🔗 Share this article

The upcoming World Cup is finally beginning to seem very real. Although fans are now able to begin planning their schedules, Friday's draw in Washington DC was not short of major talking points.

Well before the Village People performed with YMCA, observers were picking the bones out of a group stage featuring a clash between football's top strikers and a knockout stage promising a highly anticipated encounter between two greats of the sport.

The Draw That Seemed Like It May Never End

Many people tuned in eager to discover their team's initial fixtures. However, despite the fact fans are accustomed to these draws being lengthy, this was extraordinary.

After performances by a pop star and a former Pussycat Doll, addresses from political leaders and football's governing body, plus numerous montages and discussions, it finally seemed to get going almost 60 minutes later. That was an illusion.

This led to more interviews and performances, before the actual draw finally commenced nearly an hour and a half after the star-studded show initially started. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to finish.

Moving On to the Football Itself...

The upcoming World Cup will be the biggest in the competition's history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a first-ever additional knockout round. Yet, this expansion has perhaps led to the group stage being slightly diluted in quality.

There are very few matches between the traditional powerhouses. The Three Lions' match with Croatia is the biggest on paper. That is the sole opening-round game with two teams inside the world's elite.

Brazil versus Morocco is the next best. The Netherlands have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Die Mannschaft—grouped with Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the easiest on paper. But, compelling contests remain.

Two Prolific Scorers Face Off

Phenomenal striker Erling Haaland will make his debut in his first major tournament next summer. The Manchester City forward scored 16 times in qualifying matches to drag his country to their initial berth since 1998.

Few have been able to come close to the 25-year-old's ridiculous goalscoring feats—except for one player is scheduled to come up against him in the last match of the group stage. Together with Senegal, Norway have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's Les Bleus.

This means the top marksmen in the English top flight and Spain's division will clash for the initial occasion in on the global stage. Anticipate net-bulgers. Lots of goals.

We Meet Again

El Tri will take on Bafana Bafana in the opening match—repeating history. The sides also kicked off the 2010 edition. That match, which finished 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous goal.

Another eye-catching group game will see France again come up against Senegal, who shocked the then-world champions back in the 2002 World Cup. On that first day, a then-unknown player outshone France's cast of star names to score the winning goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the First-Timers

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have taken advantage of the larger World Cup to qualify for the tournament for the first time. But, awaiting them are past winners, continental title-holders and South American champions.

In one group, Curacao, the least populous country to ever play at a World Cup, will meet multiple winners Germany. The island nation, with a resident count of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners La Roja.

The Middle Eastern side, after 40 years of trying, meets title-holders La Albiceleste and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be guided by a former champion against the Portuguese icon's Portugal.

And Then Comes the Playoff Rounds?

Assuming all the top teams progress from their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the big hitters to collide. The last 16 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a possible matchup between former champions Germany and the French.

On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be drawn to the quarter-final stage, where old rivals Messi and Ronaldo are set for a potential showdown. It would depend on both Messi's team and Ronaldo's side winning their groups and squeezing through the early knockout rounds.

For England, a match with co-hosts Mexico seems the probable last-32 tie. And, if the Scots are able to get through, Samurai Blue or the Netherlands could await in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.