Mbappe vs Haaland, Fantasy Fixtures and YMCA: The Highlights from the World Cup Draw
The upcoming global tournament is finally starting to feel very real. While fans can finally start marking their calendars, Friday's draw in Washington DC was not short of significant headlines.
Long before the Village People took to the stage with YMCA, we were left picking the bones out of a group stage that includes a showdown between football's top strikers and a knockout stage that could produce a highly anticipated meeting between legends of the sport.
The Ceremony That Felt Like It May Never End
Numerous viewers logged on eager to discover their national side's initial fixtures. But, even though fans are accustomed to these draws being lengthy, this was extraordinary.
After acts by Robbie Williams and a former Pussycat Doll, addresses from political leaders and football's governing body, plus countless montages and interviews, it eventually appeared to begin nearly an hour later. Or so we thought.
Cue further commentary and entertainment, before the actual draw finally commenced around 90 minutes after the glitzy event initially started. The draw itself then required almost an hour to finish.
On to the Actual Football...
Next summer's tournament will be the largest in history, with a record 48 teams and a new round of 32. However, this increase in size has perhaps led to the initial phase being slightly diluted in overall strength.
There are very few matches between the major nations. England's match with their 2018 semi-final opponents is the most significant theoretically. That is the only group fixture with two teams ranked in the top 10.
The Selecao versus The Atlas Lions is the next best. The Dutch have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Die Mannschaft—drawn against less-fancied opponents—have the easiest on paper. But, compelling contests still await.
A Pair of Prolific Scorers Go Head-to-Head
Phenomenal striker Norway's star will make his debut in his first major tournament next summer. The Premier League forward netted 16 goals in eight matches to drag his country to their initial berth since 1998.
Hardly any have been able to come close to the 25-year-old's ridiculous scoring records—but someone who has is scheduled to come up against him in the last match of group games. Together with Senegal, The Nordic side have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's Les Bleus.
This means the leading scorers in the English top flight and Spain's division will clash for the initial occasion in international football. Anticipate net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.
A Familiar Foe
Mexico will take on South Africa in the opening match—repeating history. The two teams also kicked off the 2010 edition. That match, ending 1-1, is most famous for a thunderous goal.
Another notable fixture will see the French once more face the Senegalese, who stunned the then-world champions back in the 2002 World Cup. On that first day, a future Fulham midfielder outshone France's galaxy of stars to score the decisive goal.
Fantasy Fixtures for the First-Timers
Four new nations have benefited from the expanded World Cup to qualify for the tournament for the first occasion. But, standing in their way are former world champions, European champions and South American champions.
In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the least populous country to ever feature in a World Cup, will meet multiple winners Die Mannschaft. The island nation, with a resident count of around 600,000, will face European champions and 2010 World Cup winners Spain.
The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, will face title-holders Argentina and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be guided by a 2006 World Cup winner against the Portuguese icon's Portugal.
What About the Knockout Stage?
Assuming all the favorites make it safely through their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the big hitters to collide. The round of 32 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a possible matchup between past winners Germany and the French.
On the opposite half of the draw, eyes will be fixed on the last eight, where old rivals the Argentine and the Portuguese are set for a possible showdown. It would depend on both Argentina and Portugal winning their groups and navigating the early knockout rounds.
Regarding the Three Lions, a game against tournament hosts seems the most likely first knockout game. And, if the Scots progress, Samurai Blue or the Dutch could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.