Thomas Meunier was an unexpected absentee when Mark van Bommel unveiled his first squad as Belgium boss

When Sunderland moved to sign Thomas Meunier in the days following Belgium's exit from the World Cup, they did so knowing that the full back was in no way preparing for retirement.

Meunier is exceptionally proud to represent his country and exceptionally proud to have represented them at so many major tournaments, and had no intention of giving up while he was obviously still capable of playing at the top level.

Sunderland signed the 35-year-old fully expecting his busy schedule on Wearside to be complemented by international football, and with the full belief that he was still technically and physically at a level to be able to deal with it. So it was something of a surprise that when the Belgium squad for the current international window was named, Malick Fofana was in it but Meunier was not. Of course there is logic to the decision from the new head coach Mark van Bommel, perhaps wanting to assess new options ahead of the European Championships that lie ahead in 2028. It still seems a very harsh call, given that Meunier has made a very positive start to the campaign.

van Bommel contacted Meunier around a fortnight ago to relay the decision to him, and said that he received an emphatic response from the defender who made clear he has no intention of giving up at this stage.

"I told him that it doesn't end for him," van Bommel said.

"It's just that I am currently choosing other players. Thomas didn't agree with that. 'I'm going to become important again,' he said. That's nice."

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On Wearside, the news evoked mixed emotions. Meunier is already a very popular figure behind the scenes, and his disappointment is therefore shared. It also has a very obvious if unexpected upside, allowing him some valuable rest and recovery time ahead of a brutal run of fixtures before the November international break in which Sunderland will play three cup games in addition to their five Premier League matches.

As Régis Le Bris explained last week, it is a setback for the player but one that does the club no harm.

"He will stay fresh for Sunderland, which I think is really positive for us," Le Bris said.

"I'm disappointed for him because I know that he likes playing many games and he's ready for that. He's a great player, a great professional, with high standards every day. He wants to learn, so it is what it is."

Aside from a couple of weeks following the World Cup, Meunier has been playing virtually non-stop since last summer. When Sunderland return from the break, they will have a key player not only fit and firing after a welcome break but one determined to fight for his place both at club and international level. It's a tough decision to take for a player who had already shown he still had plenty to offer on the international stage, but a fresh and motivated Meunier will be a huge asset to Le Bris in what will be an exciting but challenging phase of the season.

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