Fernandes, Gakpo and Dorgu sidelined by injuries during Nations League international break

Bruno Fernandes, Cody Gakpo and Patrick Dorgu suffered injuries while on international duty in the Nations League this week, limiting their involvement in matches during the current international break. Fernandes was omitted from Portugal's squad for Sunday’s fixture against Norway after featuring in the win over Wales on Thursday, while Gakpo and Dorgu were forced off during their countries’ Sunday fixtures.

Fernandes, captain of Manchester United, started in Portugal’s victory over Wales on Thursday but was left out of the squad for the trip to Norway on Sunday. Prior to the Norway match, Portugal boss Jorge Jesus said Fernandes had "played through the pain" against Wales and "wasn't his usual self". Jesus added: "He played with an injury he brought from Manchester United," and said: "He really wanted to play against Wales."

Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo was substituted after just 16 minutes of the Netherlands' 2-1 win against Serbia, grimacing and holding the lower part of his right leg. The report notes Gakpo has started the season with "two goals and four assists in six appearances across all competitions." His early exit adds to concern for his club following recent absences.

Patrick Dorgu, identified as Fernandes' Manchester United team-mate, lasted 30 minutes before limping off in Denmark's 2-0 win over Wales. The injury curtailed his appearance in that Nations League fixture.

The first international break of the 2026-27 men's football season is one week longer than usual after the traditional October break was scrapped. As a result, there is a three-week run of international fixtures across late September and early October in which countries play four matches instead of the usual two.

Gakpo's injury was listed alongside other absences affecting clubs: Alexander Isak withdrew from Sweden duty with a minor thigh injury after playing the full 90 minutes and scoring in Sweden's 2-1 win over Romania on Friday. Isak will not be involved in Sweden's remaining three matches in this international break and "will be assessed by his club's medical staff," according to the report.

Additional injuries during the break included Arsenal's Kai Havertz and Sunderland's Brian Brobbey, both substituted in the Netherlands' draw with Germany after Havertz was caught on the knee by a high boot from Quinten Timber and Brobbey appeared to suffer a muscle injury. Sunderland suffered a further setback when Dan Ballard picked up a hamstring injury late in Northern Ireland's 1-0 win over Georgia; manager Michael O'Neill confirmed the injury "will rule him out of the national team's remaining fixtures in this international break." At international level, Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé was ruled out for at least two weeks after injuring his knee while scoring the winner in Zinedine Zidane's first game in charge of France, netting a "record-extending 67th goal from Michael Olise's pass to sink Turkey" before limping and being replaced five minutes later. Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala suffered a muscle injury during the warm-up for the game against the Netherlands and withdrew.

Alexander Isak "will be assessed by his club's medical staff," Dan Ballard will miss Northern Ireland's remaining fixtures in this international break, and Kylian Mbappé has been ruled out for at least two weeks, according to the reports cited above.