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First things first, let's get the hatred for the International break out of the way. Yes, most of football fandom would much rather see the big European leagues and the Champions League head to an exciting finish at this stage of the season, than have to watch International Football.
But, this International Break, we could well see some of Europe's brightest young stars stamp their authority on the international stage, as well. In the previous two international breaks - in October and November - the story was about the brilliant Dutch youngsters.
In a tough UEFA Nations League group that also had France and Germany in it, the Netherlands topped the group, and there were rave reviews for the likes of Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt, who had truly arrived on the international stage.
With the qualifiers for Euro 2020 starting during this international break, there are some bright youngsters across the continent looking to make their mark.
We take a look at five of the best
#5 Declan Rice
Fan of the Republic of Ireland? Look away. With good reason, Ireland fans won't take too kindly to Rice's decision to pursue his international future with England, despite winning three caps in friendlies for the Republic in 2018.
But it is also with good reason that Gareth Southgate has gone to great lengths to ensure that the 20-year-old West Ham man committed his international future to England.
When all else seemed lost with his midfield combinations at the start of the season, Manuel Pellegrini decided that, alongside Mark Noble, Rice would be a fixture at the base of the midfield.
The young man hasn't looked back ever since. With Jordan Henderson recovering from an injury, and Eric Dier not having played much recently due to fitness concerns of his own, you'd think the time is ripe for Southgate to blood the youngster in.
It's not a preposterous suggestion, either. In his tenure as England boss, Southgate has shown that his selections have depended more on form and fitness than reputation. With that in mind, it should not be a surprise if Rice starts at Wembley, when England take on Czech Republic on Friday night.
Rice's simplicity of play - positional ability, the perfect tackles and his strength in the air - will definitely come to use, as Southgate seeks the freedom to move forward from midfield, for the likes of Dele Alli and Jesse Lingard.
#4 Nicolo Zaniolo
Alongside Gianluigi Donnarumma and Federico Chiesa, Zaniolo was picked among the most exciting youngster coming out of Italy, by Carlo Ancelotti, when the veteran coach spoke exclusively to Sportskeeda last month.
The youngster, who moved to AS Roma from Inter Milan at the start of this season, as part of the deal that took Radja Nainggolan to the San Siro, has not looked back since. He's been one of the few bright sparks in what has been a torrid season for last season's Champions League semi-finalists.
The youngster has scored only three league goals - in addition to his brace in the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 tie against Porto, which Roma eventually lost.
In the process, though, Zaniolo became the youngest player since Francesco Totti to score three goals in a single Serie A season - not bad company, especially if you're in Roma colours, is it?
Roberto Mancini had already called him up to the Italian squad previously, when he hadn't even made a first-team appearance for Roma, so it's not a surprise that Zaniolo will get his chance for the Azzurri now.
In the summer of 2018, Zaniolo was a central figure in helping Italy finish runners-up at the U-19 European Championships. In the spring of 2019, Zaniolo hopes to start a journey which will see him be a central figure in an Italian side longing to bring the country the footballing glory it has longed, after a recent past mired in failure.
#3 Youri Tielemans
Tielemans has been a part of the Belgian set-up for a couple of years now, but he has never really had the time or the opportunity to make a spot for himself permanent in the Red Devils' scheme of things.
Roberto Martinez has always preferred the trio of Axel Witsel, Marouane Fellaini and Moussa Dembele over Tielemans, but when the Belgians face Russia to open their qualification, it could well present Tielemans with the opportunity that he has been craving.
Witsel and Dembele are both injured, and Fellaini has been dropped. That means Martinez has now put his faith in Tielemans, and what the 21-year-old brings to the Belgian midfield.
After a dwindling time at a struggling, the central midfielder seems to be enjoying life in the Premier League, after moving to Leicester City in January. The Foxes are marking a revival of their own, under new coach Brendan Rodgers, and Tielemans has been central to it.
At Belgium, Tielemans is likely to start alongside Leander Dendoncker at the base of the midfield, and that will be ideal for him. Dendoncker will be able to sit deep, and sweep up play, while giving Tielemans the freedom to advance with the ball, much like he's done at Leicester alongside Wilfred Ndidi.
With likes of Dries Mertens and the Hazard brothers in front of him, Tielemans has no shortage of ammunition to hit in front of him, but it will be important that he gets play started, and gets the Red Devils moving in an attacking context.
The absence of Kevin de Bruyne is bound to be felt by any side, given the immense quality of the Manchester City man, but Tielemans has got the ability to make things happen from a role a little deeper than the one de Bruyne usually plays for Belgium.
#2 Kai Havertz
The Bayer Leverkusen youngster has been grabbing headlines all through this season, and has the heads of some big European clubs turning with his performances.
In a Germany side without the likes of Mesut Ozil and Thomas Muller, Joachim Loew could well turn to Havertz to provide the creativity and spark in the final third.
A player who can play across midfield, Havertz is best suited to the no.10 role, just behind the striker, from where he can move across the width of the pitch to trouble defenders.
In 37 appearances this season, the 19-year-old has 13 goals and 3 assists. It is not just his attacking play that stands out, but the desire to ensure that his team is never out of possession for too long.
Havertz has won 369 duels in Bundesliga this season, and is 11th in the list of most number of sprints attempted, with 650.
In Loew's 'New Germany', Havertz could well be a key component with the sheer roundedness of his game. He's got the pace of the likes of Leroy Sane and Timo Werner around him. He's got the skill and trickery of Julian Brandt alongside him. As the fourth wheel in the German attack, Havertz could well wreak havoc.
It's also a brilliant front four for Loew to have, given how different they all are to each other, and how rounded they make the whole German attack - especially with the likes of Leon Goretzka and Toni Kroos sitting in midfield, and ensuring a solid base.
#1 Tanguy Ndombele
Will the Lyon man be trusted by Didier Deschamps, to start ahead of his tried and tested partnership of Paul Pogba and N'Golo Kante? That remains to be seen, but if he is given the opportunity, everything points to Ndombele taking to the French midfield like a fish to water.
Ndombele's ability to combine his raw power and strength with fabulous speed and outstanding technical ability make him a very unique player to have in your ranks - France do have Pogba, who's similar, but they must find a way for Ndombele to co-exist with the Manchester United man.
Deschamps prefers having Olivier Giroud as a striker, but maybe starting with a midfield three of Kante, Pogba and Ndombele will allow the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele to flourish in the attacking third.
Deschamps has, in the last year, started with Blaise Matuidi on the left side of midfield to accommodate Griezmann behind Giroud, but he would be well-advised to ensure Ndombele gets a start ahead of the Juventus man.
France could even line up with a diamond in midfield, with Pogba and Ndombele on either side, with Kante being at the base, and Griezmann at the tip.
The time has come for Deschamps where he cannot afford to ignore Ndombele anymore. Somehow, he needs to find a way to make it work.
