In a congested soccer season where elite players have aired the idea of going on strike, the Nations League returns this week looking less than a top priority.

France captain Kylian Mbappé opted to stay away, his probable deputy Antoine Griezmann retired from the national team, and Romelu Lukaku asked to work on his fitness at new club Napoli rather than join the Belgium camp.

Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco called up four potential debutants to experiment in games in what is the third-tier competition for European teams.

“We will not do it during the important World Cup qualification,” said Tedesco, looking ahead to that important next stage in 2025.

The 2026 World Cup in North America is, however, already now in play for teams targeting that tournament and each has two Nations League games from Thursday through Tuesday.

Results in the next week, and two more games in November, are the last chance to gain a better seeding in the Dec. 13 draw in Zurich for European qualifying groups for the World Cup.

Two teams pushing to raise their FIFA ranking and go into the draw pot of second-seeded teams are Norway and Slovenia.

Europe’s most feared striker and one of its emerging stars are due to meet again on Thursday in Oslo.

Erling Haaland and Benjamin Šeško, once club mates at Salzburg, are the main attractions when Norway hosts Slovenia in their second-tier League B group.

Haaland has 11 goals in 10 games for Manchester City this season plus a winning goal in the Nations League, sealing a 2-1 victory over Austria last month.

Šeško has six in nine games for Leipzig — including three in the Champions League — plus four in two Nations League games. The tall striker got a hat trick in a 3-0 win over Kazakhstan.

Thursday’s game will not be decisive in the group but it will decide who leads at the midway point and is set for promotion to the top tier. The return game in Ljubljana is Nov. 14.

The last time France played a game with neither Mbappé nor Griezmann on the field? November 2016, in a 0-0 draw with Ivory Coast in a friendly.

It will happen again Thursday when France faces Israel in Budapest. The Hungarian capital is the neutral venue chosen since Israel’s conflict with Hamas started one year ago.

Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta, one of football’s greatest midfield maestros, has officially announced his retirement from professional football, bringing an end to a remarkable career spanning more than two decades.

Known for his vision, composure, and exceptional passing, Iniesta leaves behind a legacy that has inspired countless fans and players around the world.

Iniesta’s illustrious career is highlighted by his incredible achievements with both Barcelona and the Spanish national team.

During his legendary career, Iniesta won a total of 9 La Liga titles, 4 Champions League trophies, and 6 Copa del Reys with Barcelona, cementing his place as one of the club’s all-time greats.

After over 20 years at Barcelona, Iniesta moved to Japan, where he continued to showcase his brilliance. His time at Vissel Kobe saw him claim a Japanese Championship, Cup, and Super Cup, adding yet more silverware to his already extensive collection.

After his successful tenure at Vissel Kobe, Andrés Iniesta briefly ventured into Middle Eastern football, signing with Emirates Club in the UAE in 2023, where he played for a season.

Throughout his career, Iniesta’s humility, skill, and dedication to the game earned him the respect of fans and players alike. His contributions to the sport, both domestically and internationally, will undoubtedly echo for years to come as he steps away from the game.

In a move to build its brand awareness among Nigerian football fans, Lekki Astro Sports Club League is seeking national and international sponsorship deals to boost an exhilarating season of action, star-studded matchups, and unforgettable moments.

The Lekki Astro League is a fast-growing all-star sports club league in the Lekki Axis of Lagos, with over 100 quality multi-ethnic and diaspora members from various walks of life, aged between (35-60) years. It has members including some ex-Super Eagles players and prominent ex-European-based professional players.

The league kicks off in October 2024 and ends towards the end of the year with awards and a gala night takes place in December 2024.

A press release by the league management reads:
“LASC League has a long-standing connection with football globally and we look forward to developing annually. It is an annual tournament, which aims to promote peace, love, and unity through football to keep fit while challenging ourselves further through competition. The league will bring Nigerians and other part of Africa together with the motive of unity irrespective of ethnic and religious differences.”

“The Lekki Astro League is purely Nigerian, as all members are Nigerians even though some members reside abroad. All materials and equipment for the league are sourced locally.”

“Our objective is to have sponsors partner with us as we kick-start our 2024 league cup in October 2024 and wrap up our annual End of the year/awards night coming up in December 2024.

According to the statement, Lekki Astro League is an intra-football tournament comprised of four football teams while the kick-off stretches across six weeks with 12 matches to be played in a regular league format. The four teams participating in this season are Team Harrison Group, Team Smart FC, Team Success, and Team Las Pinas Luxury.

The statement continues: “The 3rd edition of the LASC league promises to be bigger and better than the previous editions, as we gradually continue to improve on the template that was established from the inaugural edition. This is the first time we will be having entirely different sponsors from the initial editions.

This year’s edition promises to be more exciting as our membership increases annually with competent individuals who are competent on the field of play,” it concluded.

LASC league is delighted to announce the individual sponsorship of Chief Harrison Okorie, Mr. Smart Ibe, Mr Chima Njoku, and Mr. Chigozie Igwebuike to commence the “incredible season”