Club football will stop for a while due to the international break when all the national teams will be in action.
Below we have picked out five of the best matches to watch for fans during November’s break.
1- Brazil vs Argentina (Tuesday, November 21st)
Brazil and Argentina, two of the greatest rivals in football, will go head-to-head this week at the Maracanã. Lionel Scaloni’s side haven’t lost a game since beating France in the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar. They are currently at the top of the CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifiers table after winning all their four matches.
On the other hand, Brazil have been struggling to find form, suffering a draw against Venezuela before their 2-0 loss to Uruguay in October. But the Selecao still have some world-class players in their ranks and they are expected to give Argentina a tough contest.
2- England vs Malta (Friday, November 17th)
England have already secured qualification after winning five of their six qualifier matches. They confirmed their place for next summer’s European Championship by defeating Italy last month.
Malta, who have lost seven consecutive matches, are not expected to offer much in terms of a contest, while North Macedonia are no formidable opponents either. And so England’s November 2023 fixtures will likely provide a good opportunity for manager Gareth Southgate to feature his young players, like Rico Lewis and Cole Palmer.
3- Ukraine vs Italy (Monday, November 20th)
Italy are the defending champions but surprisingly, they are currently at risk of missing out on the prestigious European competition. They lost 3-1 to England in October and are now sitting third in the table, with three points behind Ukraine.
The Blues will take on North Macedonia before travelling to Germany for their crucial fixture with Ukraine. If they fail to beat North Macedonia, a draw will suffice for Serhiy Rebrov’s side to qualify for Euro 2024.
4- Poland vs Czech Republic (Friday, November 17th)
Poland are in danger of missing out on the Euro 2024 after losing three of their seven qualifier matches. They are set to face Czech Republic in a crucial home game at the National Stadium Warsaw.
The Czechs won 3-1 the last time the two teams met in Prague, and Jaroslav Šilhavý’s side are now sitting a point above their rivals in second. This could be Robert Lewandowski’s last tournament with Poland, should the team manage to qualify.
5- Armenia vs Wales (Saturday, November 18th)
Wales stunned World Cup semi-finalists Croatia last time out by beating them 2-1 in Cardiff. The result lifted them to second in Group D, albeit they have the same points as Croatia.
Robert Page’s side are currently on the brink of qualification for Euro 2024. A victory in Armenia would greatly boost their chances before their last game against Turkey.
