QB weekly: 5. 10. - 11. 10. 2026

The first international break of the season is here, with European teams battling for places at the 2027 Women's World Cup. Some players, like Schröder or Pelova,  have carried their impressive club form onto the international stage, while others have rediscovered their confidence after struggling at club level. And as always, the international break has brought plenty of stories of its own.

First international goals for Sweden's wonderkid Schröder

Sweden went into their match against Lithuania as clear favourites and lived up to expectations with a convincing 5:0 victory. Felicia Schröder scored her first goals for the senior national women's team.  And did so in style, netting a hattrick.

Anyone who has followed Schröder's journey will hardly be surprised. One of the brightest young talents in women's football, she has scored eleven goals in nine appearances this year. Real Madrid reportedly paid €1.5 million to sign her, and it's safe to say that the investment is already paying off. We're glad to have been following Felicia's story from the very beginning.

Erica Meg Parkinson wrote history

The Lionesses also got their play-off campaign off to a good start with a 3:1 victory away in Greece. But the match will be particularly memorable for Erica Meg Parkinson, who, at just 18, became the youngest player ever to make her debut for England.

The Singapore-born youngster has been attracting plenty of attention recently. She signed for North Carolina Courage earlier this year, and her talent has not gone unnoticed by Sarina Wiegman either.

Lexi Potter also received her first senior England call-up, although she is still waiting to make her debut. The Chelsea youngster has been enjoying a breakthrough season at club level and is another exciting prospect for the Lionesses.

Vicky P scores again

Victoria Pelova scored her first career hattrick for the national team as the Oranje thrashed Hungary 8:0, continuing the remarkable form she has shown since joining Tottenham this summer.

The Dutch midfielder arrived at Spurs on a free transfer this summer and has already scored five goals in five appearances. More than she managed previously in three seasons at Arsenal.

After suffering an ACL injury, losing her mother and struggling for playing time, Pelova finally appears to be enjoying the form of her life.

Comeback for Claire Emslie

Scotland may have struggled against Czechia in the first half, but they eventually secured a 2:0 victory to take into the return leg on home soil. Captain Caroline Weir was unsurprisingly involved in the opening goal after the break, while Player of the Match Claire Emslie scored the second.

For the 32-year-old Angel City winger, it was a particularly special milestone. She scored for the first time since returning from maternity leave, with her young son watching from the stands in Pardubice, Czechia.

Emslie's goal has brought Scotland another step closer to their dream of qualifying for the Women's World Cup for the first time since 2019.

Some bad news

Unfortunately, not all the news from the international break are positive, we bring some injury updates too. 

Giulia Gwinn has suffered another injury setback, tearing a lateral ligament during Bayern Munich's match against Eintracht Frankfurt and subsequently missing Germany's international fixtures. The German captain also missed most of Women's Euro 2025 after suffering an injury in the opening match.

Arsenal have injury concerns of their own. Mariona Caldentey was injured against Manchester City, and the problem has proved more serious than initially feared. The Spanish international is expected to be sidelined until the end of November.

Selina Cerci has also returned to London Colney early from international duty after suffering a knee injury in training.

Ted Lasso season 4 came to an end

Apple TV also aired the tenth and final episode of the fourth season of Ted Lasso this week, with the beloved American coach taking on a new challenge. Ted returned to AFC Richmond, but this time to manage the women's team.

The series cleverly highlights some of the issues facing women's football, from the way it is often overshadowed by the men's game, with Lasso being asked questions about the men's team at press conferences despite coaching the women, to the prevalence of ACL injuries.

We highly recommend watching it and are glad the series has brought these issues into the spotlight.