Why it's so important that Liverpool's stars play well in continental tournaments

Even though Liverpool may be off until August, we still have the chance to watch many of our favorite Reds in action this summer, even if not all together.

That's because several have been called up for international duty, to serve their nations in pursuit of either a Euro or Copa America title.

While the club doesn't directly benefit from players' international success, there are still reasons for Liverpool supporters to be rooting for their players to do more than simply stay healthy- which itself is of course key as well.

That reasoning is different for different players, however, so let's talk about what we'll want to see from certain key Reds.

Liverpool forwards could change the narrative

For Uruguay's Darwin Núñez, the rationale is twofold. If his time at Liverpool really is done, a big summer could boost his transfer price.

However, if he's sticking around, he needs a jolt of confidence more than anything else. He's as talented of a striker as there is anywhere in the world, but struggles to put it all together consistently.

We've already seen some promising signs, like a hattrick in a friendly against Mexico, so there's reason to hope that Liverpool could see a rejuvenated Darwin hit the training pitch in August.

Then there's Luis Díaz, who generally shows out for Colombia as well, as inconsistent as he is for Liverpool.

The thought process here is similar, although it's certainly more skewed in one direction; Díaz looks fairly likely to leave, and Liverpool would love to get the best possible price for him.

Several Reds will look to shine at the Euros

Liverpool do have a trio of teammates going out together this summer; three Dutch players, Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch, and Cody Gakpo.

The big centre-back has incredibly little to prove, but the other two are in much more interesting positions. Both had promising finishes to the 2023-24 club season, but neither is guaranteed a major role with the club going forward.

However, both should be vital at the Euro, especially after a devastating injury to star Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

A great summer showing and increased chemistry with the Liverpool captain could be just what both of these players need to break through at the club level and help the team even more in 2024-25.

It would be great to see Dominik Szoboszlai and Hungary go on a run; the youngster is actually his nation's captain, and as a Red who has yet to make a UCL appearance for the club due to the timing of his arrival, it would be valuable for him to have the experience of leading a team in a big tournament.

There are a few players who are very well-established with Liverpool, so all they need is to stay healthy and avoid any true disasters.

Alexis Mac Allister, Ibrahima Konaté, Diogo Jota, and Andy Robertson all fall into this category. However, there is one more pair of Reds going off to international duty together who could really benefit from a strong tournament- English Lions Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez.

Defensive duo has a lot to prove

The two defenders are some of the most interesting Reds in the sense that they've shown a high level, but there's varying degrees of positional uncertainty with each.

Alexander-Arnold is a club legend already, but certain defensive lapses, as well as his prodigious playmaking, have forced many fans into wondering whether he might be best-suited in midfield.

There's never been a realistic opportunity for him to move up, but with Conor Bradley breaking out, he could finally do it.

This summer, he's listed as a midfielder for England and will wear the prestigious No. 8 shirt, so he'll likely get a fair shot; a strong performance in the role could really influence Arne Slot this fall.

As for Gomez, he's never really had a full-time starting role, but has done a great job being a jack-of-all-trades who plays all across the back line.

If he gets some serious minutes for England, he could prove to Slot that he deserves a full-time spot as a part of Liverpool's project going forward.

As hard as it is to believe, he's just recently turned 27 years old, while Andy Robertson and Virgil van Dijk begin to show signs of age, so while this year's lineup is more or less set, other than the Trent/Bradley situation, there could be openings in soon-to-come seasons.