National media react as Rangers player involved in storming win for country last night

Sometimes the most important thing that happens to a club during an international break is not a result. This week, for Rangers, it was a decision. Ryan Naderi, the 23-year-old forward who scored the winner at Celtic Park, formally chose to represent Czechia, ending a tug-of-war between three nations over one of the most promising young strikers in Scottish football.

It has been a week of contrasts for the Ibrox squad. One player has opened a new chapter in his international career, another has lost his starting place for a major nation, a third scored his first goal for his country but in defeat, and a fourth watched Scotland lose heavily at Hampden. None of it adds up to a triumphant story. But taken together it is a revealing picture of a squad that is increasingly international, increasingly in demand, and increasingly exposed to the risks and rewards of life away from

The headline news is Naderi’s. According to the Czech Football Association, the forward chose Czechia over Germany and Bulgaria. He was born in Dresden, to a Czech mother and a Bulgarian father, which made him eligible for all three. The association’s announcement, reported by Around Prague, said the €6 million Rangers signing would join the squad for the next two Nations League games.

It was not a straightforward process. Naderi’s switch to Czechia was delayed by paperwork, and reports said he was cleared to join the squad after the formalities were completed. His agent described a competitive contest, saying that in the end the Czech Football Association’s representatives, including Pavel Nedved, persuaded him, not only with a clear sporting plan but with a feeling that this was the right place for him. For Ryan, the agent said, Czechia is much more than a name on a shirt.

That is the sort of language players and agents use when a decision has been about identity as much as opportunity. It is also a reminder of how competitive the recruitment of dual-nationality players has become. Bulgaria had approached him in March, when manager Aleksandar Dimitrov invited him to join the squad for the FIFA Series. He declined. Germany, the country of his birth, was an option but, given the depth of talent available there, a less certain route to regular football.

Czechia’s pitch was different. The national team has a new head coach in Santi Denia, who took over in July as the first foreign manager in the country’s history. The squad is in a period of transition, and a forward with Naderi’s profile, a tall target who can score and link play, fits a gap the team has been looking to fill.

His official availability began on Wednesday, and he is expected to be in line for the next fixture against Spain on Saturday, 3 October. That would be a remarkable way to begin an international career: a debut against the reigning world champions.

The timing is not ideal for Czechia. Naderi joined up just as the team was struggling. The campaign began with a 2-1 home defeat by Croatia, a game in which Luka Modrić gave the visitors the lead, Adam Karabec equalised almost immediately, and Mario Pašalić headed the winner. Tuesday’s match brought a second loss. Czechia hosted England in Prague and lost 2-0, with Anthony Gordon breaking the deadlock after half-time and Harry Kane adding a second midway through the second half.

The home side were reduced to ten men, which made the task harder, but the report on the match suggested they had defended resolutely in the first half before England found a way through. Captain Ladislav Krejci even diverted a cross onto his own woodwork at one point, a moment that summed up how the evening went.

Naderi was not eligible to play. He watched from the dugout, where he was spotted looking, in the words of one report, deep in thought. It is hard to imagine a more instructive introduction. His new team had just lost two games in a group that also contains the world champions, and the next fixture is against the strongest team in the section.

None of this should be read as a warning sign. A player in his position does not choose a national team based on its current results. He chooses on identity, ambition and opportunity. Czechia are in a transitional period, and a young forward could become a central figure in what comes next. But the early points are hard to come by in Group A3, and there will be pressure on everyone involved to deliver quickly.

For Rangers, the question is what Naderi’s decision means for the club. The answer is, mostly, good news, with a few things to watch.

The positive is straightforward. Naderi has become a significant figure in McInnes’ plans this season. His career statistics at Ibrox show seven goals in 22 appearances across all competitions, including two in the league this term, a goal in the League Cup and one in Europe. He scored against Czech side Jablonec in Conference League qualifying, though the north Bohemian club went on to knock Rangers out on penalties. And, most memorably, he scored the winner in the derby at Celtic Park, a goal that helped deliver back-to-back victories over their rivals.

Before that, he had impressed in Germany. At Hansa Rostock he scored 13 goals in 42 appearances in the third tier, and he was voted Player of the Matchday twice in the 2025-26 season, once for a brace in a 4-2 away win and once for providing a hat-trick of assists in a 4-0 victory. He arrived at Ibrox in February and made his debut as a substitute in a 5-1 win over Kilmarnock, then started his first match in an 8-0 win over Queen’s Park.

Having a player who is wanted by a national team is generally a positive. It signals quality, raises his profile and can increase his market value. It also gives him extra motivation, since international recognition tends to sharpen a young player’s focus.

The things to watch are more practical. International duty brings travel, additional matches and the risk of injury. A forward who is playing regularly for Rangers and now has a second set of fixtures will face a heavier workload. McInnes will need to manage his minutes carefully, particularly during the busiest parts of the season.

There is also the question of contract and value. A player who is capped by a European nation and scoring goals in Scotland is naturally going to attract attention. That is a good problem for a club to have, but it is one that will require careful management.

If Naderi’s week was a story of arrival, Nicolas Raskin’s was one of demotion. The Belgian midfielder, already at the centre of a lengthy transfer saga, was left out of the Belgium starting line-up for the Nations League match against France in Brussels. It was a notable change. Raskin has been a regular for his country, and his performances at the World Cup were widely admired.

The Scotsman reported that he was introduced as a substitute in the 85th minute. It was not a happy cameo. Three minutes later, France scored the winner through a stunning breakaway goal from Michael Olise, and Belgium lost 1-0.

The Belgian media reaction was more pointed than anything he has experienced in Scotland recently. Rangers News, summarising the coverage, reported that Romeo Lavia had taken Raskin’s place and was widely praised as Belgium’s best player, with one outlet awarding him the highest rating in the team. Le Soir was careful to avoid overstating the case, noting that it would be disrespectful to Raskin to say the midfield hierarchy had been completely overturned after a single start. But the newspaper acknowledged that Lavia had made an immediate impression and had earned another opportunity in the holding role.

Supporters on social media were far less measured. Some declared that Lavia had secured the position for a decade.

None of this is catastrophic. A single match does not end an international career, and Raskin has a good record for Belgium. But the timing is awkward. He has said publicly that he was ready to leave Rangers in the summer, and his value in the transfer market depends partly on his status with his country. Losing his place in a major national team, even temporarily, could affect how potential buyers see him.

It also adds a new dimension to the Rangers decision about his future. The club has reportedly agreed, at least informally, that next summer is the likely time for a sale. If his international fortunes dip in the meantime, the price could be affected. His form for Rangers will therefore matter more than ever.

There was one genuine moment of celebration for the club. Kevin Kelsy, the £9.5 million summer signing, scored his first goal for Venezuela in a friendly against Japan in Hiroshima.

It was a well-constructed goal. As Venezuela counter-attacked in the 46th minute, wing-back Luis Balbo nutmegged a Japan defender, held off the recovering tackle and played a low ball across the edge of the box. Kelsy, on his seventh cap, struck it with his left foot into the bottom right corner, beyond goalkeeper Zion Suzuki.

The match did not end as hoped. Japan recovered through two goals from substitute Ayase Ueda and won 2-1. The second came after a dramatic finish. Venezuela were awarded a penalty in the 91st minute, but VAR intervened and the spot-kick went to Japan instead. By then Kelsy had been substituted.

It is easy to see why the goal was reported with some excitement. It came just two weeks after he scored his first for Rangers in the 1-0 League Cup win over Celtic, a pattern that suggests he is beginning to settle. For a forward who has arrived with a significant price tag and high expectations, early goals are an important confidence boost.

The context also matters. Kelsy joined after Youssef Chermiti suffered an ACL injury, so the club needed a striker quickly. The Venezuelan has now marked his arrival with goals for both club and country, a good sign for a player who will be expected to contribute regularly

Kim Min-su, the South Korean defender who also joined this summer, was given the second half of his country’s friendly against Uruguay on Monday. The match ended in a heavy 4-1 home defeat. It was a difficult evening for the team, but for the individual it was another opportunity to gain international minutes.

Taken together, the performances of Rangers’ summer signings during the break paint an interesting picture. The club has recruited players from across the globe, and they are now becoming established figures for their national teams. That is an indication of the quality McInnes has brought in, and of how widely scouted the squad has become.

It also underlines the scale of the logistical challenge. Players returning from long journeys, from Japan, South America and across Europe, arrive back at Ibrox with different levels of fatigue and different preparation. Managing that in the days after an international break is one of the underappreciated tasks of a modern head coach.

Closer to home, the national team had an evening to forget. Scotland lost 3-0 to Switzerland at Hampden on Tuesday in Sebastien Pocognoli’s first home match, a game that was effectively decided when Jack Hendry was sent off in the opening minutes. Lewis Ferguson, the Bologna midfielder whose name has been so closely linked with Rangers, was part of that squad.

Ferguson also commented this week on the summer speculation. According to Glasgow World, he said that talk of a move to Ibrox had been exaggerated and that it was not really that close. That matters because it contrasts with the more confident predictions being made elsewhere about his future. A player who has been open about his dream of playing for the club has also been careful to dampen specific expectations. It suggests that, for the moment, the situation is one of longstanding mutual interest rather than an imminent deal.

It is a reminder that the international break is also a time when players are asked about their futures. Every interview is scrutinised, every comment is parsed, and a throwaway line can become a headline.

For the head coach, the break brings both opportunities and complications.

On the positive side, the squad has seen several players gain valuable experience. Kelsy scored, Naderi has secured a new international pathway, and Kim has featured for his country. Players who feel valued and recognised are generally more motivated, and success on the international stage can raise confidence.

On the other side, there are the fitness and workload concerns. Players who have travelled long distances or played intense matches will need careful monitoring. And there are the longer-term questions about how individual situations will develop: Raskin’s status with Belgium, Naderi’s availability for Czechia, and Ferguson’s future.

McInnes has shown a pragmatic approach in handling such issues. He reintegrated Raskin quickly after the summer disruption, and he has made a point of valuing the strengths of different players. The challenge now is to maintain that balance while keeping the team competitive on several fronts.

There is also the broader context of a squad that has been rebuilt rapidly. Fourteen new signings arrived this summer, and the group is still bedding in. International breaks can disrupt that process, interrupting training and tactical work. The speed with which the team resumes its rhythm after the break will say a lot about how far it has come.

What is striking about this week is how much of it concerns identity. Naderi’s choice of Czechia was a decision about where he feels he belongs. Raskin’s demotion raises questions about where he stands. Ferguson’s comments reflect his own sense of belonging to a club his family helped build. Even Kelsy’s goal, scored for Venezuela rather than for Rangers, was part of a broader narrative of a young player finding his feet.

For supporters, it is a reminder that a modern football club is not just a team but a collection of individuals with their own paths. Rangers’ squad spans several continents, and each player carries his own ambitions and obligations. The job of the club is to harmonise them.

That is not always easy, and the international break exposes the tensions. But it also offers moments of pride. When a Rangers player scores for his country or earns a call-up, it reflects well on the club and its recruitment. In that sense, even a week without a triumphant headline can be a positive one.

It would have been satisfying to report a Rangers player starring in a storming international win. The reality was more mixed. Naderi made a significant decision about his future, Kelsy scored in defeat, Raskin lost his starting place, Kim played in a heavy loss, and Scotland suffered a chastening night at Hampden.

Yet the week was far from negative. The squad is increasingly international, its players are earning recognition, and the club’s recruitment is paying dividends. Naderi’s switch to Czechia in particular is the most forward-looking story, giving a talented young forward a new platform and giving Rangers a player who will be in demand for years.

The next test comes quickly. Naderi could make his debut against Spain on Saturday, a challenge that would test any forward. If he does, supporters in Glasgow will be watching closely, and the media in Prague, Madrid and beyond will be watching too. Whatever the result, it will be another chapter in a story that is already becoming one of the more interesting subplots of the Rangers season.