In the aftermath of the World Cup, with national teams beginning a new, four-year cycle, there have been plenty of debutants for major nations recently.
Here are three players who were hoping to earn their first caps this week and how they might influence the play of their respective national teams, should they become regulars.
Nathaniel Clyne, England (started; played entire game vs. Slovenia)
Ahead of England's ill-fated campaign in Brazil, Roy Hodgson's major dilemma was at left-back, where Leighton Baines' good form and the rise of Luke Shaw forced Ashley Cole into international retirement. Since then, however, there's been an interesting debate on the opposite side of the defence.
Glen Johnson had been a regular since before the previous World Cup, but his omission from the current squad suggests Hodgson is moving on. The manager has tried various alternatives over the past year or so, but the likes of Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, John Stones and Calum Chambers are all natural centre-backs deployed out of position.
This seems to be a constant problem for England, and interestingly, young Tottenham defender Eric Dier withdrew from the U21 squad this week because he felt his centre-back play was being compromised by playing right-back.
Nathaniel Clyne, however, is something of a novelty: a proper right-back. He's not truly creative enough to play higher up and not tall enough to play at centre-back, so he hasn't been shifted around between positions.
He's better at attacking than England's other options in the position, and he performs his defensive duties reliably, too. He lacks the explosiveness and power of Shaw and Chambers, his ex-Southampton teammates, but he feels like a reliable, old-fashioned full-back in the mould of Gary Neville, who is now an England coach.
Having received his first call-up to the squad last month, Clyne had to wait until Saturday night to make his debut, but the right-back was one of England's best performers.
In an astonishingly dull first half, it was his forward running that offered the best route of attack, and he delivered a couple measured, intelligent crosses toward teammates, rather than the aimless, lofted balls England has became accustomed to from makeshift players in that position.
"I tried to play my normal game, as it's my normal game has got me this call-up," Clyne said afterward. "If I played how I play for my club, I knew it would be good enough."
Hodgson described his performance as "excellent," and it would be a surprise if Clyne weren't England's first-choice right-back for the next few matches.
Jose Callejon, Spain (substitute; played 21 minutes vs. Belarus)
Many were surprised when Napoli coach Rafael Benitez splashed out 10 million euros to sign Callejon from Real Madrid this past summer. The winger seemed a talented but inconsistent performer and someone who might struggle to adapt to the more tactical Serie A.
Instead, he has been an absolute revelation. The tricky wing play he showed at Espanyol is still evident, but crucially, Callejon has added a different dimension to his game -- he's become a goal-scorer.
He's better at making off-the-ball runs and getting in behind defences and has a brilliant scoring record for Napoli of 23 in 47 league games. For a wide player in a Benitez 4-2-3-1 -- others, such as Dirk Kuyt, have seemed stripped of their attacking capabilities in that role -- that's quite something.
Callejon made his international debut by replacing Santi Cazorla with 20 minutes remaining on Saturday, though Spain had already completed the scoring in their 3-0 victory and by that point were happy to sit back and conserve energy.
Although he might have replaced a playmaker, Callejon is probably challenging Pedro Rodriguez's place in the starting XI. Vicente Del Bosque usually attempts to play as many ball-players as possible and fields just one winger.
Callejon and Pedro in the same side would mean a very direct 4-3-3, which might not suit others at Del Bosque's disposal. Isco, for example, seems to be becoming the main man in midfield, and he wants to play as the No. 10 in a 4-2-3-1.
Pedro, though, has been in excellent form for Spain recently and, in fact, has been much better at international level than club level since Pep Guardiola's departure as Barca coach. Callejon might have to wait for consistent opportunities in the starting XI, and given that he turns 28 early next year, he needs to make inroads soon.
In truth, 20 minutes wasn't enough for him to prove his ability, but the main thing is he's finally involved in Del Bosque's thoughts. Spain's mid-week friendly against Germany seems an ideal opportunity to hand him a first start, and on current form, Callejon will prove his quality.
Talisca, Brazil (substitute; did not play vs. Turkey)
It's rare to find a promising youngster who looks as complete as the 20-year-old, and it's impossible not to be instantly impressed by everything about Talisca: He's tall, strong and fast, yet possesses a wonderful ability to dribble forward in possession, play killer passes and get himself into goal-scoring positions, too. Comparisons with Yaya Toure have been inevitable.
Talisca is already making waves in the Portuguese league, where he is currently the division's top goal-scorer with eight goals from nine matches, despite playing as a midfielder. He also hit the winner against Monaco in the Champions League and received his first call-up to the Brazilian national team this week, for the games against Turkey and Austria.
He didn't play in Istanbul, but it would be a surprise if Dunga doesn't select him in Vienna. This could be the type of player Brazil need: A midfielder who mixes the physical qualities the national side have come to depend upon with the technical ability they've lacked for the past decade or so.
Fitting him into the side in his preferred role could be tricky, but Dunga is a manager capable of tweaking his formation to incorporate his best talents. With Oscar and Neymar both capable of playing as a No. 10, perhaps Talisca could play deeper, though in the long-run he could even be a centre-forward, as suggested by his current club team manager, Jorge Jesus.
It's difficult to imagine Talisca will still be at Benfica next year, with a host of Premier League teams interested in his services. Let's hope his game isn't compromised in the mould of Anderson, Lucas Leiva or Denilson, however. Those three arrived in the Premier League with a reputation for attacking midfield play but were converted into more boring, withdrawn midfielders.
Talisca has got it all and should be determined to play in a side that gives him as much freedom as possible.