A hectic schedule of club football ahead of the World Cup is interrupted this week as national teams get a last chance to finetune their preparations before travelling to Qatar for the start of the tournament on November 20.
Holding the World Cup in the middle of the European season is having major consequences for clubs but also for coaches of national teams.
While domestic competitions bear the brunt of the upheaval to the calendar as they are forced to halt a week before the opening game in Qatar, that also means there will be next to no time for squads to work together before beginning their World Cup campaigns.
Extra importance is therefore placed on events over the next week, as European sides complete the UEFA Nations League group stage while other contenders play friendly matches, including back-to-back games for Brazil on French soil against Ghana and Tunisia.