But it's not like that elsewhere. It's a big deal for, say, Ecuadorians to see Caicedo. African players probably care more about their country qualifying for Afcon than their club finishing in the Europa spots. FAs around the world need the income. We can put up with it for 4 weekends a season.

People are welcome to dislike international breaks, but for those us who predominantly follow English football it's worth remembering it's really not all about us. The PL has the wealth to attract the world's best players and is a de facto super league. So int football can feel like a comedown.