For some players, the international break can be a blessing. It allows those out of favour to go away with their national side and get some minutes under their belts, an opportunity to regain confidence as well as send a message to their club manager.
Manchester United youngster Zidane Iqbal is doing the opposite as he looks to catch the eye of Erik ten Hag and earn his first appearance of the season.
The 19-year-old was the breakout star of United's summer tour thanks to a string of stellar performances that propelled him from academy hopeful to the edge of the first-team frame.
Iqbal got 154 minutes of football under his belt in the summer, more than Aaron Wan-Bissaka did, and impressed so much that Ten Hag made it clear he wanted to keep him at the club this season and oversee his development personally rather than send him out on loan.
The talented teenager had been attracting interest from a number of Championship clubs, but with his stock on the rise, it was decided he would benefit most from continuing to train in an elite environment and learn from leading midfielders on a daily basis.
It can only be a good thing for Iqbal to work alongside the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Christian Eriksen and Casemiro, but it is also crucial he gets more meaningful minutes this season in order to build upon the positive momentum behind him.
In order to do that, the teenager has taken a risk. Iqbal was set to be named in the senior Iraq squad for the upcoming Jordan International Tournament this week, but rejected the call-up in order to focus on his development at United.
Rather than jet off to Jordan to face Oman in a semi-final, Iqbal will instead remain at Carrington, where he will work alongside Ten Hag every day and get amplified attention as one of the few senior midfielders not away on international duty.
Although his football allegiance is with Iraq - playing for the country is a huge honour - he remains a proud Mancunian, a Pakistani as well as an Iraqi. With those close to him reiterating that all of his heritage has been very important in his upbringing and football journey.
It will likely be a different story during the next international break too. Iqbal could gain priceless experience when Iraq face Mexico and Belgium in pre-World Cup warm-up matches at the beginning of November and a chance to test himself against some of the leading players in his position.
The academy ace has yet to even be named on the bench for a Premier League match this season but has been an unused substitute for each of their Europa League matches so far.
Iqbal is regarded as a senior player now, but due to his age, he can be parachuted into U21 matches when required. His solitary Premier League 2 appearance came in a 2-2 draw with Liverpool at the start of the month, while he also played over an hour in United's impressive win over Carlisle in the EFL Trophy.
All United fans will be well aware of his quality, but what is so impressive about Iqbal is his maturity. He is regarded as a trailblazer as one of the very few British Asian footballers, a demographic that represents just 0.25 per cent of professional players despite making up 7 per cent of the population.
Iqbal is a big part of the PFA's Asian Inclusion Mentoring Scheme and is regularly involved in their sessions, taking part in Q&As as well as chatting on a personal level with other young hopefuls over a game of Fifa.
Sources say he is well aware of his position as a role model, but he is even more aware that he has so much more to offer in the game and is incredibly driven to do just that, a work ethic he credits his parents for embodying in him.
Iqbal currently has little interest in fame or followership, though he recognises the already growing power of his voice and the inspiration he can bring to people of all backgrounds.
That is reciprocated by his parents again. With their son fully focused on making it as a professional, his family has already turned down a number of lucrative commercial opportunities in order to protect and help Zidane as he starts out on this journey.
The next step in that journey might come next month. Iqbal could well make his second senior competitive appearance for United in the Europa League, while he'll also be hoping for a chance to get a run out in the Carabao Cup.
Even if that chance doesn't come next month, that won't faze the youngster. Iqbal is well aware of the work he still has to do and is not getting carried away despite his first proper taste of senior football this summer, something that has only further fuelled his appetite for more.
Ten Hag put his faith in the youngster by keeping him in the first-team picture this season when he could quite easily have left. This week he had another opportunity to leave, and this time it was he who decided to stay. He is certainly repaying his manager's belief.