After a challenging spell on the sidelines, England-born Reggae Boyz defender Amari’i Bell is back with the national team and is already setting his sights on greater success.

Bell, a seasoned fullback who has been a key figure for Jamaica, is thrilled to rejoin his teammates and play under new head coach Steve McClaren, with their first assignment being the 2024/25 Concacaf Nations League.

The Reggae Boyz are set to host Cuba at the National Stadium on Friday before travelling to face Honduras four days later.

Bell, who missed significant time for both club and country due to a torn hamstring for which he had to do a repair surgery, expressed his excitement about returning to the Jamaican squad.

“It feels amazing to be back; it's been a long time now, but, you know, I'm happy to be here. It’s been tough being away from the pitch, and it was a big injury, one of my first of my career, so mentally it was hard to get back in a good place. But I went through the rough patch, and I'm now feeling good. I'm in good spirits and ready to go,” Bell shared.

“Like I said, it was a long time out and I had my ups and downs through the rehab process, but towards the end of it, I started to see the light a lot more and, yeah, mentally, my head is in a much better place,” he added.

Bell’s return comes at a crucial time for Jamaica, as they aim to build on their third-place finish in the last edition of the Concacaf Nations League.

The team’s performance was commendable, but Bell believes they have the potential to go all the way this time around, particularly with the guidance of McClaren, who brings a wealth of experience to the team.

McClaren, who has managed clubs in England’s Premier League and served as an assistant coach for the England national team, is known for his tactical acumen and ability to get the best out of his players.

“Yeah, for sure, for sure. Finishing third was a strong result, but we know we have the ability to do even better, so the plan is to go one step better this time and win it. That's the plan, and there's no reason why we can't do it. Everybody believes in ourselves and what we can do. So, yeah, we're going to go for it,” Bell said.

With his presence, Bell, who has 17 international caps since making his debut in 2021, adds depth and experience to Jamaica’s defensive line, a critical component as they aim to stifle the opposition in what promises to be a highly competitive tournament.

The 30-year-old’s ability to balance defensive duties with attacking support makes him a vital asset to the team’s ambitions.

“We’ve been building something special with this group. The chemistry is there, and the belief is growing. We know that winning the Nations League is a realistic goal, and we’re all committed to making it happen. We didn't do well in the Copa America as we thought we could have, but it's stepping stones,” Bell, who has two Concacaf Gold Cup and a Copa America appearance, noted.

For Bell, the opportunity to lift the Concacaf Nations League trophy would be a career-defining moment, much like it was when his club Luton Town earned promotion to the English Premier League (EPL).

Though his EPL experience was cut short due to the injury, Bell is eager to relive the experience.

“Yeah, man, that (Premier League experience) was amazing. It is something that everyone aspires to do in their career, and, you know, thankfully I got there. Unfortunately, it was cut short by the injury, so I still feel like I've got unfinished business there, and the aim with Luton is to get back promoted,” Bell declared.

Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish was left scratching his head by the lack of interest in midfielder Eberechi Eze during the transfer window. 

Eze, who joined Crystal Palace from Queens Park Rangers in 2020, has attracted plenty of interest for his performances with the Eagles over the years.

The 26-year-old got his tally up and running for the new Premier League season on Sunday, netting the equaliser in Palace's 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. 

Last season, Eze completed more dribbles (69) and created more chances (54) than anyone else in the Eagles squad, also scoring 11 goals in 27 league appearances. 

But another one of Palace's top performers, Michael Olise, secured a move to Bayern Munich in a £50million switch, with Parish relieved they were able to keep at least one of their prized assets for the start of the current campaign.

"I was really worried from a club point of view of losing Michael and Ebbs in the same window," Parish told Sky Sports News.

"We didn't have in Ebbs the interest that I thought we would have.

"I was astounded. Genuinely astounded. I mean, the guy's just an outstanding footballer, an outstanding person."

Palace did have plenty of interest in defender Marc Guehi and rejected multiple bids from Newcastle, the latest of which reached £65m.

Guehi impressed for England at Euro 2024 in the absence of Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, starting every game on their way to the final. 

Parish was expecting Guehi to leave Selhurst Park during the transfer window, but with Joachim Andersen returning to Fulham on a permanent transfer and an injury to new arrival Chadi Riad, forced him to alter his plans.

"I don't think the window worked out exactly the same format that we thought it would," Parish added.

"Maybe we thought at the beginning it'd be more likely that Marc Guehi went and we kept Joachim Andersen.

"We accepted that bid [for Andersen] which then made it very difficult really to sell both of our starting centre-backs in one window."

The Magpies' attempts to sign Guehi rolled on for most of the window, with the Eagles standing firm on their valuation having earned sizeable fees for Olise and Andersen.

Parish was able to welcome eight new faces to Selhurst Park, including the permanent arrival of Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah and the loan transfer for Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah on the final day of the window. 

But the Eagles chairman is all too aware that he will not be able to hold on to Guehi, and his other star players, for too long amid the financial powers from the clubs in the division and across Europe.

"We're proud of the fact that Michael Olise's gone to Bayern Munich," said Parish.

"We want to be selling to the top clubs, or to clubs like Newcastle who've got great aspirations and have recently been in the Champions League.

"So we have to manage all of those things. We won't get really great young talent to come to us if they think they're going to be stuck."

"We want to be playing in the Champions League. The reality is we don't right now.

"That's what players want to achieve in their career and we respect that and we respect the fact that sometimes we're going to be a pathway to that."

The much-anticipated fourth edition of the Concacaf Nations League gets underway on Wednesday, when 16 League B teams begin their hunt for promotion to taste League A action in the tournament’s next edition.

Split into four groups, the countries will face each other twice during the FIFA Match Windows in September, October, and November. However, unlike previous editions, matches will now be played at a centralized venue per group to help alleviate some of the travel challenges in the region.

Group winners will be promoted to League A, while fourth-place finishes are relegated to League C. Additionally, the tournament will help to decide berths for the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup.

Group A

El Salvador, Montserrat, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Bonaire comprise the first group. El Salvador returns to League B after being relegated in last year’s tournament, while Bonaire makes its debut after earning a promotion from League C.

Montserrat and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines will try to build on their 2023/24 Nations League campaign, in which they both finished with nine points.

Group B

Curaçao, Saint Lucia, Grenada, and Saint Martin are the teams drawn into Group B.

Saint Martin was promoted to League B, coming off an undefeated run in last year’s Nations League, while Curaçao is back in League B for the first time in three years after being relegated from League A. Grenada is also back after being relegated for the first time in four years.

Meanwhile, Saint Lucia, which tallied 10 points last year, will be hoping to ascend to League A for the first time.

Group C

Haiti, Puerto Rico, Aruba, and Sint Maarten round out Group C.

Aruba returns to League B for the first time since 2019/20 via promotion. Haiti also is back after being relegated.

Sint Maarten and Puerto Rico will rely on top scorers Gerwin Lake and Ricardo Rivera to lead the way.

Group D

The four teams in Group D are the Dominican Republic, Bermuda, Antigua and Barbuda, and Dominica.

Dominica arrives via promotion from League C to rub shoulders with Dominican Republic, and Antigua and Barbuda, who are on the hunt for a first-ever League A promotion, while Bermuda aims to improve after going 2-2-2 in last year’s edition.

At the conclusion of the group stage in November, the four group winners will qualify for the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup Group Stage, and the two best second-place finishers will advance to the 2025 Gold Cup Prelims.

The Gold Cup Prelims are scheduled for March 2025.

Meanwhile, League C action is also scheduled for Wednesday, with Bahamas and US Virgin Islands to open their Group A accounts. Barbados is the other team in the group.

Anguilla and Turks and Caicos Islands are set to cross swords in Group B, which also includes Belize, while British Virgin Islands will visit Cayman Islands in Group C, which also has St Kitts and Nevis.

At the end of the Group Stage in October, the three group winners and the best second-place finishers will advance to the 2024 Concacaf Nations League Play-In. The Play-In will take place in November 2024.

Manuel Ugarte insists he relishing the opportunity to take on the great responsibility that comes with playing for Manchester United. 

Ugarte, who completed his £50.5million move from Paris Saint-Germain last week, was officially unveiled to supporters ahead of their 3-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday. 

The Uruguayan became Erik ten Hag's fifth and final signing of the transfer window, with it expected he will be in United's midfield after the international break. 

He won 57 of his 98 tackles in Ligue 1 last season, more than any other player in the PSG squad, while also completing 1212 of his 1325 attempted passes, providing the Red Devils head coach a more mobile alternative to Casemiro in midfield.

Ugarte was also a part of Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay side that finished third at the Copa America, starting all six of their games at the tournament.

And the 23-year-old revealed that Facundo Pellistri, who completed a move to Panathinaikos last month, played a huge role in his decision to join the Red Devils. 

“First and foremost, its history, because we all know what a massive club United is - one of the best teams in the world,” said Ugarte.

“I also spoke a lot with Facu Pellistri, and he told me all about everything. The atmosphere that's generated, the matchday atmosphere at Old Trafford is incredible.

“So yes, I'm really excited. I'd love to experience United's legendary stadium as a player and feel the presence of the supporters.”

Ugarte also sought the views of Bruno Fernandes and Lisandro Martinez, two pillars of this current United side.

“I've watched a few games since the news started to come out,” Ugarte said. “I've also spoken with one or two players - Bruno and Licha - and I have chatted quite a lot.

“So yes, I'm really thrilled and, more than anything, eager and excited, while I obviously realise that it's a great responsibility, and I'm prepared for that.”

While Sunday’s match against Liverpool may not have gone to plan, Ugarte was able to sample the famous Old Trafford atmosphere for the first time.

During his time with PSG and Sporting CP, he has experienced playing away at Arsenal, Manchester City, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur. 

“I'm really excited. I've never seen anything like it before, these United fans, because, since the news first came out, they've been sending me messages.

England have confirmed that Chelsea attacker Cole Palmer has withdrawn from their squad for the Three Lions' upcoming Nations League fixtures. 

Palmer, along with Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins, were named in interim head coach Lee Carsley's first Three Lions squad but have since returned to their clubs. 

Manchester City's Phil Foden will also play no part in their matches against the Republic of Ireland and Finland after not reporting with illness. 

It serves as a significant blow for Carsley in his audition for the England role on a full-time basis, with Palmer a player the 50-year-old knows well from his time in charge of the Under-21's. 

Palmer was part of Carsley's European Under-21 Championship winning side last year, netting once in their semi-final victory over Israel. 

Of those included in the recent Nations League squad, only Anthony Gordon (14), Morgan Gibbs-White (15), Angel Gomes (16) and Noni Maudeke (19) have made more appearances under Carsley than Palmer (13). 

Palmer has continued on from his sensational return last season into this, notching one goal and four assists in three Premier League games so far this season. 

He has also created 11 chances this season, a total only bettered by Dwight McNeil (13) and Andreas Pereira (14) in the top flight so far. 

Rodrigo De Paul says the Argentina captaincy "still belongs" to Lionel Messi despite his extended injury lay-off.

The Inter Miami star has been out of action since the Copa America final due to an ankle injury and will not be involved in Argentina's upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Colombia.

Messi is still a key part of Lionel Sclaoni's plans with the national side, and he played in all but one of their games at that tournament, though only registered one goal and one assist for the tournament. 

Angel Di Maria retired from international duty after their Copa America triumph and was the usual deputy to Messi, who has captained Albiceleste since 2011.

With neither of those two available, it is expected that De Paul, who has 69 international caps, will wear the armband against Chile, but he has played down the idea of deputising for Messi.

"I always say that I play the role that they give me," De Paul said.

"It's been many years. I feel like an important player in this team. That's all I can say.

"Afterwards, we know that the armband belongs to Leo. Whoever has to wear it will be circumstantial because he is the captain of this team."

Argentina are currently top of their qualifying group with five wins from six games. Meanwhile, Messi is back in training again and is expected to make his return in MLS later this month.

Stuart Armstrong has completed a move to the MLS with the Vancouver Whitecaps following his exit from Southampton at the end of last season. 

Armstrong, who made 214 appearances in all competitions for the Saints, has signed a two-year deal and will join fellow Scotland team-mate Ryan Gauld at the club, having previously played with him at Dundee United.  

The 32-year-old was part of Steve Clarke's Scotland side during their dismal display at Euro 2024, featuring once as a substitute in their 1-0 defeat to Hungary.

He played 42 times in the Championship for Russell Martin's side last year, scoring five goals and adding seven assists, but missed the play-off final with a hamstring injury.

During his four-year stint at St. Mary's, Armstrong made 149 appearances in the Premier League and will provide an experienced midfield option for head coach Vanni Sartini.

“We are very excited to welcome Stuart and his family to Vancouver,” said Whitecaps FC sporting director, Axel Schuster. 

“He is a player who has excelled for many years at the highest levels in the United Kingdom, as well as internationally with Scotland.

"He brings experience, tactical awareness, positional flexibility, and a very high work rate.

"In addition, his passing range and elite chance creation from the midfield position will add another dimension to our team’s overall attack."

The Whitecaps currently sit fifth in the Western Conference table, with Armstrong potentially in line to make his debut this weekend against FC Dallas. 

Angelo Gabriel has completed a permanent transfer to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr from Chelsea. 

Angelo has signed a five-year contract with the Saudi outfit, who are captained by Cristiano Ronaldo, for a reported £19.4million transfer fee. 

Chelsea have also included a sell-on clause as part of their agreement with Al-Nassr.

The 19-year-old Brazilian arrived at Stamford Bridge last year from Santos in a £13m deal, but spent last campaign on loan with Strasbourg. 

He made 25 appearances in all competitions, notching four assists, but only 11 of his 22 league outings came as starts as he missed the end of the term with a groin injury. 

Angelo became the 11th permanent departure from the club as the Blues ended their transfer window with a net spend of £46.5m. 

Angelo Gabriel has completed a permanent transfer to Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr from Chelsea. 

Angelo has signed a five-year contract with the Saudi outfit, who are captained by Cristiano Ronaldo, for a reported £19.4million transfer fee. 

Chelsea have also included a sell-on clause as part of their agreement with Al-Nassr.

The 19-year-old Brazilian arrived at Stamford Bridge last year from Santos in a £13m deal, but spent last campaign on loan with Strasbourg. 

He made 25 appearances in all competitions, notching four assists, but only 11 of his 22 league outings came as starts as he missed the end of the term with a groin injury. 

Angelo became the 11th permanent departure from the club as the Blues ended their transfer window with a net spend of £46.5m. 

Jamal Lewis has become the first British player to sign for Sao Paulo as his season-long loan move from Newcastle United was confirmed on Tuesday. 

Lewis, who spent last season with Watford in the Championship, has signed with the Brazilian side for the upcoming campaign with a view to make the move permanent.

The Northern Ireland international made 36 appearances in all competitions for Newcastle following his £15million move from Norwich in 2020. 

But Lewis fell quickly out of favour, and during the 2021-22 Premier League season, was even omitted from the 25-player squad list for the remainder of the term.

The 26-year-old's final appearance for the Magpies came as a substitute in a 1-1 draw with Chelsea in the 2023, but he expressed his excitement about his new chapter.

"When I heard about this opportunity, I told my manager straight away that I'd like to come to Brazil," Lewis said in a statement on Sao Paulo's website.

"It's an honour to play for a giant like Sao Paulo and be the first British player in the club's history.

"It's an opportunity I couldn't pass up. I'm looking forward to meeting the fans and contributing to the team."

Barcelona president Joan Laporta insists Ilkay Gundogan's exit was a sporting decision rather than a financial one, despite claims to the contrary from the midfielder.

Gundogan joined Barca as a free agent last year after helping Manchester City win a Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League treble, only to return to the Etihad Stadium last month.

In a farewell post on social media, Gundogan claimed Barca's financial concerns were at least partly responsible for his return to England.

Barca have struggled to meet LaLiga's strict salary cap rules in recent seasons and would reportedly have failed to register new signing Dani Olmo if not for Gundogan's exit.

Laporta, however, has refuted those claims, instead suggesting Olmo's move from RB Leipzig made Gundogan's place in Hansi Flick's tactical plans unclear.

"The decision on Gundogan's departure was not made because of economic factors," Laporta told reporters. 

"He was an excellent player and person in the year he had here with us. With all due respect, we decided on a sporting level. 

"Following the signing of Dani Olmo, the role of Gundogan was not clear, because they shared a very similar position."

Barcelona have made a flying start to their first campaign under Flick, winning all four of their matches to sit top of LaLiga, boasting a four-point lead over Real Madrid.

The Blaugrana have previously started 10 seasons in LaLiga with four straight victories, going on to capture the title in nine of those instances and only failing in 2013-14, when Atletico Madrid were champions.

Robert Lewandowski leads the goalscoring charts with four strikes in as many games, sitting one clear of team-mate Raphinha – who netted a hat-trick in Saturday's 7-0 rout of Real Valladolid.

Laporta has revealed Lewandowski offered to take a wage cut in order to help Barca meet LaLiga's rules and has backed his third season in Spain to be his best yet.

"I see Robert as more motivated than ever. Robert needed this new boost, he is in very good physical shape and he looks very excited," he said.

"He is a player committed to the club, I can assure you of that. When he heard that to reach 'fair play' we might need some effort, he offered his contract. I appreciated it very much, but I told him that it was not necessary. 

"He is very demanding with the team, with himself and with his team-mates’ performance. I am sure that this will be Lewandowski's best year."

Belgium are aiming to put a disappointing Euro 2024 campaign behind them, with success in the Nations League now their priority.

Domenico Tedesco's side reached the last 16 in Germany, being knocked out after a 1-0 defeat to France thanks to Jan Vertonghen's own goal.

Belgium won just one of their four games at the tournament, finishing second behind Romania in the exceptionally tight Group E.

They had 20 shots on target throughout the tournament, but only scored two goals, with both of them coming in their victory over Romania in the second group game.

Forward Charles De Ketelaere, who played just six minutes in the tournament, says they are not focusing on the past.

"We talked about it yesterday so we can leave it behind," De Ketelaere said.

"We should have done better in the group stage so that we got an easier opponent in the last-16 than a top side like France.

"It's not just the coach's fault, because it's the players on the field who carry out the instructions. The only way to move forward is with the games ahead of us."

Belgium are turning their attention to the Nations League, where they will face Israel and France in League A Group 2 this international break.

With a potential title on the line if they can put on a strong show in the competition, De Ketelaere is confident Belgium can get back to their best.

"I just see it as two matches we want to win," De Ketelaere added. "The group is also still a [good chance to advance], even though the European Championship was not what we expected.

"I'm ready to show myself and do my best. I hope I get my chance. There will be more room to play, and I hope I can do my part."

Veteran Kevon Woodley is poised to make his much-anticipated debut in the Concacaf Nations League for Trinidad and Tobago, as he was named to Derek King’s 23-man squad to tackle League A opponents Honduras and French Guiana.

King, who was appointed on an interim basis after Angus Eve’s dismissal, is now charged with moving the senior Soca Warriors program forward and his selections for the September 6 and 10 contests signals a commitment of continuity and team chemistry.

Having served as an assistant to Eve, King’s squad features a core of players who were part of the former tactician’s squad that drew with Grenada and defeated Bahamas in their World Cup qualifying fixtures in June.

King’s side, which is without Greece-based forward Levi Garcia and Ajani Fortune, who are both unavailable, will travel to Honduras for Friday’s engagement before returning home to host French Guiana at the Dwight Yorke Stadium four days later.

Despite the absence of Garcia and Fortune, King remains confident in the strength and depth of the squad, which, along with Woodley, includes the likes of forward Reon Moore, defender Andre Raymond, box-to-box midfielder Andre Rampersad and goalie Denzil Smith.

“The team we’ve selected is one that has shown great potential and cohesion over the past few months. As we begin our group-stage campaign, the selected players are fit, focused and ready to perform at their best and I have been in discussion with each player about their expectations and responsibilities,” King said in a TTFA media release.

Woodley, 38, earned his Nations League call-up three months after earning his first senior Soca Warriors cap, as he has enjoyed good form for local club Police FC, including scoring a delightful header in a 1-4 Concacaf Caribbean Cup loss to Jamaica's Cavalier FC on August 29.

King pointed out that professionalism and hard work were key components in his selections.

“While it is never easy to narrow down the squad, I believe the players chosen are the ones who will help us navigate these two important fixtures successfully,” King declared.

“We need to be professional and disciplined in our approach and recognise the challenge of playing away from home in our opening match. It will be important that we maintain a high level of professionalism and remain focused throughout,” he added.

The Soca Warriors will depart for Honduras on Tuesday with last year’s campaign, which ended at the quarterfinal, at the top of their minds as they seek to replicate or even better that feat.

Trinidad and Tobago Squad -Christopher Biggette (Defence Force); Aubrey David (Deportivo Municipal); Triston Hodge (Hartford Athletic); Isaiah Lee (La Horquetta Rangers); Leland Archer (Charleston Battery); Andre Raymond (St Johnstone FC); Ryan Telfer (Halifax Wanderers); Duane Muckette (AC Port of Spain); Nathaniel James (Mount Pleasant FA); Real Gill (Northern Colorado Hailstorm); Daniel Phillips (Stevenage); Steffen Yeates (Pacific FC), Reon Moore (Pacific FC); Shannon Gomez (San Antonio FC); Dantaye Gilbert (Jong PSV); Alvin Jones (Police FC); Justin Garcia (Defence Force); Andre Rampersad (Halifax Wanderers); Noah Powder (Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC);
Kaile Auvray (Cavalier FC), Aaron Enill (Montego Bay United); Denzil Smith (AC Port of Spain); Kevon Woodley (Police FC)

Virgil van Dijk will play for the Netherlands at least until the 2026 World Cup after discussions with Ronald Koeman over his future.

The Liverpool defender, who has earned 74 caps since making his debut for the national team in October 2015, was awarded the captaincy by Koeman in 2018, during the manager's first spell in charge.

He has since led the team through three major tournaments, including two World Cups, with the Netherlands making it to the semi-finals at Euro 2024 before being knocked out by England.

And Koeman revealed he flew to Liverpool to have a face-to-face conversation with Van Dijk to persuade him to appear at the next major finals should they get there.

"I thought it was so important to go to him to see and feel with him: are you going to give it your all for another two years at the highest level and do you still see a future for yourself? And he does," Koeman told reporters.

"And I do the same with him. All doubt is gone, he just goes on.

"He admitted he did not reach the level you would expect from him as a player at the European Championship. As captain, I think he did a great job.

"But perhaps as a result, he put too much energy into others rather than into himself."

Koeman also confirmed that Steven Bergwijn, who sealed a deadline-day move to Al-Ittihad on Monday, is no longer in his plans after his move to the Saudi Pro League.

The forward scored eight goals in 35 appearances for the national team but failed to register a goal involvement at Euro 2024, albeit in just two starts.

Having also struggled at the start of the Eredivisie season for Ajax, making just one substitute appearance before his move, Koeman explained why the 26-year-old is no longer part of his plans.

"The book is basically closed to him. He knows what I think about this," Koeman said.

"When you are 26 [years old], your main ambition should be sporting, not financial. These are choices that players make.

"I have never been in that situation, because I could go to Barcelona. He could have stayed at Ajax. That's not bad, is it? You have to respect that choice, but personally, I wouldn't [have moved]."

Koeman clarified why he continued to call up Georginio Wijnaldum, who moved to Al-Ettifaq from Paris Saint-Germain in 2023, compared to his staunch approach to Bergwijn.

"Gini had problems at PSG and this was the only opportunity for him to still play," Koeman added.

"In addition, there is a difference in age [Wijnaldum moved aged 33]."

The Netherlands begin their Nations League campaign in League A Group 3 against Bosnia & Herzegovina on Saturday before playing Germany next week.

Didier Deschamps believes that Kylian Mbappe has what it takes to cope with the pressure of being a Real Madrid player.

Mbappe scored on his Los Blancos debut in the UEFA Super Cup against Atalanta but struggled to make an impact in LaLiga, enduring a slow start to life at the Santiago Bernabeu.

He failed to register a goal involvement in his first three league games for Madrid, but did net a brace against Real Betis in their final LaLiga outing before the international break.

Despite Mbappe not hitting the ground running at his new club, Deschamps says he never doubted that he would regain his scoring touch.

"I have no reason to feel relieved, obviously I am happy for him, even if he had already scored in the first game of the European Super Cup," Deschamps said.

"Kylian is used to this in his daily life, he sets very high standards for himself. His coach, Carlo Ancelotti, was not worried, and neither was I.

"Kylian has always scored goals, and he will score them."

His short dry spell in front of goal came on the back of a Euro 2024 campaign in which he scored just once, with that goal coming from the penalty spot.

Deschamps defended his captain during that competition and is confident Mbappe will be back in top form as they prepare for their opening Nations League matches against Italy and Belgium.

"The French national team is better when Kylian is there," Deschamps added.

"From experience, being in the French national team is a break that is good for many of them. He was not effective - at first - but I spoke to him, and he feels good.

"Obviously, he is not at his best yet, but he is not a robot or a superman. Expectations are high.

"He has a great capacity to absorb everything that happens on and off the pitch. But we can understand that human fatigue can be significant."