Three biggest Wolves winners and three losers from international break, including Andre

The international break is over, and there have been quite a few winners and losers for Wolves throughout the last week.

Wolves had a record number of players called up, and as a result, Vitor Pereira was left with a limited number of first-team players to work with on the training ground.

Those away with their nations would have been hoping to improve their chances of qualifying, guarantee qualification, or impress their national team head coach ahead of the World Cup.

Now, they have headed back to England as Wolves gear up to take on Sunderland on Saturday, and some players will be arriving back in Wolverhampton with their heads held high, with others doing the opposite.

Wolves winners from international break

Ladislav Krejci

While Czechia lost a crucial match against the Faroe Islands to end the October internationals, Ladislav Krejci was named one of their better players against Croatia earlier in the break.

The defender’s performance earned him high praise from fans, and Czech supporters called for Krejci to be named captain of their country.

Despite how the break ended, the Wolves player is still in a solid position to earn a place in a World Cup playoff match.

The Faroe Islands are just one point behind them, with a single game left for both nations. However, Krejci will play at home to the bottom of the group, Gibraltar, with the Faroe Islands playing table leaders Croatia.

The odds are certainly pointing towards Czechia finishing second in Group L.

Santiago Bueno

Uruguay have already qualified for the 2026 World Cup, so Santiago Bueno was only called up for two friendlies.

However, the Wolves man was given the honour of captaining his nation in a 2-1 win against Uzbekistan. It was a proud moment for the defender, and he’ll no doubt return to England with his head held very high.

He has become a key player for Vitor Pereira over the last few weeks, and having him come back from international duty with even more confidence will be a major boost.

Emmanuel Agbadou

It has been a tough season for Emmanuel Agbadou for Wolves.

The Ivorian has struggled to revive the form that earned him plaudits and favour from fans from January to May last season.

However, while away with his nation, Agbadou had quite the successful international break.

The Wolves man started both of Ivory Coast’s games, and in the opening fixture, Agbadou scored and assisted in a 7-0 win.

He was later part of a defence that earned a clean sheet against Kenya in a 3-0 victory. The two wins have now qualified Agbadou for the World Cup.

Wolves losers from international break

Andre and Joao Gomes

Similar to Santiago Bueno, Brazil have already qualified for the World Cup, and this break saw them play two friendlies.

For Andre and Joao Gomes, who are fringe members of the Brazilian selection and have not been called up frequently in recent history, it was an excellent chance to show their worth.

When the pair were named in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for the friendlies against South Korea and Japan, the Wolves duo would have hoped to impress enough to further their chances of going to the World Cup with their nation.

However, it was not to be, with the only minutes for the pair being an eleven-minute outing for Andre against South Korea in the opening game of the break.

It was no doubt a disappointing round of internationals for Andre and Joao Gomes, who will now need to perform at the domestic level to have any chance of making the Brazil World Cup squad.

However, it was a boost for Vitor Pereira.

Tolu Arokodare

Tolu Arokodare did not have much of a pre-season, and it was hoped that the striker would get some vital minutes to further improve his match fitness.

However, the forward played just 71 minutes across two games and racked up zero goals or assists.

Nigeria, in the end, did salvage their World Cup dreams by finishing as one of the best second-placed teams in qualifying.

Tolu will hope to be much more involved and match-ready when the play-offs come around for football’s biggest international tournament.