The semi -finals of the Nations League start on Wednesday with Germany, Spain, France and Portugal to be just a year away with the World Cup.
Tournament organizes Germany Germany opposite Portugal in Munich on Wednesday and title holders Spain confronted with France in Stuttgart a day later.
The winners will be confronted in the Bavarian capital on Sunday.
The Nations League was founded in 2018, lacks the history and respect of the most important international tournaments of football and has been criticized because he adds to a already busy calendar.
But as Spain and France have shown in recent years, competition can be a perfect launch platform to reach larger heights.
France's Nations League triumph in 2021 came just over a year before their run to the World Cup final in Qatar, where they lost on punishments of an Argentina inspired by Lionel Messi.
Spain, second against France in 2021, defeated Croatia on penalties to win the Nations League 2023; A year later, the Spaniards were crowned Euro 2024 champions.
Although some of the larger countries have finished experimental line-ups, recent winners have used the tournament to develop and improve.
The 'big titles'
Of the last four, only Germany still has to win a Nations League title, with the success of Portugal in the opening tournament in 2019.
Germany -captain Joshua Kimmich will get his 100th international cap on Wednesday.
The midfielder of Bayern Munich is the 14th Germany player who reaches the milestone, but becomes the only member of the 100 club that has not won a world cup.
Kimmich said on Monday that he “had a few more chances” to correct the stat and said that the Nations League would show how much progress Germany had made, after a disappointing decade.
“If it's enough for the really big titles, we don't know, it depends on many factors.”
World Cup winners In 2014, Germany collapsed from the next two world cups in the group stage.
Their best result since a semi -final in 2016 in the quarters went to the final champions Spain at Euro 2024.
“We want to take the (World Cup) well prepared. We have said a few times that the preparation does not start two weeks earlier, it started earlier,” Kimmich said.
“If we now successfully compete in two internationals, we can show that we are still on a good way.”
The sentiment of Kimmich was reflected on Friday by coach Julian Nagelsmann, who said: “We would like to win titles and continue to feed our confidence.
“Even if it is only a small title, it is very important to us as a group … Trust and trust are fragile elements that constantly require food.”
'Fatigue takes a rear seat'
At the end of a long club season are each of the last four nurses.
Already without Jamal Musiala, Antonio Rudiger and Nico Schlotterbeck, Germany lost Jonathan Burkardt, Nadiem Amiri and Yann Bisseck on the weekend.
France misses First Choice Defenders Dayot Upamecano, William Saliba and Jules Kounde, together with Real Madrid -midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, while six players will be involved after Saturday's Champions League final.
Opponents Spain did not mention Rodri in their Nations League team, and did not want to rush the reigning balloon d'Or winner when he returns from his cross injury.
Veteran Portugal Talisman Cristiano Ronaldo, 40, was mentioned, despite missing three of his last six club matches for Al Nassr with muscle complaints.
Four players will participate in the Portuguese team after lifting the Champions League title with Paris Saint-Germain: Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, Joao Neves and Goncalo Ramos.
Portugal -midfielder Rubin Neves acknowledged the tension on top players, but told the Portuguese FA on Sunday “When we reach this kind of competition, at this level, fatigue takes a rear seat.
“Fatigue is left behind and our most important focus is to win the two games and win the Nations League.
“We have all the tools available to be at our best.”