European club soccer is taking its first break of 2021 with the March internationals, but many star names based on the continent will just be trading in their club colors for a national team kit with 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and friendlies on the menu.
The USMNT are in Europe and there is also Olympic action at under-23 levels as well while the early qualifiers have also thrown up a handful of intriguing early group stage ties that will see some of the area's best face off.
Here are some key games to keep an eye out for.
1. USMNT friendlies
UPDATES:
— U.S. Soccer MNT (@USMNT) March 22, 2021
🇺🇸 Nicholas Gioacchini is back on the #USMNT roster for both March matches.
🇺🇸 Gio Reyna, Chris Richards and Josh Sargent will be allowed to travel to face Northern Ireland on Sunday.
The news is a result of updated quarantine protocols in their respective areas.
At senior level, Gregg Berhalter's USMNT will take on Jamaica in Austria in a rematch of the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal before a clash with Northern Ireland in Belfast completes their international camp.
Chelsea's Christian Pulisic and Dortmund's Gio Reyna are the obvious headline names in the group, but this break will also see the likes of Young Boys' Jordan Siebatcheu and AS Roma's Bryan Reynolds potentially make their debuts.
There is also the excitement surrounding Valencia CF's Yunus Musah after he declared his international future to the United States and Daryl Dike for his exploits with Barnsley in the Championship of late.
Red Bull Salzburg's Brenden Aaronson and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim's Chris Richards are some of the other bright young American talents looking to build on their solid starts at international level over the next week or so.
Fulham's Tim Ream and VfL Wolfsburg's John Brooks add to some of the experience in the group alongside Pulisic, but it is an overwhelmingly young a talented bunch.
2. U.S. and Mexico Olympic qualifying
Down at under-23 level, there is an Olympic qualifier against Mexico to look forward to with both sides having won their two opening matches to occupy the top two spots in Group A. Given that both teams will advance it is likely they will meet not only on Wednesday in the group stage finale, but on the following Tuesday as well in the tournament's last match.
3. Turkey vs. the Netherlands
Good to see you next week, @Memphis!
— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) March 20, 2021
👉🦁👈
🔸 De Franse overheid heeft een uitzondering gemaakt op de verplichte quarantaineregeling, waardoor Memphis maandag aan kan sluiten bij Oranje voor de komende interlandperiode.#TheNewWave pic.twitter.com/RRFTTcTaNh
Back in Europe, the start of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers has the likes of England, France, Italy, Belgium, Portugal and the Netherlands getting their campaigns underway with interesting fixtures.
Turkey against the Dutch later this week promises to be a spicy affair with two sets of quality players going up against each other in a clash between two countries with long-standing roots and Frank De Boer already under pressure after a slow start to his time with Oranje.
Thanks to France's government agreeing to ease COVID-19 quarantine rules, Olympique Lyonnais' Memphis Depay is available for the Istanbul clash while the Turks will be grateful that the prolific Burak Yilmaz of Lille OSC could link up with the group for similar reasons.
4. France vs. Ukraine
The boys are back at Clairefontaine to prepare for our first World Cup 2022 qualifiers! 🤩🇫🇷👍#FiersdetreBleus pic.twitter.com/uPjpkU6AI7
— French Team ⭐⭐ (@FrenchTeam) March 22, 2021
At Stade de France on the same Wednesday, world champions France will get their qualification bid started against Ukraine just months after a 7-1 thrashing of the Eastern Europeans in an October friendly in Paris.
As always, Didier Deschamps rarely plays around with his squad and the likes of Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe, Manchester United's Paul Pogba, Barcelona's Antoine Griezmann, Chelsea's N'Golo Kante and Real Madrid's Raphael Varane will be present.
2021: the first gathering! 🇧🇪 pic.twitter.com/OMBKSjeUiF
— Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils) March 22, 2021
5. Belgium vs. Wales
Also on Wednesday is Belgium against Wales with Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne, Inter Milan's Romelu Lukaku and Leicester City's Youri Tielemans just some of the star turns in CBS Sports pundit Roberto Martinez's squad with Tottenham Hotspur's Gareth Bale available for the Welsh.
Roberto Mancini's vibrant young Italian side will also be in action too with Northern Ireland their first opponents on Thursday -- expect to see PSG trio Marco Verratti, Moise Kean and Alessandro Florenzi feature as well as Juventus' Federico Chiesa and Inter's Nicolo Barella for the Azzurri.
#Azzurri 🇮🇹
— Italy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@azzurri) March 22, 2021
🎙️ #Mancini: "You can't make any mistakes in World Cup qualifying. We need to get off to a good start in these three games."#WCQ #VivoAzzurro pic.twitter.com/cMW16d7FsF
6. Serbia vs. Portugal
Moving into the weekend and Serbia against Portugal in Belgrade could be fantastic as Dragan Stojkovic debuts as the hosts' coach with gems like SS Lazio's Sergej Milinkovic-Savic as Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo comes to town backed by a mix of dazzling young stars and seasoned veterans.
7. England vs. Poland
Finally, England against Poland at Wembley next Wednesday should guarantee a strong end to the international period with Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski granted permission to travel and Gareth Southgate's hosts looking youthful with the likes of Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham.