21,47 24,08 22,16 21,39

20,26 40,85 25,74 32,65 41,13 21,75 23,4 18,07 27,89 20,06 17,46 34,81 32,85 21,19 32,2 24,88 25,4 22,5 24,41 22,41 19,06 17,38 33 29,28 25,17 15,67 31,8 35 40 31,35 25,29 24,15 27,07 33,64 20,76 20,5 17,38 27,94 24,94 22,53 34,45

14,05 26,05 17,63 21,29 31,63 19,35 16,33 13,93 17,89 14,63 10,54 22,75 18,95 18,06 25,07 17,47 18,13 13 15,65 15,06 13,29 13,56 23 17,89 14,44 11,56 19,85 21,44 27,71 22,29 15,76 16,25 19,29 21 12,71 15,44 13,48 18,39 15,56 17,67 23,15

0 7 1 3 10 10 1 6 3 3 9 6 4 2 6 4 5 0 5 2 2 4 7 5 4 5 5 6 5 5 2 3 9 6 2 3 1 5 0 4 5

18/03/2016 07/08/2014 27/02/2015 14/07/2015 14/02/2012 21/02/2015 16/11/2015 12/12/2016 22/07/2015 10/09/2016 27/12/2016 14/04/2014 31/03/2016 17/04/2015 09/05/2014 02/12/2014 11/01/2015 27/05/2015 18/09/2015 21/04/2016 22/06/2016 20/08/2016 04/01/2014 22/05/2014 15/01/2015 25/07/2016 22/10/2013 11/11/2013 28/02/2015 29/07/2015 06/02/2016 10/02/2016 11/09/2014 03/02/2015 15/02/2015 30/08/2016 18/05/2017 06/10/2014 05/01/2015 27/05/2015 14/10/2013

3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

1 0 7 3 4 4 6 5 7 2 8 1 1 1 1 0 2 0 1 7 5 2 5 1 3 6 1 0 4 2 0 1 6 5 1 1 13 2 1 0 0

B A A A D D D D B B B A A D C C C C C C C C B B B B A A A A A A D C C C C B B B A 86

Netherlands Switzerland

14 27,14 22,2 16 26,33 21,91

28,07 28

17,64 21,25

1 4

30/09/2015 02/04/2016

0 0

1 1

A A

87