Five standout Serie A performers of the September-October international break

Alessandro Bastoni celebrates scoring the Italy equaliser against France in the Nations League MD3 (@azzurri)

The extra-long September-October international break of the 2026-27 season has finally come to an end, and several Serie A stars put in impressive sets of performances for their national teams over the last few weeks: Here are five of the standout performers from Italy’s top flight. 

Nico Paz – Argentina/Como 

The Como talent has scored three goals in three matches for Argentina this international break, including a screamer in Lionel Messi’s final match for his country in the early hours of Wednesday morning. 

He had also hit the back of the net in a 4-0 friendly victory over Bolivia and a 7-0 demolition of Burkina Faso prior to last night’s 3-0 win over Benin.

Nico Paz has big shoes to fill, as there have been suggestions that he is in line to replace Messi as Argentina’s new no.10 now that his final international match has come to an end. 

Alessandro Bastoni – Italy/Inter

Is this the beginning of the Bastoni redemption arc? It had been a horrible start to 2026 for the Inter centre-back, particularly after his red card in the World Cup play-off final defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina, but in his first games for the Azzurri since then, Bastoni has shown encouraging signs in Roberto Mancini’s back four. 

Following his suspension in the first match of the international break, Bastoni scored after nine minutes in his first game back: A 4-1 victory away against Turkey, then scored again in the following game and helped contain the best attacking unit in international football to a 1-1 draw away against France in Paris. He also put in a solid display in Italy’s second match against Turkey, which ended in a 3-1 victory on Monday evening. 

The fact that he has performed so well while playing in a back four, when he has played practically every game on the left of a back three for Inter over the last five years, and the fact that he played well alongside Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori, are perhaps the most encouraging factors. 

Pio Esposito – Italy/Inter 

Another two goals for the Inter youngster this international break, bringing his international tally up to seven from 13 caps. Only Giuseppe Meazza had scored more goals for the senior Italy national team at his age. 

The 21-year-old has cemented himself as Italy’s current first choice at centre-forward, which has led to some debate in the Italian press over the last few days given that he is not yet a guaranteed starter at club level with Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram ahead of him in the pecking order under Cristian Chivu. 

Reports over the last few days claim that Esposito continues to attract the interest of Premier League champions Arsenal, who reportedly sent scouts to watch him in action away against Turkey last week, even if he has recently signed a new long-term contract with Inter until the summer of 2032.

Goncalo Ramos – Portugal/Milan 

Portugal always win when Goncalo Ramos scores, and that is still the case after four matches in this most recent international break. 

Milan’s club record signing scored in three consecutive matches for Portugal at the end of the international break: A 2-1 win away against Norway, a 4-2 win away against Denmark and another 2-1 win against Norway back on home soil on Sunday night. Portugal have maintained a perfect start to their Nations League campaign after four matches. 

Goncalo Ramos has now scored 14 goals for his nation, which have come in 11 different matches. All 11 of those matches in which Goncalo Ramos has scored have ended in victories for Portugal.

Rasmus Hojlund – Denmark/Napoli 

Rasmus Hojlund and Denmark are in the same Nations League group as Goncalo Ramos and Portugal. Whilst things didn’t go as well for Denmark as they did for Portugal this break, Hojlund managed to post the same goalscoring numbers as Ramos this break with three goals to his name from the first four Nations League matches of the campaign. 

The Napoli striker’s goals came in a 3-2 defeat against Norway, a 4-2 loss against Portugal and a 1-0 win away against Wales on Sunday evening. 

This brings him up to five goals from nine appearances across all competitions for club and country this season.

Honorable mentions

Vasilije Adzic – Montenegro/Sassuolo: Two goals in four games as Montenegro took the lead in their Nations League group with three victories and a draw.

Lautaro Martinez – Argentina/Inter: Two goals and two assists for Argentina and became his nation’s third all-time leading goalscorer with 42 from 87 caps.

Kevin De Bruyne – Belgium/Napoli: Two goals for Belgium while starring in a more attacking role at the top of a 4-2-3-1 under Mark van Bommel.