Nations League Injury List: Mbappé, Musiala, Isak and More Stars Hit by Injury

The 2026/27 UEFA Nations League has already produced a growing injury list after just two matchdays, with several high-profile players forced to leave international camps or miss upcoming fixtures. Kylian Mbappé, Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz, Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Giacomo Raspadori are among the biggest names affected, while a number of defenders and midfielders across Leagues A, B and C have also suffered setbacks.

Germany lose Musiala, Havertz and now Schlotterbeck

Germany have suffered several significant injury setbacks during the opening stages of the Nations League.

Jamal Musiala was injured during the warm-up before Germany's opening match against the Netherlands. Bayern Munich confirmed that the midfielder suffered a torn muscle fibre in his right thigh and returned to his club for rehabilitation.

Kai Havertz then went off after around 30 minutes of the same 1-1 draw with a muscle strain. Scans confirmed the injury and he returned to Arsenal for treatment.

Germany's problems continued on the eve of their match against Serbia. Nico Schlotterbeck suffered an ankle injury during training and was ruled out of the remaining Nations League fixtures in this international window. Reports indicate that the injury affects the ligaments in his right ankle, although surgery is not required.

The three absences mean Germany have lost important players at different areas of the pitch during the opening part of the competition.

Mbappé injured after scoring France’s winner

Kylian Mbappé became one of the first major stars to suffer an injury during the tournament.

The France captain scored the winning goal against Türkiye on 25 September but picked up a knee problem in the process. Medical examinations identified an injury to the posterior capsule of his left knee, with his recovery initially estimated at around 10 to 12 days.

Mbappé subsequently missed France's meeting with Belgium and is expected to remain unavailable for the next Nations League fixtures during this window.

France have therefore had to manage the opening phase of the competition without their captain, with Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué taking on greater attacking responsibility.

Gakpo joins Malen and Brobbey on the Netherlands injury list

The Netherlands have also experienced a difficult start from an injury perspective.

Donyell Malen was already unavailable because of a knee problem before the Nations League action began.

Brian Brobbey then suffered a thigh injury during the Netherlands' 1-1 draw with Germany. He left the camp early and was replaced in the squad by Joshua Zirkzee.

Cody Gakpo became the latest Dutch attacking player to suffer an injury. The Liverpool forward was forced off after just 17 minutes against Serbia after hurting his ankle following a challenge from Saša Lukić. The KNVB subsequently confirmed that Gakpo would leave the squad and return to Liverpool.

The Netherlands therefore entered the next stage of the Nations League without several important attacking options.

Isak scores, then leaves Sweden camp injured

More injuries across the top tier

Several other League A nations have reported injury problems.

Belgium — Leandro Trossard: The winger has been dealing with a heel injury and missed Belgium's opening Nations League fixtures. Belgium were hoping he could return during the international window.

Türkiye — Orkun Kökçü: The Benfica midfielder suffered trauma to his right big toe and was sent back to his club for treatment.

Italy — Giacomo Raspadori: Raspadori left the Italy camp after suffering an injury during the 4-1 victory over Türkiye. Atalanta later confirmed that examinations showed a low-grade strain of the biceps femoris muscle in his right thigh.

Norway — Julian Ryerson: The Borussia Dortmund defender was forced off against Portugal after pain from a rib injury suffered in the previous match resurfaced. His condition was being assessed ahead of Norway's subsequent fixtures.

Portugal — Bruno Fernandes: Fernandes entered the international camp carrying a minor injury and played through discomfort against Wales. He was subsequently rested for Portugal's next fixture as a precaution. This is therefore an existing fitness issue rather than a new tournament injury.

Wales — Ben Cabango: The defender suffered an ankle problem during Wales' opening match against Portugal. Early reports indicated that he hoped to remain available despite the issue.

Injuries are also mounting outside League A

The injury list extends beyond Europe's biggest national teams.

Northern Ireland — Dan Ballard: The Sunderland defender suffered an injury during Northern Ireland's Nations League victory over Georgia and subsequently returned to his club for treatment.

Poland — Jakub Kamiński: The Benfica winger left Poland's opening match against Bosnia and Herzegovina with an adductor injury. He was awaiting further examinations to establish the severity.

Sweden — Emil Holm: His hamstring injury against Romania is one of the more serious-looking setbacks in League B and forced him out of the squad.

Kosovo — Arijanet Muric: The Sassuolo goalkeeper suffered a knee problem during Austria's match against Kosovo and was listed as a player requiring further assessment.

Slovenia — Vanja Drkušić: The defender was also listed among players whose fitness was being assessed after the opening matches.

Northern Ireland — Dan Ballard: Ballard's injury was confirmed by the Irish FA after he left the squad following the Georgia match.

Iceland — Albert Guðmundsson: The Lazio forward left Iceland's match against Estonia after a fall following an aerial challenge. He returned to his club for further assessment of a left-shoulder injury.

Ukraine — Vitaliy Mykolenko: As of 1 October, Ukraine confirmed that the Everton defender would miss the Nations League meeting with Northern Ireland because of a health/injury concern. The coaching staff were being cautious about aggravating the problem.

The Nations League has already taken a toll

Only two matchdays had been completed when several major European nations were already dealing with significant injury problems.

Germany lost Musiala and Havertz in its opening match window before Schlotterbeck suffered a fresh ankle problem. France lost Mbappé immediately after he scored the winner against Türkiye. The Netherlands saw Brobbey and Gakpo added to an already difficult attacking situation, while Sweden lost both Isak and Holm after their opening victory.

The important distinction is that not every player listed above suffered an injury during a Nations League match. Some entered the competition with existing problems, while others were injured during matches or training.

The situation is also changing quickly. Players listed as doubts can return sooner than expected, while apparently minor injuries can sometimes develop into longer absences.

With the 2026/27 league phase continuing through November, the injury list will inevitably remain a story worth monitoring as international managers attempt to balance competitive demands with player fitness. UEFA's official schedule confirms that the league phase runs from 24 September through 17 November.

Fan Debate

⚽ Goal: Which Nations League injury has affected a team the most so far?

🔥 Fire: Has the expanded international schedule increased the injury risk for elite players?

😲 Shock: Which major absence surprised you most?

👍 Like: Which injured player will be most important when he returns?

💬 Comment: Which Nations League star should fans be watching closely for an injury comeback?