World Cup 2026 preview: Groups E-H – Football Weekly

This is the Guardian. Hello and welcome to the Guardian Football Weekly. Here's part two, then of our World Cup previews. Group E to H, Group E, Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, and Kurosau. There's a four-to-year-old keeper and a 78-year-old manager in their Group F. Will the Netherlands implode as usual? Can Japan shine without Matoma? Tunisia and Grand Potter Sweden. There two, Group G looks nice for Belgium with Egypt, Iran and New Zealand. Now the all-blacks with a chance for another undefeated DVD. And Sid joins us for Group H as Spain line up against Euro-wide Cape Verde. And Saudi Arabia, this is the Guardian Football Weekly. On the panel for this one, Barry Glendeni, welcome. Hello Max, and can I just say that after yesterday's discracial, I have done an exhaustive search of Sundayland players at the World Cup and who they're paying for. Excellent. I really hope you mess it up again. Oh, I'm Wilson. Welcome. Why don't you do? Very well, thank you. Paul Watson, how are you? Hi Max, yeah, good. Yeah, you're joining us for the first nine days of the World Cup, although you're not coming for day one because why? I'm presenting the Football in Barclayshire Awards, Max. Of course you are. Priorities. And are you a veteran of the Football in Barclayshire Awards? It's my third year, and I've retained the gig. Initially they wanted Jeff Stelling, but he was otherwise engaged. And I've just sort of stuck in there and kept taking it as long as Jeff keeps in work. I keep the Football in Barclayshire Awards. Good stuff. All right, well let's get on with Group E. Then Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast and Ecuador. Germany managed by Australian Nagelsmann. Of course they have won it before. When out of the group stages at last time though, that memorable defeat to Japan. Curacao, managed by Dick Advocate and the first World Cup for them. Ivory Coast managed by Emma Sfei, Best Ever. Just the group stages never got through to the knockouts for 2006, 2010 and 2014. And Ecuador, managed by Sebastian Beckad-Czechey, if I pronounce that correctly. I got to the last 16 in '06, knocked out in the group stages last time. Should we start with Germany then Wilson? How do you see them fairing? I mean it'll go through because the format of the tournament means it's almost impossible for them not to go to either. But I don't think this is a good Germany side. And the problem we've seen with them, the last two tournaments is they don't have a centre forward. And that is no different. They'd left out full-cruque, which I guess makes sense given these barely played. Have it, Smacked the Blazer, Fals 9. I mean the three forwards they've named, Nick Walter Mada, who, as we know, is not an out and out number nine. Dennis Unda, I've had a decent season of Stuttgart. I think he's got 68th for Germany, so he can score. And Maximilian Biaff from Dortmund, who I believe is yet to score for the Germany. And then he looked at the line behind that, which is where the strike should be. And then he had to be left out. Moussiala got that terrible injury against PSG in the Champions League. Is he going to be fully fit? Flow in the earths, as I've said, a bit of a weird season at Liverpool. So I think there's question marks all over the place. And then they brought back Noia, which I think is sort of a surprise everybody. 40, he's suddenly back in the team. So I think there's loads of questions there. They'll be fine for the first two weeks, but maybe not after that. Has German thoughts? Yeah, the goalkeeper thing is interesting. Oliver Beumann from Huffenheim is also in the squad. He only has 11 caps. Noia, is his presence going to cause friction? Are they going to fall out? It wouldn't be the first time two German goalkeepers fell out. That's for sure. And it looks like they could meet France in the quarter final. And if they do, I suspect that could be it for Germany. Yeah, although I mean, so have a, it's actually a brilliant footballer, Paul. But you can do that job. He's done that job a lot. You know, I'd had to prefer him up front in a sort of false 90 up front position than the Champions League final. There's no reason why he can't spearhead a very good attack. No, there's no reason why he can't. But I think in qualification, they just didn't look impressive. There was this some thumping 6-0 winning out Slovakia that secured it. But that really put a gloss on what was a pretty grim qualification campaign. If you're in a group with Slovakia, Northern Ireland and Luxembourg, you know, it's not a massively strong group and they made pretty hard work of it. And I'm a note on the striker situation. I feel quite sorry for Dennis Oondav, because he's actually been playing really well as we've kind of alluded to. But there's a sense, I think I don't know whether this has been explicit or just implied. But there's a sense that Nehgelsmann has basically said to him, "You're a sub. You know, you'll be an impact sub, whatever you do." So I don't really think he's got any chance of starting. So I think it will be Havats. I just fully agree with Wilson on this. It's a team that looks great until you really scratch down into it and then you find little holes. And I don't think they can go much further than probably last 16. Just running Wilson, was it you who was critical of Nehgelsmann in a game where I don't think any of the goals are his fault? Maybe it was the PSG or a game. You're saying Northern Gelsmann is his fault? No, I'm just wondering if it's like you Ronaldo doesn't press. I mean, you can still have Ronaldo doesn't press it as well. Like up as well. But it's good to have you. Did that piece of the weekend? I've already done my first World Cup Ronaldo doesn't press piece. Have you ever lost? Wilson, how do you see the Ivory Coast going? Yeah, I mean, you were just the fact that they've never made it through the Greek before. But they've been really unlucky with draws before. So if you look at who they had in 2006, who was Argentine in Netherlands, who was 7-month Negro, what only two went through? 2010 they had Brazil, Portugal and North Korea. I mean, 2014, which is the last time they were there, was maybe a bit easy with Columbia, Greece and Japan. But I think this is the first time when they've been in a group where you really think they ought to go through. They won the combinations in 2000. Well, the two is the 2023 combinations which was played in 2024, which is now the problem with combinations that they're never played in the right year, which makes them very hard to refer to. And that was really sort of this tide of a momentum they got under MS-5. They got to the quarterfinals in Morocco in 2025, played in 2005-26. And they got done by Egypt in the quarterfinal, just a bit naive. They Egypt did what they do to teams and sort of sat off them, frustrated them. But they're a decent side, I think then, anything like as good as a team of 20 years ago. But there's no reason why, I think they'll get through the group. And yeah, why not last 16 quarterfines? Yes, Baz. I was just going to say, the head coach, Emma, is I think Redding's record signing played for them 11 times and lost 11 times. So that went well. Will he be at the box if football was? Yeah, imagine, right? Imagine that's his priority. He was that amazing story, wasn't he, at Afghanistan 2023, where they were hosting it and all these expectations. And then they had this dreadful group stage. They lost 4-0, it was Equatorial Guinea. And like, sack the coach on the spot, Jean-Louis Gasse, and brought in MS-5. Well, he was just a student, mid-bagoons, he just stepped up. Yeah. So he just got put in as the head, and then won it. So like, he's sort of done an amazing job, isn't he, really, considering him? And will François has left out with the resquad? Happy as a prize. He's on Lorne at Charlotte, at the moment, from Galatasaray. I don't think so. I mean, he was in the side for the combinations, but I mean, he wasn't massively involved in the combinations. They've got a DM on to play wide as well. So if you've got Amad and you've got DM on, do you need him? I think maybe just a sense of an old man with a big profile isn't necessarily the best thing for Scott Harmony. I guess it's a logic. Nothing wrong, Barry, with being an old man with a big profile. Let's talk about Curacao. Dick Advocate is back in charge, but what happened there? He was manager, then he wasn't, and then he was rehired two weeks ago. Yeah, so he led Curacao to the World Cup, Heroic Effort, and then actually had to step down, because his daughter was really not very well, and he decided he just couldn't coach to the World Cup. He recommended his replacement for Ed Ruten, another Dutch coach, and he had a bit of a nightmare, they got Thrashbustraelia beaten by China. There's a sense the players didn't really want him in there, and the sponsors also were leaning on the federation to bring back Advocate, and luckily his daughter got a lot better, her health, and Advocate came back in. And he will be the oldest coach in World Cup history at 78. Funnily enough, when Julian Neh-Gelzmann was born, Advocate was 40. So he, a Neh-Gelzmann was literally a nappies when Advocate was coaching the Dutch Women's National side. But the weird thing about this World Cup oldest coach is, he's going to change hands three times during the tournament, the oldest coach, because Hugo Bruce, or South Africa in the opening game, will become the oldest coach at 74. He's going to pass it a few hours later to Miroslav Kubek of Czechia, who is also 74, but a bit older. And then when Germany played Kurosound, June the 14th, it goes to Advocate at 78. And I don't know if they'll ever beat that record really. And also, it helps Advocate that he is a bit older still, because he's playing third. So he gets older as well. So every day goes by. I mean, tell us a bit about this side. Like getting there is everything. I presume for Kurosound, you couldn't envisage them winning a game or getting a point, even or am I underestimating? Now, cause of how difficult this group is, I don't massively season getting anywhere in this tournament. So it's a stronger side than you might envision away. So it's an entirely Netherlands-raised squad. Only one player was born in Curacao, that's Taith Chong of Sheffield United. He scored that brilliant goal against Germany in there, friendly, which they did lose for one. But yet it's an entirely sort of Netherlands-flavored side. Their qualification was amazing, really. They had this final game against Jamaica that they had to get a draw in Jamaica. And it was like you'd scripted it. Jamaica hit the woodwork three times. Curacao were clinging on. And then it went to a 90th minute and Curacao still clinging on. Jamaica get a penalty. And it just looks like, "Oh, this is it then. Jamaica can score it." And then VAR overturned the penalty. That's right. Curacao were there. But yeah, I mean, what they'll do is what you'd expect them to do. I think they'll sit deep and they'll try and hit on the break with a bit of pace. They've got the Bacunia brothers, Janineon, Leandro Mifield, who are decent footballers. But yeah, it's going to be a big, big ask for them to get anything out of this tournament, I think. Barry, how's your extensive research of Ecuador, besides whether they have any Sunderland players? Well, they have Nilsson Angulo, who's a Sunderland player. I forgot to mention Simon Dinguera in the Ivory Coast bit, and I'm a Gialo X Sunderland. Sebastian Becacate, the head coach of Ecuador, he never played professionally. He's very much a Marcelo Biela's at the Cycle. And he learned his trade basically watching Biela's training sessions and press conferences and matches. Ostensibly, he learned his trade spying on Marcelo Biela's, which kind of nice irony to that. I reckon they could do all right, you know. They only lost to Brazil and qualifying. They drew it, Argentina. They have this reputation as high altitude specialists who are famously difficult to beat at home, but they're now pretty good away as well. They came second in South American qualifying only behind Argentina. They've got a very formidable back four, Piro, incapito, William Patio from PSG, Pervis Estebanan, Joel Ordenes from Club Broga. They've got Enervalencia and Moicacato. There's a lot to like about this team. I'm putting them very much in in dire carstery. Wow, six goalers draws in qualifying, Wilson Sounds, right up your street. Yeah, I mean, 14 goals scored in 18 matches, but only five conceded. So I'll be honest, if I was back in the UK, I would not be sitting up for 4am to watch them. I don't get Nilsen Angelo. The one thing that I would question the juice of breeze on this season is why he picks him whenever he's available. Because to me, he's looked to be fair. Since he came back from injury, he's looked a bit better, but the three or four games he played before he got injured, he looked absolutely hopeless, but he obviously has something. And yeah, he is one of the wide outlets in a team that doesn't score goals. Group F then, the Netherlands, Japan, Sweden and Tunisia. The Netherlands managed by Ronald Kuman, Best Ever. They run us up three times, 74, 78, 20, 10, got to the quarterfinals at last time. Japan managed by Hajiimi Moriatsu, Japan's longest service serving manager, Best Ever is the last 16, which they did in Qatar. Sweden managed by Graham Potter, of course, got to the quarterfinals in 94, Thomas Brolin and friends, and Tunisia managed by Sabri Lemoushi, Best Ever they've done is the group stages. Roy says, "How much chance do the panel give the Netherlands the most esteemed country not to have won it in an elite field with no consistency in their first elevens?" They're not perfect, but their defensive depth is strongest. Wilson. I think this is a genuinely tricky group. I think this might be the best balance of all the 12 groups. I think Zavi Simmons has a loss. I think he gave him a lot of a guy in midfield. The fact that I never know, something like Tijani Rinders is clearly really important for their rhythm and just the way they manipulate the ball. Is it good he's barely played in the last six months? Is he fresh or is he lost? Very hard to tell. They've got loads of options up front as well. There's a chance Brian Brobby might start. They've got Brobby and Veghors. They've got these sort of a litterative battering rounds up front. That's such a dream team. I'd absolutely love to see that. But they've also got Gapo and Daniel Marlin. I just imply that as well again. I think he started 10 league games at Bournemouth this season. Is he fresh or is he rusty? It's attacking options. They can go into completely different directions. But if we're up against a team, it doesn't like it up them. Brobby and Veghors. I just hope there's a game where 10 minutes together they desperately need a goal and they're going long to Brobby and Veghors. I think that would be the best football we see this year. Who's fair and strong for them with? Is it roofs or parrots for Brogan or is there another one that I've forgotten? I think Fleckens. A lot of people are saying roofs is going to start but he's not. I don't know how much the experience has even been capped for another bit. Like barely, right? Yeah, he's only 23s and it really is. This is the first year when he's been even vaguely high profile. I think it looks very calm but he's not without a rick when it comes to passing out from the back. Yeah, I mean defensively they are strong as well aren't they? But as you say, it does look like a really good group. You think Japan or possibly what did you say in them? I think this might be the best Asian side ever. Now obviously Pat Matoma is injured is a big blow because he is a brilliant player. But they've got, I mean in terms of players that in the Premier League we know Kamada and Tanaka in midfield they've got, I mean if you've got Dyson Mida from Celtic who I think probably will play to the left. I think there'll probably be a 3-4-2-1. I think he'll be the left side of the creators and I say, I don't know how you say this, who ate it from Fine Ode? But yeah, their record in qualifying was exceptional. Asian qualifying takes forever. It's got all these phases. There's all kinds of safety nets which is why Saudi Arabia got through about the eighth safety net. Japan just didn't need it at all. They blasted everybody away. Yeah, they, they're the second round of qualifying. So I think they wouldn't, I mean, when 6 out of 6 and the first round of qualifying beat expect that because that's against sort of minos. But then they won 7 of 10 in the second round which is difficult because huge amounts of travel, very different conditions, very different opponents. When the draw was made and I realised I was having to make quite an annoying journey to go and see Japan be Tunisia and we'll come onto my views on Tunisia which I would say are not positive. Although they have changed manager to be fair, I was sort of thinking, oh god, that is just a game that I have no interest in seeing. And now I think, no, I think it might be privilege to see this Japan. Like Tijani Rinders in the dodge squad, what to Rendo is barely played this season. So is he fresh or rusty? Tikumi Minimino X Southampton was touching goal, X Southampton Liverpool was touching goal, but I think he's in the squad. But again, he's barely played for six months or more. So that would have to be a concern. But I'm intrigued by the fact that Wilson is big on this Japan team's chances. Like they'd be Germany and Spain at the last word, if I'm not mistaken. Yeah, they did. But there is really interestingly, this Japanese size got this massive psychological issue, right? So they're brilliant side. They look great, qualification breezing through it. But at a World Cup, they've exited at the last 16 every single time since 2002. So they've been beaten by teams. They probably shouldn't have been Turkey, Paraguay, Belgium, Croatia. And apparently that's one of the biggest issues they've got as a team is they have to get over this psychological hurdle that they've never gone further than that. And it's been really interesting because their coach has been genuinely saying this is a team that should be aiming to win the World Cup. And the instinct is to scoff at that, but it's a very, very good team until these string of injuries that have come in. And I think probably taken away any chance of going seriously, seriously deep. But yeah, I think psychologically it's a big one for them. Sweden were managed by Jean-Dard Thomas. He was dismissed mid contract replaced by Graham Potter, who's having a lovely time. The unshackled, unburdened Graham Potter, as producer Joel said, like a newly divorced dad with a new car. They have got a few injured, like they don't have Kulessevsky, which is a bit of an issue. Isaac is in the squad, those cool and their friendly gets Norway yesterday. Yoko Rez is seemingly different for Sweden. No, I think he did okay, Arsenal. So, Baz, they're at, you know, I don't know if it's as far as dark horse, but they have some good players. Yeah, they definitely have good players. And it'd be interesting to see how Alexander Ezek gets on. Yoko Rez has conspicuously improved for Arsenal in recent, the last couple of months, but the bar was pretty low and he's still not particularly good at holding up the ball. I don't know if Sweden will play him in Ezek together or just one of them. I mean, they're stank to play this out in qualifying and only snuck in through the backdoor of Nations League, but they're there now and they've got Graham Potter. He's much loved in Sweden. I would be surprised if they finished in the top two in the group. and they may well finish thoroughly if that would be enough, I don't know. But I can't really see them doing much damage at this tournament. The amount of love Sweden has to be experienced to be believed. I was at the Sweden Pogland, the playoff game. And I was in a hotel, actually, quite near the ground, so there were a lot of Sweden fans there. And going to the game, I got on the lift with about a dozen very pissed Sweden fans. And they were like, "Oh, you're English. Do you know Graham Potter?" And I was like, "Well, I've been in press conferences with him." And it was like I'd been touched by a saint. They wanted to sort of touch my feet. It was extraordinary. And then the press conference afterwards, I've never seen him manage to sound happy, so relaxed. And you compare that to what he was like at Chelsea or at West Ham. There's a very special inexplicable bond there. And I just don't think you can judge anything that Sweden have done in the last two years. Maybe those two playoff games against Ukraine and Poland. Even the Poland game didn't really make much sense. Sweden just kept scoring. Poland was much better at all the ball. They kept creating chances. Every time the equalized Sweden just went down the other end and scored. So I have no. I don't think there's any track record you can judge them on. And I think they'd be very dangerous because they're all such a loose horse. Producer Joel speculating that we think you told that story about being in a lift with some Sweden fans a week ago. I do like the idea that you will now tell us once a week for the. Until football weeks we go. A week ago, a non-Growing and going sun. And if you like, it can become a sort of. A Barry's goal for the year. Barry's head up. For the Gen Z or whatever we've begun now. Paul, do you want to start on Tunisia before we let Wilson have his kick them into the dirt? Yeah, I mean, Tunisia isn't a really tricky one, isn't it? Because you can look at them in various different ways. I mean, there's this stat again. They didn't concede a single goal in qualification. And that sounds great until you look at the fact they're in a group with Namibia Liberia, Ecuadoriani Malawi and Sautomean Princeip. So they just weren't really tested. And I think, as Wilson alluded to, this change of manager has been interesting. They had Samitrabelci in there. They didn't do well at Afcon. And then they've brought in Sabri LaMoushi, who was Ivory Coast Coach in 2014. He got them to 2014 World Cup and then got knocked out of the group. So again, not a coach, you can massively say, either way is a good or bad choice. But really, the big thing that stands out to me is the lack of any real forward options, like striking options. There was talk that Louis Ben Fahat, this 19-year-old rising star, was going to be the big hope. And he, what he's not been selected, but apparently his dad turned down selection for him. I don't know if that's true, but basically he said, don't pick him. He's not ready. I don't know 100% of that's true. But it kind of says a lot about how few striking options there are on this team. And how little excitement there is to be had from Tunisia. So yeah, I would probably be a lot milder than Wilson, but I do feel like this is not a team you feel particularly excited to watch. I've been watching them for 24 years. There is no team at World Football I like watching less. Except to come out the other side now. And I quite relish how awful they are. And what's frustrating about them is they have, and they have had over the past quarter of a century, some extremely technically gifted players. But they play with a greater sense of paranoia than any other country on earth. So the last 16 of the ever combinations this year, which was, it was John Bruins first ever couple of nations game. And it was Tunisia versus Marley. And I think Marley have got a bit of a Tunisia tendency to play within themselves as well. So I said to Bruin like this is, you're getting the full African experience here. Do not expect anything to happen in this game. And it's Tunisia better than Marley. Player for player, they're better. And then Marley had a man sent off after about half an hour. So they've got an hour to score. And they didn't attack. They sat back. They sat back here as a 10 man bad side. They did finally score. Immediately conceded with a free kick and they lost some penalties. And it was the most obvious foreseeable Tunisia in exit. So to be fair to Sami Trebeli, he was, and this happened to a couple of coaches at the Intercopernations. He was undermined by having the the Arab championship sort of like three weeks before the combinations. And they'd hand done well there with a B team. So there's pressure on him. That maybe in part explained to paranoia though it does seem to be a cultural thing running through each and his infopul. So he was on a high against nothing. He ends up getting sacked. Sabrily Mushia, who knows how he'll do. He has picked a pretty different squad. To the combinations, including calling in Rani Kadeer, who's Sami Kadeer's brother, who's 32, uncapped previously. Midfield it. He has a footballer just to confirm. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He is a midfield, yeah. He's in a stage age. And Paul alluded to the lack of attacking options. He's brought in Khalil Ayari from PSG. He was a young, very, very inexperienced forward. And it seems essentially a bit of a hail Mary just sort of let's hope this kid can do something because they really do lack creative options that Hannibal used to be a nutmegestown. Now it's Burnley. Everything in our gang in Smarley went through him. And I would say that is a non-ideal situation. So you're saying not so much Eagles of Carthage as lame dogs? They'd be really awkward. They have a difficult team to play against because they do everything not to play football. Stubborn dogs. Yeah, Stubborn quite annoying dogs. It's like a duck who sits in the path when you go for an early morning run and there's a duck in the path sleeping and will not move. It's not going to come at you, but it will get in your way. Got it. That'll do the group F with the G in Part 2. Well, it's Part 2 of the Gione Football Weekly. So group G, Belgium, Egypt, Iran and New Zealand. Belgium managed by Rudy Garcia, best ever. Third in 2018, went out in the group stages last time. Egypt managed by Hassan Hassan, best ever as the group stages in 2018. Iran managed by Amir Galanoi, best in the group stages. And they did that in Qatar and New Zealand. Best ever group stages in 1982, 2010, were they were famously undefeated and released a DVD called "Underfeated" drawing their three games. This Barry looks nice for Belgium to me. It does. It'll be a huge surprise if they don't top this group. They've got some absolutely terrific players. They've got some very experienced players in Rammeloo Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, a T-Ball, Courtois and Axel Vitzel. Four players with nearly 500 caps between them. I think they've got brilliant wingers. Jeremy Daco, Charles de Kettelera, among others, Leandro Trussard's. My main concern for Belgium would be that they don't really have a decent striker. Rammeloo Lukaku is getting on. He's only played five or six times this season, I think, or this year. No, this season. Canelo is a pin-dust step up for them. I don't know. But yeah, where are the goals going to come from from Belgium? But looking at how much creativity they have, if they can get someone banging the main, they could be real force. I mean, the Kettelera can play down the middle as well. He's not a goal scorer, but he is a deft, sort of sharing him type player in my mind. What do you reckon, Wilson? Yeah, I mean, they did score 29 goals in eight games in qualified, which sounds really impressive, until you actually look at it. And to be fair, they scored four twice against Wales, but a lot of those goals against Kazakhstan and Lichtenstein. So, they're great at scoring goals against quite a weak opposition. I think you look at that side and draw the same inclusion barri hours that maybe against better teams, they will struggle. So, one of those things that can work two ways. The fact that that squad is so familiar, I mean, the four that Barry mentioned, but I mean, Mernio has been there forever as well. Is it good that they know each other so well? Is it just, I mean, they'll settle into a natural rhythm, or are they a bit stale and a bit knackered and ancient, and in the heat, they'll wilt? So, I mean, the group is very kind, I think. But I can't really see them going much further than that. How red-faced will Kevin DeBroner be in the heat? It would be fun to see. Paul, so we could have a situation where Belgium win these games, Paul, convincingly, and then everyone starts saying, "This is the team." And then they struggle in the knockouts. Yeah, I mean, it's nice to sort of see them finally not being called a golden generation, isn't it, Belgium? This is very much not, but it still has that traces of it. It's funny, everyone's worried about them going forward. I'm actually a bit worried about them at the back. I'm not like massively worried. Like, no, good about worrying about Belgium generally. But they're five-two friendly win against the USA, kind of showed that. They were a bit of a mess, really defensively, and I know it's just a friendly, but I just feel like there was this period where they had the so-called golden generation. And you had people like Vincent Cumpany and the Tongan at the back. This new backline doesn't impress me as much. You've got a lot of potentially good young defenders. I like Arter Tiette. I like Brandon McKaylay. Xenna de Bastard could play, but it doesn't feel like defensively. They've got the same authority. That said, it is. great that Tibo Courtawis come back in. He had that feud with the previous boss, Domain Eccote de Desco, and they were basically not playing one of the best goalkeepers in World Football for a while, which is brilliantly self-sabotaging, which I think in a way is perfectly Belgium to self-sabotage in that way. But yeah, my worry is actually that they could concede a few soft goals at this tournament, and I think that will let them down. Apart from going forward then, and defensively, we have high hopes for Belgium. Egypt, Wilson, have heard you be sort of, you know, should easier like critical of Egypt in the past. Well, except they were good at it. Yeah, I think Egypt have traditionally played within themselves, but been successful in doing so. So you always felt there's a bit more there, but it's quite hard not to stop me criticizing them or did it against France. It's quite hard to criticize a team that is winning things. I have major reservations about Hassan Hassan as a coach, and I'm not the only one. Again, he was undermined by the Arab Cup. So Ahmed Hassan, who is, I think he's the most successful footballer in African history. Did he win four cups of nations? He was definitely there for the one in 98, and at least two of the three in a row. He sort of just sort of openly laughing at Hassan Hassan as a sort of tactician. SML Adar, the ancient goldkeeper who I think he's the oldest player, Everton Blenderwilk up at 45. He's been very critical of Hassan Hassan Hassan. I did not expect Hassan Hassan to make it to the tournament. I thought that the semi-final exit of the cup of nations would see him off. He's still there. They did after sort of lots of messing around with different formations. They did settle on this three, four, one, two formation, which allows him to play both Mohammed Salah and Omar Mahmouds. I think that is probably the way to get the best out of the two of them, that you just sort of let them have essentially three rolls up front, Salah Vegnes to the right, Mahmouds Vegnes to the left. And that's pulled together by Emmer Mashur, who is a very sort of old-fashioned creative number 10. And so if the platform, if the three, four bits of the three, four, one, two work, they could be quite dangerous. But I just don't trust Hassan Hassan to make the right calls during games. I think he's a motivator rather than a tactician. And for Salah, this is massive because he did play in the World Cup in 2018, but it was shortly after that shoulder injury he got in the Champions League final. He missed their opening game when they lost the Uruguay and he clearly wasn't fully fit for the Velastica group games. So this is probably his only shot at doing well at the World Cup. So I think Mahmouds' presence means a little bit less pressure on him and they're a little bit less reliant on him for attacking Flair, but it is still really all about him. Iran will hope to focus on the football, but obviously the political tensions will surround every game they play. They are staying in Mexico, playing their games in the US. As we record, the USA strikes on Iran are still happening. They're calling them defensive. Trump insists the deal is close, so we have no idea what the situation will be like when this episode goes out next week or how the conflict will develop over the six weeks of the tournament. We will obviously keep you posted on all sides of this, the footballing and the political one. And then of course there's the Iranian diaspora in the US who are very critical of the regime back in Iran as well. And they might bury me at the USA in the last 32 if they both come runners up in their groups, which is not an impossibility. Yeah, that would be interesting to say the least. I suppose the thing about the Iran squad is they've left out Sardar as Mount, who's their best striker, 31-year-old who scored 57 goals in 91 appearances, but he has played for Bayer-Leave, Ques and Roma and Zenit St. Petersburg in the past. He has a history of criticizing the Iranian regime on social media, various six million followers. He's a big supporter of Iranian women and he's not in squad. And I guess we can figure out why. They've got Medi Tiremi from Olympiacus, decent player. So I think they were at training camp in Turkey. They're going to Tijuana and it's quite an old squad. I don't know, would them playing the USA be a good thing about something we really want to avoid? I don't really know enough about the conflict to offer an opinion. I don't want to be flippant, but they've never got out of group in the world cup before. I guess they could get out of this one. They could fit. Yeah, they could. They could. Yeah, what about New Zealand's chances? New Zealand are actually pretty interesting teams to watch. And I think one of the weird things for New Zealand is there's this double edge sword, like qualification was really easy. So that's great for them. But also qualification didn't push them at all. They played five matches in World Cup qualification, which I think when you compare it to, was it Iraq? You played the most games, which was something like 21. They played five matches. They beat New Caledonia 3-0 in the final. That was the hardest test. They smashed Fiji 7-0 in the semi-finals. So they really weren't pushed at all through qualification. The big thing for New Zealand has been the return of Chris Wood. That's enormous for them. Because without wood, I think there was this worry about where the goals were going to come. That said, they actually had this friendly against Chile where everyone was saying, "Well, they're not going to score any goals." And they won 4-1. And it was kind of a chance for a couple of there. The guys that have been in Woods Shadow to step up. So Costa Barbara Rousis, this 36-year-old who missed out on the 2010 squad, he's having this chance to redeem that. He scored and he scores about 100 goals in the A-League every season. Barbara Rousis. He's a brilliant player in his own way. He's one of these legends veteran players and he just gives everything. So they had him and Ben Wayne from Port Vale. He scored as well against Chile. There is more strength in depth than it looks with just relying on Chris Wood. But then my favourite player actually is Eli Just from Motherwell. He's brilliant and he's almost always there for New Zealand and he's just such a lovely creative figure in the team. Soppreet Singh's been great but he's had injury problems. But I think the thing everyone's talking about is really Tim Payne. Now the most famous man in the world, suddenly, having previously been labeled the least known player in the World Cup. But this is a squad that also has Tommy Smith from Brain Tree Time. So I suspect Tommy Smith's sitting there at home thinking that could have been me. Yeah. Well, the story, if you don't know, some Argentinian influencer said that Tim Payne and his 4,000-its-gram followers was the least known player at the Tournament and told everyone to follow him and he now has 4.3 million Instagram followers. Which is unbelievable. When you talk about this poor guy at Brain Tree, if you have 4.3 million Instagram followers, financially that's insane. The things that people marketing people will approach you with. It could be a sort of transformational 4 Tim Payne. But he seems to be taking it in his stride in sort of typical understated Kiwi fashion. Good luck to them. And that'll do for part 2. Sid Lowell join us for part 3 and we will do group H. Welcome to part 3 of the Guardian Football Weekly. So group H then Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay. Spain managed by Luis de la Frente. I've also caused one in 2010. I got to the last 16 last time out. Cape Verde managed by Pedro Britos. Saudi Arabia managed by George Estornis. Got to the last 16 in 1994. Not down the group stages last time out. After beating Argentina in the opening game of course. And Uruguay managed by Marcelo Bielso, one in 1930, 1950, went out in the group stages last time. Sid Lowell is here with a group of builders behind him. How you said you okay? Yeah, I'm fine apart from the horrendous drilling and the you know, yeah. It's the sound of the Spanish summer. You cannot go anywhere in Spanish summer without hearing drilling. Sounds like something someone would say on you know, kiss FM. This is the sound of the smell. Oh yeah, on Madrid FM, the sound of the Spanish summer. But it's just, it's drill music of the highest order. How Spain going to get on then, Sid? Well, when they went into the European championships, nobody thought they were good enough and they were very conscious of the fact that nobody thought they were good enough and they've now made the point that everyone now thinks they're favorites and they're going to win it and they don't necessarily want to take that on board either. I think the the if you like the evolution in particular of Luminium R. Of course, 16 then is 18 now and I think the evolution of players like that and the confidence that comes from from having won the European Championships beating everybody who was good on route, you know, Italy, England, France, Croatia as well, Germany makes them feel like they are the possibly the strongest side and you look at the team and you you kind of feel like that. But there's one or two doubts and in particular the doubts are about the fitness of a handful of key players including Luminium R. Yeah, because the squad looks about the side looks balanced, doesn't it? Yeah, and it's very stable as well. There's there's a couple of new faces in from before Mark who builds the the latest arrival Eric Garcia is back in the team having not been in the squad for for basically four years, but there's a real stability. That said, the stability is under the idea of stability is undermined a little bit by the fact that Alvaro Morata and Danny Carvalhalan there who were two of what I think you would probably call a three man leadership team with Rodry from Manchester City. So Rodry's now the only one left and it'll be interesting to see how much of a role that plays, but there is a stability, there's a very clear idea, there's a manager who has a very clear kind of authority. Not necessarily over his players, but with his players, it's a group he knows very, very well. He talks a lot about the importance of personality and balance. And yeah, you look at that squad and you think there's really not too much wrong with it. There are no Real Madrid players in it, which instantly makes you go, what? And then you think, well, actually, there aren't many Real Madrid players that would qualify to play for Spain, but does that have any impact? Is that a headline in Spain? Does that change how rail fans feel about the international team? I mean, to continue the matter for, it's a headline, but then you read the article and go, yeah, well, whatever, because the fact is there and it is the first time they've had a squad with no Real Madrid players in it, but you look at the Real Madrid squad and you look at why Real Madrid played this season, you think, well, how could it possibly have had any Real Madrid players in now? There's a couple that might have gotten Danny Carver's been injured, he wasn't going to make it and didn't really get the opportunity to play in the final weeks of season to maybe demonstrate to Luis Alafone, that he was just about fit enough to carry on, but he wasn't available or not properly available. Avada Carreras was not likely to get in at left, but the only player that might have made it was Dean Housen and he's had a really, really bad season. So yeah, it's just not a big deal in footballing terms, but of course, in terms of the imagery and also given the nature of the way that Spain's kind of football fandom is split down the middle, it has a significance. I think that kind of isn't really about the team, it's more about the noise around it. Did Roderine Supermendi both? Who's the midfield? Because you and I got Pedrigavi, Roderine Supermendi, it's hard to know who's there. Yeah, I think maybe four or five months ago, I'd have said Supermendi actually starts ahead of Roderine. I don't think that's true anymore. For reasons that you know better than me, because what's happened in the performance level in England and also because I think there's a belief now that Roderine is fully fit and has that kind of authority and leadership. So I think it will be him with two others, which almost certainly I would say would probably be Pedrigavi and maybe Fabian Ruiz. Oh yeah. It made it may depend on whether Delafone wants to play three in midfield and free up front or free in midfield with one in front of them behind the forward line. So that then poses a question about whether it's Fabian Ruiz or for example Danny Olmo. The other thing in all of this is that Delafone would have loved to have played Michel Marina. He's got them in a squad, he wants him there, he wants him to play a part, but of course because of fitness we don't know how much of a part he'll play. Wilson and his thoughts on Spain? Yes. Good. Good. Get them to yourself. We try to share them. The key thing it seemed to me about Spain at the Euros was that they to the possession football we were used to. They added this directness wide through the minimale and to Nico Williams. Nico Williams obviously is not there because of injury. So who's, I mean you suggested that maybe they're not going to play that same shape, but who would naturally come in for him? Well, it depends, it depends what Spain wants to do. So I mean, Luiz Lafonte, I think, was very, very clear. Nico Williams is in the squad by the way. We're just not sure if he's going to start. Luiz Lafonte is very, very clear that he wanted wingers in a kind of old-fashioned sense, very quick, very direct, makes things happen to give Spain an edge that they used to have to maybe be more willing to release the ball early from the positions. I think the fitness doubts about those two. This is one of the reasons why, for example, Biktor Munoz is in the squad who got his first call up in the last round of international games. He's a former round-of-dew team player who's played it also soon this year, very, very quick, very direct and very exciting. I think that's one of the reasons why Yerim Pino's in the squad. I think it was a slight doubt about whether or not he would make it, but that gives you a winger. Then there is also the alternative, which of course is to have someone who's not necessarily a winger playing in those positions coming inside, so maybe you have Danny Olmo out-wide. I think this is one of the reasons why it's a real pity that Ferdinand Lopeth got injured at the end of the season, because that was the role that he was starting to play for Barcelona, normally in the wing, but really in truly kind of a driving midfield all over the place. But I think what will probably see happen is that I think in the first few games we might see moments of L'Herminia Marl, but I think by the time he's fully fit, he starts, and if they can get Nico fully fit, Nico starts as well. Paul, Kate Verly making their debut, what do we need to know? Well, yeah, I mean, it's been sold as a sort of surprise story, which in a way it is. The third small-list nation by population to reach a World Cup. They topped a group with Cameroon and Angola in it, which you wouldn't necessarily expect it, but they've been building this team since about 2023, AFKON, really, where they topped a group with Egypt and Ghana and sort of shocked everyone there. And it's a really strong unit. None of them are domestically bass players. They're all coming from Europe, including Roberto Pico Lopez coming from Ireland, who was recruited by LinkedIn, which is one of my favorite stories of the World Cup. The Got a LinkedIn message saying, "Do you want to come and play for Kate Verde?" But it was in Portuguese, so he just ignored it. And then a year later got the same message in English and said, "Oh, yeah, I do." And he's become quite integral. And this team's bound by this charismatic coach, Bobbi Sturr, like a kind of very charismatic, very good man manager, became African coach for the year in 2025. So for this team, it really is huge tournament for two reasons. They've never been in the World Cup before, but also this team is an aging team. So the core of the team are basically getting this one shot at a World Cup and then they're going to be gone. Vazenia, the goalkeeper's 39, Stopera, the back is 37, their top goal scorer, and appearance maker is Ryan Mendes, he's 36. So you've got quite an old team here, but it's a team that has sort of grown to this point where this is their big shot. And I think it's all about can they shock Saudi Arabia? I think that's the game they'll identify as winnable here. And it may be that would do it. Be Saudi Arabia and who knows, they could even get through as the third place team. Wilson, you're a quite BL-Sir, this guest? Yeah, more complicated than it might be. So I think there's a lot of frustration you're quite happy Elsa. It started really well for them. They won 2-0 way to Argentina, they beat Brazilian qualifying, but last year I saw things that got off the boiler bit. I think to an extent it's just this is not a great generation of you, a growing players, and there's a tendency to blame BL-Sir for that, but equally they did win the 20 World Cup in 2023 and none of that squad have been elevated by BL-Sir. So Lewis Swires who retired 20 months ago has been very critical of BL-Sir, then suddenly said, "Oh, actually, I am available for this World Cup and BL-Sir hasn't picked him quite understandably." But one of the things that Swires said was that he found BL-Sir's harshness in team talks, you know, very, very difficult to deal with any. That game where they won 2-0 in the Bon Monero against Argentina, supposedly reduced down in Nunea, so tears are half time. Nunea's went out, had a great second half and scored, so, you know, for Pro BL-Sir by the way, you'd say, "Well, it worked." But equally, I'm not really sure reducing players to tears is is every great idea. And Darwin, Nunea hasn't played since February because of the the Saturdays he may play as four, had a reshuffle of F-1 players and there's only three foreigners allowed. So again, is he fresh? Is he rusty? I think probably rusty, but he hasn't scored a goal for you, a guy for two years now. He got banned. Did you remember the semi-fine of the Cup America in 2024? There was a UGWI player wading into the crowd after they said their families were being attacked by Colombia fans. He Darwin and he's got a five-game ban for that since he's come back. I think it's 11 or 12 matches. For the national team, he hasn't got a goal. They really need him to start scoring again. So I think a lot of question marks that. Baz, align on Sarri Rabia and then your thoughts on the group in as a whole. Well, Sarri Rabia, their head coach, George Estonis, who you mentioned already, he replaced her in Arden Aprue. So it's a new gig for him, how much time will he have to impose his ideas? They famously be Argentina four years ago. Most of their players play in the Saudi pro league. I think, actually almost all of them play in the Saudi pro league, apart from one exception, who's in at lawns, on lawn from Roma, South Abdul Ahmad. But the influx of foreigners to the Saudi pro league on big wedge means that quite a lot of these players don't get much game time anymore. And that would have to be a concern. Again, are they fresh? Are they rusty and not fit? They'll probably finish third. I mean, winning this group is important because whoever wins the group will miss getting easier and route through to the final potentially. Spain, when the group delivoyed, probably avoid Brazil and Argentina, and they'll also avoid a potential matchup against Mexico in Mexico. And we've already discussed how playing in Mexico could be difficult for teams who aren't Mexican. Imagine Liam McLeod will make a loop of people saying, are they fresh? Or are they rusty? As everyone says that. Well, they're fresh. Are they rusty? Yeah, that's it. You're right. Said I just wanted one more line from you because I the construction, the background is absolutely sensational. (laughing) Is it the thing is right? - Bro, you should have to live there. - You're a wee, too. - Exactly what I was gonna say. You can at least cut me off in a minute and get on with your lives. I've got a part of this probably for the next one. Certainly until I leave for the US. - Oh, you'll be okay. Thanks for going on, Sid. - Very much, Pelleja. - Tudorio. - Sid Lowe there, out in the drilling country. Okay, then one word answers for these, then who's gonna win it, Paul? - The tournament or the group? - The tournament. - Same answer, Spain. - Wilson. - France. - Who's getting the golden boost? - Paul. - Oh God, that's a tricky one. - Can you come back to me? (laughing) - Yeah, I can't. - I'm Bappé. - I'm Bappé, okay. I mean, you can just repeat what Wilson said if you want Paul. - No, no, that would be unoriginal. No, I kind of don't think he will either. - All right, interesting. But, Jussie Joel says, Paul doesn't read his emails because we didn't put you on the spot but this was part of the preview. You get a yellow card there, Paul. That's right, a dark horse then Wilson. - Japan. - All right, Paul, have you got one? - I think my dark horse is Senegal if they're allowed to be a dark horse. Are they too big to be a dark horse? - They do, but do you see, to be a dark horse? (humming) - That's what they did, win Afcon. Well, they did, they win Afcon. I don't know, that was a good question. - Not at the moment they did, but they might do it. (laughing) - And how will England do, Wilson? - Okay, but not win it. Do you want to win it? - Yeah, yeah, that's too bad. - No, that's too vague, I'd like around. - Of course, of course, Paul. - Senegal. - Senegal, okay. Thanks, Chaps, to stay across all our World Cup content. As we go daily from Friday, find us on TikTok, Instagram, Reddit and Blue Sky. Thank you, Paul. - Thank you. - See you in LA, thank you, Wilson. - Cheers, thank you. - I'm sure we'll see you somewhere at the World Cup. Thank you, Barry. - Thank you. - See you every day, soon, every morning. (laughing) - Who's showering first. - Can I make you a job every day? - Exactly, but we'll weekly. It is produced by Ty Papula. Our executive producer is Joe Grove, and we'll do the other four groups tomorrow. (upbeat music) - This is The Guardian. 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