Club football is paused for two weeks as international duty takes priority for some of the world’s best players.
International anytime scorers | Odds |
|---|---|
Davide Frattesi | |
Romelu Lukaku | |
Bruno Fernandes | |
Joel Pohjanpalo | |
Dominik Szoboszlai |
Odds courtesy of Stake. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
What to Expect in the International Break
International breaks are notoriously tricky to predict because squads are constantly changing. Limited time to prepare for games often leads to high-scoring affairs and creates value in the anytime scorer market.
Limited time to work on team structure often leads to teams looking rather disjointed. While that can make some matches entertaining, others may be a bit tighter - particularly in the Nations League quarter-finals. A two-legged tie will decide who advances to the finals in the summer.
Like we saw in some European ties at club levels, some of the second legs could be much more open and entertaining. That could open up some value in the second legs of those ties for those who want to back anytime scorers.
Elsewhere, the World Cup qualifiers kick off this week as well, and their competitive nature could be key. In contrast, friendly internationals often see heavy squad rotation.
That makes it difficult to predict which players managers will choose, and therefore who to back in the anytime market. There’s something at stake in all of these games, so full-strength sides are expected.
Where is the Standout Value in the Anytime Scorer Market?
There are plenty of players to choose from over the next six days of international action, but some stand out more than others. Five players particularly stand out, and some of them certainly seem overpriced by the bookmakers.
Starting with some of the shorter-odds players, it’s no surprise to see Romelu Lukaku priced just above evens. Lukaku is already Belgium’s all-time record scorer and is just 15 goals away from reaching 100 international goals.
Only three players in international football history have scored 100+ goals for their country. He was left out of squads under Domenico Tedesco, but under Rudi Garcia, he could have a new start. Lukaku returns with a point to prove, and that could prove disastrous for Ukraine.
Joel Pohjanpalo of Finland is another interesting pick, though for different reasons than Lukaku. He comes into the international break having scored in four of his last five games at club level. He should have plenty of chances against #168-ranked Malta. Pohjanpalo is also one of just two Finnish players to score across their last six internationals.
Another man in fine form at club level is Portugal’s Bruno Fernandes. He has scored seven goals in as many games for Manchester United and comes into this tie in fine form. Only one side scored more goals than Portugal in the Nations League group stage.
Two other players who are also overpriced are Dominik Szoboszlai and Davide Frattesi. The Hungarian has scored three goals across his last three international appearances.
He has also found scoring form at club level and is on course for his best scoring season at club level since 2019/20. Szoboszlai was also on target the last time Hungary faced Turkey, which makes him a value pick at 4.75.
The final pick, and perhaps the most interesting, is Italy’s Frattesi. At 5.25, he’s the biggest price of anyone to feature on this list. Frattesi scored three times across Italy’s last six internationals.
Italy as a nation are rejuvenated of late, and they are somewhat overlooked by most bookmakers. Frattesi has been leading their charge and seems overpriced to hit the back of the net once more. He should be eager to make an impression as he gets a chance to prove why he should play more often for Inter Milan.