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Liverpool will return to Premier League action this weekend with a trip to Burnley, but it has been a positive international break for many of Arne Slot's players.
Record signing Alexander Isak, who arrived for a fee of $169 million (£125 million) on deadline day, came off the bench and looked relatively sharp for Sweden, given that he hasn't had a competitive kick for months. Though his Liverpool debut will have to wait until he is further along the line with match sharpness, that can only be a boost.
Alexis Mac Allister sat out Argentina's first match of the international break but then played the full 90 minutes in a narrow defeat to Ecuador, where the South American media were unimpressed, suggesting he didn't look fit.
But Alisson Becker played well for Brazil twice, even if he could do nothing to stop Carlo Ancelotti's side from losing 1-0 against Bolivia, meaning a lowest-ever finish in World Cup qualifying.
Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, and Ryan Gravenberch all featured for the Netherlands, though the Liverpool midfielder was given a rest in the second match (a 3-2 win against Lithuania). Jeremie Frimpong missed out through injury but has since come back to training, and Stefan Bajcetic was spotted upping his training load as he continues to work towards a return too.
Giorgi Mamardashvili kept a clean sheet for Georgia against Bulgaria, but his nation lost 3-2 against Turkey. And Ibrahima Konate — while joking about his contract situation in between — played both games as France beat Ukraine and then Iceland.
Dominik Szoboszlai and Milos Kerkez both featured heavily as Hungary drew 2-2 with Ireland and then lost late on to Portugal in Budapest. Cristiano Ronaldo promised Szoboszlai his jersey when the nations meet again next month.
Andy Robertson, who was in need of minutes having been overtaken by Kerkez at Anfield, got some action, captaining Scotland to a goalless draw in Denmark and then a 2-0 win over Belarus.
Florian Wirtz scored a sensational free-kick for Germany, though his performances were not wholly praised, while Mohamed Salah and Egypt fell short of qualifying for the World Cup in this international break, but should tie it up in the next one.
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Hugo Ekitike made his senior debut for France, playing twice for Didier Deschamps, but 18-year-old center-back Giovanni Leoni was made to wait for his senior Italy bow despite being called up by new boss Gennaro Gattuso.
Wataru Endo played the whole game as Japan drew 0-0 with Mexico, but then was left on the bench during a 2-0 defeat against the USMNT.
And young talents, including Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni, impressed for England's U19s, and Trent Kone-Doherty made his debut at U21 level for Ireland, where he notched an assist.
Liverpool's stars will play for their nations again in around a month. Before then, Arne Slot's men will take on Burnley, Atletico Madrid (Champions League), Everton, Southampton (League Cup), Crystal Palace, Galatasaray (Champions League), and Chelsea.
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