International Round-Up: Rangers Stars Shine (and Struggle) on the World Stage

The international break has wrapped up, and plenty of Rangers faces were in action for their countries—some impressing, others frustrating, and a few still waiting in the wings. Here’s a rundown of how our boys in blue fared away from Ibrox.

Scotland

Greece 0-1 Scotland
Scotland 0-3 Greece

John Souttar

Souttar’s return to form couldn’t have come at a better time for club or country. He was a standout in Scotland’s gritty away win in Greece, delivering a rock-solid performance under intense pressure. Unfortunately, the return leg at Hampden saw the defence fall apart in a dismal display, but Souttar’s resurgence remains one of the few positives.

Liam Kelly

Kelly’s been dependable when called upon for Rangers, filling in well during Butland’s injury absence. He didn’t get any minutes for Scotland this time, but being involved in the squad is a boost for the keeper’s confidence.

Wales

Wales 3-1 Kazakhstan
North Macedonia 1-1 Wales

Tom Lawrence

Four years out, and finally back in the Wales squad—but it wasn’t the return Tom would’ve hoped for. Despite his recall, he remained an unused sub in both matches. Still, a good sign that he’s on the radar again, even if injury niggles continue to hold him back at Rangers.

Rabbi Matondo

Loaned out to Hannover 96 and still plagued by injuries, Matondo hasn’t had the season anyone hoped for. But his international break brought a big personal milestone: his first senior goal for Wales—eight years after his debut! He only played four minutes, but made them count against Kazakhstan, and followed up with another cameo vs North Macedonia. Fair play to the lad.

Belgium

Ukraine 3-1 Belgium
Belgium 3-0 Ulraine

Nicolas Raskin

Raskin is flying. After a stop-start Rangers career due to injury, he’s now thriving under Barry Ferguson. That form’s been recognised on the international stage with a first senior Belgium cap. He came on in the 80th minute vs Ukraine and played a big part in their comeback win in the return leg. The Belgian press loved it—plenty of praise flying his way online too.

Morocco

Niger 1-2 Morocco
  Morocco 2-0 Tanzania

Hamza Igamane

From an unknown to a fan favourite, Igamane’s transformation has been brilliant to watch. The winner against Celtic sealed his place in Rangers fans’ hearts, and now he’s got his first senior cap for Morocco. He played against Niger, then watched from the bench in the Tanzania match. Not bad for a player many were unsure about back in August.

Ivory Coast

Burundi 0-1 Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast 1-0 Gambia

Mohamed Diomande

The Ibrox midfield dynamo carried his Old Firm form straight into international duty. He came off the bench vs Burundi and then started against Gambia, playing 68 minutes in a composed display. The Ivory Coast won both games 1-0, and Diomande looks more and more like a complete midfielder every time we see him.

Czech Republic

Czech Republic 2-1 Faroe Islands
Gibraltar 0-4 Czech Republic

Vaclav Černý

Černý’s loan spell at Ibrox has been electric—goals, assists, and now, international acclaim. He was man of the match in the Czech Republic’s win over Gibraltar, scoring and setting one up. He’s publicly said he wants to stay at Rangers. The big question is: can we match Wolfsburg’s £6.5m asking price?

Romania

Romania 0-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina
San Marino 1-5 Romania

Ianis Hagi

Hagi’s comeback story continues to twist and turn. After contract drama and a spell out in the cold, he’s been back amongst the goals and assists at Ibrox. But he’s hit a dip again and started one match from the bench and the other from the start for Romania. Still, he scored against San Marino and was unlucky not to scoop man of the match. Needs consistency—on both fronts.

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland 1-1 Switzerland
Sweden 5-1 Northern Ireland

Ross McCausland

With Cerny in top form, McCausland’s game time at Rangers has been limited. He travelled with the Northern Ireland squad but didn’t feature in either match. Still young, still learning—but the hunger needs to stay high.

Albania

England 2-0 Albania
Albania 3-0 Andorra

Nedim Bajrami

Here’s a concern. Bajrami’s Rangers form has nosedived. Promising signs early in the season have faded fast, and he’s now struggling to get game time under Barry Ferguson. Things didn’t improve with Albania either—subbed early vs England and unused against Andorra. Rumours of a bust-up with the Albanian coaches won’t help his case. He’s got work to do to win back trust—at Ibrox and with his country.

Final Thoughts

Plenty of positives from this international break—caps earned, goals scored, reputations enhanced. But a few warning signs too. As Rangers head back into domestic and European action, fans will hope players like Raskin, Igamane, and Diomande can bring their momentum back to Ibrox. And for those struggling? Now’s the time to dig deep and show they belong at a club of this size.

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