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World Cup 2026 preview: Groups E-H – Football Weekly
00:52:33
Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Jonathan Wilson, Paul Watson and Sid Lowe to preview Groups E-H
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A
This is the Guardian.
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B
Hi podfans. Max here. Football Weekly is supported by Contentful marketers. No matter what pitch you play on, a big win feels the same electric. It's that moment when you read the play before the trend even starts. Beat the clock on a campaign with a little help from AI and connect with customers in real time like you've trained for it your whole career. That's contentful. World class digital experiences, built fast, built beautifully, create and launch personalized content in an instant across every channel your customers are watching. No chaos, no limits, just open field. Take your shot@contentful.com. Hi pod fans. Max here. Barry's here too.
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C
Hello.
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B
Football Weekly is supported by Hotels.com Now, Barry, question. When you're booking a hotel, do you use hotels.com actually you're probably just going to say I don't know.
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C
Probably.
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B
Producer Joel does it.
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C
I don't know. Producer Joel does it.
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B
Well, I think you should give it a try for yourself. Obviously it's a massive summer of soccer and loads of our listeners will be traveling to watch the tournament and needing to book somewhere great to stay. So it's good to know that when you're a Hotels.com member, you can save up to 20% on hundreds of thousands of hotels. Plus you earn rewards on every stay. So each trip you take helps pay for your future trips. Just use those rewards like cash. And importantly, there are never any blackout dates.
- [01:25]
C
What's a blackout date?
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B
Well, it's a date where you can't use travel rewards, frustratingly, usually on or around major holidays or other peak travel periods. But there are no blackout dates with hotels.com rewards.
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C
Superb.
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B
Yes. So next time you're booking somewhere to stay, just book it at hotels.com hotels.com it's all in the name. Hello and welcome to the Guardian Football Weekly. Here's part two then of our World cup previews. Groups E to H, Group E, Germany, Ecuador, Ivory coast and curacao. There's a 40 year old keeper and a 78 year old manager in there. Group F, will the Netherlands implode as usual? Can Japan shine with Atmatoma, Tunisia and Graham Potter's Sweden there too? 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 Uruguay, Kate Verde and Saudi Arabia. This is the Guardian Football Weekly. On the panel for this one, Barry Glendenning. Welcome.
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C
Hello Max. And can I just say that after yesterday's descrasio I have done an exhaustive search of Sunderland players at the World cup and who they're playing for.
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B
Excellent. I really hope you mess it up again.
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A
Welcome.
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C
Morning.
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A
How you doing?
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B
I'm very well, thank you. And Paul Watson, how are you?
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D
Hi, Max.
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B
Yeah, good, good. You're joining us for the first nine days of the World cup, although you're not coming for day one because why?
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D
I'm presenting the Football in Berkshire Awards.
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B
Max, of course you are. Priorities. And are you a veteran of the Footballer in Berkshire Awards?
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D
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 Berkshire Awards.
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B
Good stuff. All right, well, let's get on with Group E, then. Germany, Curacao, Ivory coast and Ecuador. Germany managed by Julian Nagelsmann. Of course, they have won it before. Went out in the group stages last time, though, that memorable defeat to Japan. Kurasao, managed by Dick Advocate. And the first World cup for them, Ivory coast managed by Emma Fay. Best ever. Just the group stages. Never got through to the knockouts 2006, 2010 and 2014 at Ecuador, managed by Sebastian Becache, if I pronounced that correctly. 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 faring?
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A
I mean, it'll go through because the format of a tournament means it's almost impossible for them not to go through. But I don't think this is a good Germany side. 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 Krug, which I guess makes sense given he's barely played. Havertz might have to play as a false nine. I mean, the three forwards they've named. And Nick Voltimada, who, as we know, is not an out and out. Number nine, Dennis Undab. I had a decent season with Stuttgart. I think he's actually. I think he's got six in eight for Germany, so you know he can score. And Maximilian Bayer from Dortmund, who I believe is yet to score for Germany. And then you look at the line behind that, which is where the strength should be. Sergeant Yabry looks left out. Musiala got that terrible injury against PSG in the Champions League. Is he going to be fully fit? Florian Vertz has obviously had a bit of A weird season at Liverpool, so I think there's question marks all over the place. And then they brought back Neuer, which I think is sort of surprised everybody at 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.
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B
Baz, German thoughts.
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E
Yeah.
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C
The goalkeeper thing is interesting. Oliver Bowman from Hoffenheim is also in the squad. He only has 11 caps. Neuer, 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 quarterfinal. And if they do, I suspect that could be it for Germany.
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B
Yeah. Although I mean something. Havertz is actually a brilliant footballer, Paul, like. But he can do that job. He's done that job a lot. You know, Arteta preferred him up front in a sort of false 90 up front position in the Champions League final. There's no reason why he can't spearhead a very good attack.
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D
No, there's no reason why he can't. But I think in qualification they just didn't look impressive. There was this. There was this thumping 60 win against 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 a note on the striker situation. I feel quite sorry for Dennis Undav 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 Nagelsmann 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 havitz. I. I just. Yeah, I fully agree with Wilson on this.
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A
It's.
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D
It's a team that looks great until you really scratch down into it and then you find little holes and. And I. I don't think they can go much further than probably last 16.
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B
Just running Wilson. If you're. Was it you who was critical of Neuer in a game where I don't think any of the goals are his fault? Maybe it was the PSG Iron game.
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C
Yes.
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A
You're saying none of the goals were his fault.
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B
No, I'm just wondering if it's like you knew Ronaldo doesn't press. I mean, you can still have Ronaldo doesn't press at this World cup as well, you know, but it's good to
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A
have did that piece at the weekend. I've already done my first World Cup. Ronaldo doesn't press piece.
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B
Have you?
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A
Won't be the last.
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B
Wilson, how do you see the Ivory coast going?
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A
Yeah, I mean, you alluded to the fact they never made it through the group before, but they've been really unlucky with draws before. So if you look at who they had in in 2006, it was Argentina, Netherlands, Serbia, Montenegro. When 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 easier with Colombia, 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 Copper nations in 2000. Well, it was a 2023 Copper nations, which was played in 2024, which is now the problem with Copper nations that. And never played in the right year, which makes them very hard to refer to. And that was really sort of this tide of momentum they got under Ms. 5. They got to the quarterfinals in Morocco in 2025, played 2025, 26, and they got done by Egypt in the quarter final. Just a bit naive that Egypt did what they do to teams and sort of sat off them, frustrated them. But, yeah, they're a decent side. I don't think they're anything like as good as a team of 20 years ago, but there's no reason why. I mean, I think they'll get through the group and then. Yeah. Why? Why not? Last 16 quarterfinals.
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B
Yes. Baz.
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C
I was just going to say their. Their head coach, Emers Faye, he is, I think Reading's record signing. Played for them 11 times and lost 11 times, so that went well.
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A
Will he be at the Berkshire Football Awards?
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D
Yeah, I imagine.
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F
Right.
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D
I imagine that's his priority. But he was that amazing story, wasn't he, at Afcon 2023 where they. It and all these expectations. And then they had this dreadful group stage. They lost 4 nil to Equatorial guinea and like sacked the coach on the spot. Jean Louis Gasse and brought in Ms.
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A
When he was the assistant. Stepped up.
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B
Yeah.
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D
So he just got put in as the head and then won it. So, like, he's sort of done an amazing job, hasn't he really considering.
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C
And Wilfred SA has left out of their squad. Would that be a surprise? He's on loan as Charlotte from Galatasaro.
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A
I don't think so. I mean, he, he was in the side for the Copper nations, but I mean he wasn't massively involved in the combinations. They've got diamond to play wide as well. So if you've got Ahmad and you've got diamond, do you need him? I think maybe just a sense of a. Of an old man with a big profile isn't necessarily the best thing for squad harmony. I guess it's a logic.
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B
Nothing wrong, Barry, with being an old man with a big profile. Let's talk about Kuracao. Dick Advocate is back in charge. But what happened there? He retired.
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A
He.
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B
He was manager, then he wasn't and then he was rehired two weeks ago.
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D
Yeah, so he, he led Kurasao 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 at the World Cup. They. They. He recommended his replacement, Fred Rutten, another Dutch coach, and he had a bit of a nightmare written. They. They got thrashed by Australia, beaten by China. There was a sense the players didn't really there and the sponsors also were leaning on the federation to bring back Advocat. And luckily his daughter got a lot better her health and Advocat came back in and he will be the oldest coach in World cup history at 78. Funnily enough, when Julian Nagelsmann was. Was born advocate was 40. So he. Nagelsmann was literally in Nappies when Advocate was coaching the Dutch women's national side. But the weird thing about this World cup oldest coach is going to change hands three times during the tournament. The oldest coach, because Hugo Bruce of South Africa in the opening game will become the oldest coach of 74. He's going to pass it a few hours later to Miroslav Kubeck of Czechia, who is also 74 but a bit older. And then when Germany play Curacao on June 14, it goes to Advocate at 78. And I don't know if they'll ever beat that record really.
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B
And also like, it helps advocate that he is a bit older still because he's playing third. So he's. He gets older as well as every day goes by. Look, I mean, tell us a bit about this side. Like getting there is everything right? I presume for Kurusa, you couldn't envisage them winning a game or getting A point even, or am I underestimating?
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D
No, because of how difficult this group is. I don't massively see them getting anywhere in this tournament. So it's. But it's a stronger side than you might envisage in a way. So it's an entirely Netherlands raised squad. Only one player was born in Curacao. That's Tahith Chong of Sheffield United. He scored that brilliant goal against Germany in there friendly, which they did lose 4 1. But yeah, it's an entirely sort of Netherlands flavored side. Their qualification was amazing really. They. 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, Cursawa 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 you know, Jamaica can score it and then Var overturned the penalty.
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B
That's right.
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D
And Curacao were there. But yeah, I mean what they'll do is what you'd expect them to do. I think they'll. They'll sit deep and they'll try and hit on the break with a bit of pace. They've got the Bakugnha brothers, Gianninho and Leandro midfield 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.
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B
Barry, how's your extensive research of Ecuador besides whether they have any Sunderland players?
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C
Well, they have Nielsen Angulo, who's a Sunderland player, I forgot to mention Simon Adingra in the Ivory coast bit and Amad Yellow ex Sunderland. Sebastian Becache, the head coach of Ecuador. He never played professionally. He's very much a Marcelo Bielsa disciple and he learned his trade basically watching BL's training sessions and press conferences and matches. Ostensibly he learned his trade spying on Marcelo Biels, which kind of nice irony to that. I reckon they could do all right. You know, they only lost to Brazil in qualifying. They drew at Argentina. They have this reputation as high altitude specialists who are, you know, 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. Piero in Capi, William Pacho from psg, Purvis Esteban, Joel Ordonez from Club Brugger. They've got Ener Valencia and Moy Casado. There's a lot to like about this team. I'M putting them very much in, in dark horse territory.
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B
Wow. Six goalless drawers in qualifying. Wilson sounds right up your street.
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A
Yeah. I mean 14 goals scored in 18 matches but only five conceded. So I'm. I'll be honest, if I was back in the UK, I would not be sitting up till 4am to watch them. And I, I don't get Nelson Angulo. Like the, the one thing that I would question Regis the brise on this season is why he picks him whenever he's available. Because to me he's looked, to be fair, he looks. 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, he is one of their wide outlets in a team that doesn't score goals.
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B
Group F then the Netherlands. Japan, Sweden and Tunisia. The Netherlands managed by Ronald Kohman. Best ever. Their runners up three times. 74, 78. 2010 got to the quarterfinals last time. Japan managed by Jimi Moriasu, 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 Lamushi. Best ever. They've done is, is the group stages. Rory says how much chance to the panel give the Netherlands, the most esteemed country not to have won it in an elite field with no consistency in their first 11s. They're not perfect but their defensive depth is strongest.
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A
Wilson. I mean, I think this is a genuinely tricky group. I think this might be the best balanced of all the 12 groups. I think Xavi Simmons is a loss. I think he gave him a lot of, you know, guile in midfield. The fact that I never know when something like Tejani Reinders 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 rusty? Very hard to tell. They've got loads of options up front as well. There's a chance Brian Brobbie might start. They got Brobbie and Feghorse. They've got these sort of alliterative battering rams up front.
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B
That's such a dream team. I'd absolutely love to see that.
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A
But they've also got Gapo and Daniel Marlon. Yeah, they, they. I mean Justin Cliver as well. Again, you know, he's. He's only started 10 league games of Bournemouth this season. So is he fresh or is he rusty? So, yeah, attacking options, they can go in two completely different directions, but if they're up against a team that doesn't like it, Upham, probably in Weghorst. I really hope. I just hope as a game where 10 minutes to go, they desperately need a goal and they're going long to Bobby and Weghorst. I think that would be the best football we see this year.
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C
Who starts a goal for them? Wilson? Is it Rufes or Barrett for Brogan? Or is there another one that I've forgotten?
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D
I think Flecken's the other option, but I think that a lot of people are saying Rus is going to start, but he's not. I don't know how much experience. Has he even been capped for the Netherland? Like barely.
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A
Right. Yeah, he's only 23s and it really. This is only. This is the first year when he's been even vaguely high profile, I think. Yeah, I think looks very calm, but he's not without a rick when it comes to passing out from the back.
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B
Yeah, I mean, defensively they are strong as well, aren't they? But as you say, Wilson, it's a really. It does look like a really good group. You think Japan are possibly. What did you say in the. What's that group?
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A
I think this might. This Japan might be the best Asian side ever. Now, obviously Mitoma is injured, is. Is a big blow because he. He is a brilliant player, but they've got. I mean, in terms of players that. In the Premier League, we know Kamado and Tanaka in midfield, they've got. I mean, if you've got Dyson Maeda from Celtic, who I think probably will play to the left, I think it'll probably be a 3, 4, 2, 1. I think he'd be the left side of the creators. And I say. I don't know how you say this Uede from Feyenoord, 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. The second round of qualifying. So I think they went. I think he won six out of six in the first round of qualifying. But you'd expect that because that's against sort of minnows. But then they won seven 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 realized I was having to make quite an annoying journey to go and see Japan. Be Tunisia and we'll come on to. 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 a privilege to see this Japan.
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C
Like Tijani Reinders in the Dutch squad, Watura Endo has barely played this season, so is he fresh or rusty? Takumi Minamino X Southampton was touch and go. Ex Southampton Liverpool was touch and go, 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 am intrigued by the fact that. That Wilson is big on this Japan team's chances. Like they beat Germany and Spain at the last World cup, if I'm not mistaken.
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D
Yeah, they did. But there is really, interestingly as this Japanese side's got this massive psychological issue, right? There's. So they, 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 you know, the instinct is to scoff at that, but it's a, it's a very, very good team until these string of injuries that have come in and I think probably taken away any chance them going seriously, seriously deep. But yeah, I think psychologically it's a big one for them.
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B
Sweden were managed by Jean Darl Thomason. 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 injuries like they don't have Kulasevsky, which is. Is a bit of an issue. Isaac is in the squad, though. Scored in their friend against Norway yesterday. Yokerez is seemingly different for Sweden. I think he did okay at Arsenal, so. But as they're, you know, I don't know if it's as far as Dark horse, but they have some good players.
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C
Yeah, they definitely have good players. It'll be interesting to see how Alexander Isaac gets on. Jocherez 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 and Isaac together or just one of them. I mean, they stank the place out in qualifying and only snuck in through the back door of Nations League. But they're there now and they've got Graham Potter. He's much loved in Sweden. I. I would be surprised if they finished in the top two in the group. They may well finish third if that'll be enough. I don't know, but I can't really see them doing much damage at this tournament.
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A
The amount of love Sweden has a Graham Potter has to be experienced to be believed. I was in a hotel. I was at the Sweden Poland, the playoff game, and I was in a hotel actually quite near the ground. So there's 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, you know, it was like I'd been touched by a saint. They wanted to sort of touch my feet. It was. It was extraordinary. And then the press conference afterwards. I've never seen a manager so 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 much better. They had all the ball, they kept creating chances. Every time they equalized, Sweden just went down the other end and scored. So I don't think there's any track record you can judge them on. And I think they're very dangerous because they are such a loose horse.
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B
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 it to us once a week for the until football week is no longer a going concern.
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A
I mean, if you like, it could become a sort of a Barry's goal.
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B
Barry's header. Barry's header for Gen Z or whatever we've become now. Paul, do you want to start on Tunisia before we let Wilson have his kick them into the dirt.
- [23:32]
D
Yeah, I mean Tunisia is a really tricky one, isn't it? Because you can look at their, 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, Equatorial Guinea, Malawi and Sao Tomi and Princip. So they just weren't really tested. And I think as, as Wilson alluded to this change of manager's interesting they were, they had Sammy Tribelsi in there, they didn't do well at afcon and then they've brought in Sabri Lamushi 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 Farhat, this 19 year old sort of rising star was going to be the, the big hope and he, well, he's not been selected but apparently his dad turned down selection for him. I don't know if that's true, but basically said don't pick him, he's not, he's not ready. I don't know 100% if that's true, but it kind of says a lot about how few striking options there are on this team and how much, 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.
- [25:02]
A
I've been watching them for 24 years. There is no team in world football I like watching less except sort of come out the other side now and I quite relish how awful they are. And what's frustrating about them is they have some, 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 couple of nations this year, which was, it was John Bruins first ever cup of nations game and it was, it was Tunisia versus Mali and I think Mali have got a bit of a Tunisia tendency to play within themselves as well. So I said to Brin, like this is. You're getting the Full Afghan experience here. Do not expect anything to happen in this game. And Chernisi were better than Mali. Player for player, they're better. And then Mali 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 against a ten man bad side. They did finally score immediately conceded was a free kick and they lost on penalties. And it was the most obvious foreseeable Tunisian exit. So to be fair to Sammy Tribelsi, he was. And this happened to a couple of coaches at the, at the Copper nations. He was undermined by having the Arab Championship sort of like three weeks before the combinations and they hadn't done well there with the B team. So there's pressure on him. That may be in part explains his paranoia, though it does seem to be a cultural thing running through Tunisian football. So, yeah, he was on a hiding snothing, ends up getting sacked. Sabile Mushi, who knows how he'll do. He has picked a pretty different squad to the couple nations, including calling in Rani Khadira, who's Sammy Khedira's brother, who's 32, uncapped, previously a midfielder.
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B
He is a footballer, just to confirm.
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A
Yeah, yeah, he is a midfielder.
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B
Yeah.
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C
He's an estate agent in Berlin.
- [27:03]
A
And Paul alluded to the lack of attacking options. He's brought in Khalila Yari from psg who is 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. Hannibal, he used to be at Manchester United, now at Burnley. Everything in that game against Marley went through him and I would say that is a non ideal situation.
- [27:31]
C
So you're saying not so much Eagles of Carthage as lame ducks.
- [27:36]
A
They'd be really awkward. They're a difficult team to play against because they do everything not to play football.
- [27:41]
B
Stubborn ducks.
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A
Yeah, stubborn, quite annoying ducks. Yeah, like a duck 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.
- [27:56]
B
Got it. That'll do for Group F. We'll do GE in part two. Hi, Podfans. Max here. Barry's here too.
- [28:04]
C
Hello.
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B
Football Weekly is supported by Hotels.com. now, Barry, question. When you're booking a hotel, do you use hotels.com, actually? You're probably just going to say, I don't know Producer Joel does it.
- [28:13]
C
I don't know Producer Joel does it.
- [28:15]
B
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- [28:38]
C
What's a blackout date?
- [28:39]
B
Well, it's a date where you can't use travel rewards frustratingly, usually on or around major holidays or other peak travel periods. But there are no blackout dates with hotels.com rewards.
- [28:49]
C
Superb.
- [28:50]
B
Yes. So next time you're booking somewhere to stay, just book it at hotels.com hotels.com it's all in the Name.
- [29:03]
G
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- [29:40]
B
Welcome to Part two of the Guardian 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 Hossam 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 19822010 where they were famously undefeated and released a DVD called Undefeated drawing their three games. This Barry looks nice for Belgium to me.
- [30:16]
C
It does. Look, 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 Romelu Lukaku, Kevin de Bruyne, A Thibault Courtois and Axel Vitzel. Four players with nearly 500 caps between them. I think they've got brilliant wingers. Jeremy Daco, Charles the Catalera among others. Leandro Trossard's there. My main concern for Belgium would be that they don't really have a decent striker. Romelu Lukaku's getting on. He's only played five or six times this season, I think. Or this year. No, this season. Can lower. 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 them in, they could be real force.
- [31:13]
B
I mean the Quetta Lara can play down the middle as well. I mean, he's not a goal scorer but he is sort of, you know, adept, sort of Sheringham type player in my mind. What do you reckon, Wilson?
- [31:24]
A
Yeah, I mean they, they did score 29 goals in eight games in qualifying, which sounds really impressive till 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 weak opposition. I think you look at that side and draw the same conclusion barriers that maybe it's better teams, they, they will struggle. It's one of those things that can work two ways. The fact that squad is so familiar, I mean the four that Barry mentioned, but I mean Meunier's been there forever as well. Is it good that they know each other so well? Does that just mean they'll settle into a natural rhythm or are they a bit stale and a bit knackered and ancient 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.
- [32:13]
B
How red faced will Kevin de Bruyne be in the heat? It'd be fun to see. 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.
- [32:27]
D
Yeah, I mean it's nice, 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 I go to bed worrying about Belgium generally, but their 52 friendly win against the USA kind of showed that they were a bit of a mess really defensively and I as to friendly, but I just feel like there was this period where they had the, the so called golden generation and you had people like Vincent Co. And you know, the Tongan at the Back. This new back line doesn't impress me as much. You've got a lot of potentially good young defenders. I like Art, I like Brandon, Michele, Zaino De Bass, a good player, but it doesn't feel like defensively they've got the same authority. That said, it is great that Thibaut Courtois has come back in. He had that feud with the previous boss, Domenico Tedesco and like 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. 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.
- [33:37]
B
Apart from going forward then and defensively, we have high hopes for Belgium. Egypt. Wilson, I've heard you be sort of, you know, Tunisia, like critical of. Of Egypt in the past.
- [33:49]
A
Well, except they were good at it. 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 that it stopped me criticizing them or Didier Deschamps. France. It's quite hard to criticise a team that is winning things. I have major reservations about Hossam Hassan as a coach and I'm not the only one. Again, he was undermined by the Arab Cup. So Ahmad 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 Massan as a. As a sort of tactician. S.M. elidavi, the, the. The ancient goalkeeper who. I think he's the oldest player ever to play in the World cup at 45. He's been very critical of Hasama San. I did not expect Hasima San to make it to the tournament. I thought that the semi final exit of the couple nations would see him off. He's somehow still there. They did. After lots of messing around with different formations, they did settle on this 3, 4, 1, 2 formation which allows them to play both Mohamed Salah and Omar Mahmouch. And I think that is probably the way to get the best out of the two of them that you just let them have essentially three roles up front. Salah vaguely to the right, Mahmouche vaguely to the left. And that's pulled together by Emma Assur who is a very sort of old fashioned, creative number 10. And so if the platform, if the 3, 4 bits of the 3, 4, 12 work, they could be quite dangerous. But I just don't trust Hasama san to make the right calls during games. I don't. 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 to Uruguay and he clearly wasn't fully fit for the last two group games. So this is probably his only shot at doing well at the World Cup. I think Marmouche's 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.
- [36:05]
B
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.
- [36:49]
C
Yeah, that would be interesting to say the least. I suppose the thing about the Iran squad is they've left out Sardar as Moon, who's their best striker. 31 year old who scored 57 goals in 91 appearances. But he has, he's played for Byerly Cruise in Roman Zenith St Petersburg in the past. He has a history of criticizing the Iranian regime on social media where he has 6 million followers. He's. He's a big supporter of Iranian women and he's not in the squad and I guess we can figure out why. They've got Mehdi Turimi from Olympiacus, decent player. So I think they were at training camp in Turkey. They're going to Tijuana and quite an old squad. I don't know, would them playing the USA be a good thing, a bad. 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 a group at a World cup before. I guess they could get out of this one. Yeah, they could.
- [38:05]
B
They could, yeah. What about New Zealand's chances? Paul?
- [38:09]
D
New Zealand are actually pretty interesting team to watch and I think one of the weird things for New Zealand is there's this, this double edged 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 who played the most games, which was something like 21. They played five matches. They beat New Caledonia 3 nil in the final. That was the hardest test. They thrashed Fiji 7 nil 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. Like 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, they won 4:1 and it was kind of a chance for a couple of their, the guys that have been in Wood's shadow to step up. So Costa Barbarousis, this 36 year old who missed out on the 2010 squad, he's, he's kind of, he's having this chance to kind of redeem that. He, he scored and he scores about
- [39:15]
B
100 goals in the A league every season. Season. Barbara.
- [39:17]
D
He's a brilliant player in his own way. He's one of these like legends kind of veteran players and he just gives everything. So they had him and Ben Wayne from Port Vale, he scored as well against Chile like that. There are, there is more strength in depth than it looks with, with, with just relying on Chris Wood. But then I mean my, my favorite player actually is Eli Just from Motherwell. He's, he's brilliant and he's almost always there for New Zealand and he's just such a lovely like creative figure in the team. Sapreet Singh's been great, but he's had injury problems. But I think the really, the, really the thing everyone's talking about is surely Tim Payne, right? I mean now the most famous man in the world suddenly having previously been, well, having previously been labeled the least known player in the World cup, right? But this is a, this is a squad that also has Tommy Smith from Braintree Town. So I suspect Tommy Smith's sitting there at home thinking, that could have been me.
- [40:13]
B
Yeah, well, the story, if you don't know, some Argentinian influencer said that Tim Payne and his 4,000 Instagram 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, I mean, like, which is unbelievable when you talk about this poor guy at Braintree. Like, if you have 4.3 million Instagram followers financially, that's insane. Like, like the, the things that people, marketing people will approach you with. Like, it could be. It's sort of transformational for Tim Payne, but, you know, 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 two. Sid Low will join us for part three. And we will do Group H.
- [40:56]
F
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- [41:29]
G
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- [42:14]
B
Welcome to Part three of the Guardian Football Weekly. So Group H, then Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay. Spain, managed by Luis de la Fuente. I've of course won it in 2010. Got to the last 16 last time out. Cape Verde, managed by Pedro Britos. Saudi Arabia, managed by Georgius Doones. Got to the last 16 in 1994. Knocked out in the group stages last time out after beating Argentina in that opening game, of course. And Uruguay, managed by Marcelo Bielsa, won it in 1930, 1950, went out in the group stages last time. Sid Low is here with a group of builders behind him. Hey Sid, you okay?
- [42:49]
E
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 the Spanish summer without hearing drilling sounds like something
- [42:58]
B
someone would say on, you know, KISS fm. This is the sound of the span. Oh yeah. On Madrid fm, the sound of the Spanish summer. But it's just, it's drill music of the highest order. How are Spain going to get on then, Sid?
- [43:09]
E
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 Lamina Marlo of course was 16 then, is 18 now. And I think the, 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, the fitness of, of a handful of key players, including Laminar.
- [43:53]
B
Yeah, because the squad looks about. The side looks balanced, doesn't it?
- [43:56]
E
Yeah, and, and it's, it's very stable as well. There's, there's, there's a couple of new faces in from before Markpoor. Bill's the, the latest arrival, Eric Garcia team having not been in the squad for, for basically four years. But there's a real stability. That said, the stability is under my, the idea of stability is undermined a little bit by the fact that Alvaro Marata and Danny Carvajal aren't there, who were two of what I think you would probably call a three man leadership team with Rodri from Manchester City. So Rodri's now the only one left and, 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. And, yeah, you look at that squad and you think there's. There's really not too much wrong with it.
- [44:44]
B
There are no Real Madrid players in it. Which instantly makes you go, what? And then you think, well, actually, there aren't that many Real Madrid players that no would, you know, 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?
- [45:00]
A
It's.
- [45:00]
E
It's a. I mean, to. To continue the metaphor, it's a headline. But then you read the article and go, yeah, well, whatever, because you know that 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 the way Real Madrid played this season, you think, well, how could it possibly have had any Real Madrid players in now? There's. There's a couple that might have got in. Danny Carvajal's been injured, so he wasn't going to make it, and didn't really get the opportunity to play in the final weeks this season to maybe demonstrate to Louisa Lafuente that he was just about fit enough stuff to carry on. But he. He wasn't injured, he wasn't available or not properly available, was not likely to get in at left. But the only player that might have made it was Dean Howson and he's had a really, really bad season. So, yeah, it's. It's just not a big deal in football in terms. But of course, in terms of the imagery and also given the. The nature of the way that Spain's kind of football fandom is split down the middle, it has a significance. I think that that kind of isn't really about the team. It's more about the noise around it.
- [45:59]
B
Roger and Zuba Mendy both. Who's the midfield? Because you only got Pedri Gavi, Rodri, Zubamendi. It's hard to know.
- [46:06]
A
Yeah, it is.
- [46:07]
E
I. I think. I think maybe four or five months ago I would have said Supermandy actually starts ahead of Rodri. I don't think that's true anymore, for reasons that. That you know better than me, because of what's. What's happened in their performance level in England, and also because I think there's a belief now that Rodri is fully fit and has that. 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 Pedri and maybe Fabian Ruiz. Oh, yeah, it made. It may depend on whether De La Fuente wants to play three in midfield and three up front or free in midfield with one in front of them, behind the forward line. So. So that then poses a question about whether, whether it's Fabian Ruiz or for example, Danny Olmo. The other thing in all of this is that that De la Fonte would have loved to have played Mikel Marino. 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.
- [46:59]
B
Wilson, any thoughts on Spain?
- [47:02]
A
Yes, good, good.
- [47:04]
B
Keep them to yourself.
- [47:05]
A
Would you like to share them? So the key thing, it seemed to me about Spain at the Euros was that they, to the sort of possession football we're very used to, they'd added this directness wide through Lumino Marle and through 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?
- [47:29]
E
Well, I mean, it depends, it depends what Spain want to do. So I, I mean, Lucille Fuente I think was very, very clear for Nico Williams is in the squad, by the way. He, we're just not sure if he's gonna, he's gonna start. Luis Lafente is very, very clear that, that he wanted wingers in, in a kind of old fashioned sense, you know, very quick, very direct, make things happen, to give Spain an. To maybe be more willing to release the ball early from deeper positions. I think the fitness doubts about those two mean this is one of the reasons why, for example, Victor Munoz is in the squad who got his first call up in the last round of international games. He's a former Real Madrid youth team player who's played at Osasun this year. Very, very quick, very direct and very exciting. I think that's one of the reasons why Jeremy Pino's in the squad. I think there was a slight doubt about whether or not he would make it, but that gives you a winger. And then there is also the alternative, which of course is have a, someone who's not necessarily a winger playing in those positions coming inside. So maybe you have Dano out wide. I think this is one of the reasons why it's a real pity that Fermin Lopez got injured at the end of the season, because that was the Role that he was starting to play for Barcelona, nominally in the wing, but really and truly kind of a driving midfield all all over the place. But I think what we'll probably see happen is that I think in the first few games we might see moments of laminal, but I think by the time he's fully fit, fit, he starts and. And if they can get Nico fully fit, Niko starts as well.
- [48:55]
B
Paul, Cape Verde making their debut. What do we need to know?
- [48:58]
D
Well, yeah, I mean, it's been sold as a sort of surprise story, which in a way it is. They're the third smallest nation by population to reach a World Cup. They topped a group with Cameroon and Angola in it, which, you know, you wouldn't necessarily expected, but they've been building this team since about 20, 23 AFCON, 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 based players. They're all coming from Europe, including Roberto Pico Lopez coming from Ireland, who was recruited by LinkedIn, which is one of my favourite stories of the World cup. He got a LinkedIn message saying, do you want to come and play for Cape 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 Bubista, like a kind of very charismatic, very good man. Manager became African Coach of the year in 2025. So for this team, it really is a huge tournament for two reasons. They've never been in a 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. Vizinha, the goalkeeper's 39. Stopira in 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 the team that have 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 that would do it. Beat Saudi Arabia and. And who knows, they could even get through as the third place team.
- [50:40]
B
Wilson, Uruguay. Bielsa discuss.
- [50:44]
A
Yeah, more complicated than it might be. So I think there's a lot of frustration. Uruguay at Bielsa. It Started really well for them. They won two nil way to Argentina, they beat Brazil in qualifying. But the last year or so things have gone off a boil a bit. I think to an extent it's just this is not a great generation of Uruguayan players and that there's a tendency to blame Bielsa for that. But equally, they did win the Under 20 World cup in 2023 and none of that squad have been elevated by Bielsa. So Luis Suarez, who retired 20 months ago, has been very critical of Bielsa, then suddenly said, oh, actually I am available for this World cup. And Bielsa hasn't picked him quite understandably. But one of the things that Suarez said was that he found Bielsa's harshness in team talks, you know, very, very difficult to deal with. And that game where they won 2 nil in the Bomber against Argentina supposedly reduced our Nunez to tears at half time. Now Darwin Nunez went out, had a great second half and scored. So you know, from a pro Bielsa point of view you'd say well it worked. But equally, I'm not really sure reducing players to tears is, is ever a great idea. And Darwin Nunez hasn't played since February because of the. The Saudi team he plays for have had a reshuffle of their foreign players and there's I think only three foreigners allowed. So again, is he fresh, is he rusty? I think probably rusty, but equally he hasn't scored a goal for Uruguay for two years now. He got banned. If you remember the semi final of the Cop America in 2024, there was a Uruguayan player sort of wade into the crowd after they said that their families were being attacked by Colombia fans. Darwin only has got a five game ban for that since he's come back. I think it's 11 or 12 matches he for the national team. He hasn't got a goal and they really need him to start scoring again. So I think a lot of question marks there.
- [52:41]
B
Baz, a line on Saudi Arabia and then your thoughts on the group in as a whole.
- [52:47]
C
Well, Saudi Arabia, their head coach, George's Donis, who you mentioned already, he replaced Irv Reynard in April, so it's a new gig for him. How much time will he have to impose his ideas? They famously beat Argentina four years ago. Most of their players play in the Saudi pro league. I think all, actually almost all of them play in the Saudi pro league apart from one exception who's in at lawns on loan from Roma. Saud Abdullah Mad. But the influx of foreigners to the Saudi Pro league on big wedge means that quite a lot. 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. Get an easier route through to the A final, potentially. If Spain win the group, they'll avoid. Probably avoid Brazil and Argentina and they'll also avoid a potential matchup against Mexico in Mexico. And we. We've already discussed how playing in Mexico could be difficult for teams who aren't Mexican.
- [54:10]
B
Imagine Liam McLare will make a loop of people saying, are they fresh or are they rusty? As everyone says that.
- [54:17]
C
Well, it's. It's. Are they fresh or are they rusty?
- [54:23]
B
Yeah, that's it. You're right. Sid, I just wanted one more line from you because I. The construction in the background is absolutely sensational. The thing is, right, we're all.
- [54:33]
C
Sid has to live there.
- [54:35]
E
Exactly what I was gonna say.
- [54:36]
A
You.
- [54:36]
E
You can at least cut me off in a minute and get on with your lives. I've got to put up with this probably for the next while, certainly until
- [54:42]
B
I leave for the U.S. oh, you'll be okay. Thanks for coming on, Sid.
- [54:45]
A
Very much a pleasure.
- [54:46]
B
Cheerio, Sid. Low there out in the. In drilling country. Okay, then. One word answers. Who's going to win it?
- [54:54]
A
Paul?
- [54:54]
D
The tournament or the group?
- [54:55]
B
The tournament.
- [54:56]
D
Same answer. Spain.
- [54:57]
B
Wilson.
- [54:58]
A
France.
- [54:59]
B
Who's getting the golden boost? Paul?
- [55:02]
D
Oh, God, that's a tricky one. Can you come back to me?
- [55:06]
B
Yeah, I can. Wilson.
- [55:07]
A
Mbappe.
- [55:08]
B
Mbappe. Okay. I mean, you can just repeat what Wilson said if you want.
- [55:12]
C
Paul.
- [55:13]
D
No, no, that would be unoriginal. No, I kind of don't think he will either. All right.
- [55:17]
B
Interesting. Producer Joel says Paul doesn't read his emails because it was. We didn't put you on the spot, but this was part of preview. You get a yellow card there. Paul. That's right. A dark horse, then. Wilson.
- [55:28]
A
Japan.
- [55:29]
B
Okay. Paul, have you got one?
- [55:31]
D
I think my dark horse is Senegal. If they're allowed to be a dark horse, are they too. Are they too big to be a
- [55:36]
B
d. Horsey to be a dark horse? I suppose they win Afcon. Well, they. Did they win Afcon? That's a good question.
- [55:43]
A
Not at the moment they didn't, but they might do.
- [55:47]
B
And how will England do? Wilson?
- [55:49]
A
Okay, but not winning it. Do you want to round or is that. Is that okay? Not quick enough.
- [55:54]
B
I'd like. No, that's too vague. I'D like a round.
- [55:56]
A
Quarters.
- [55:56]
B
Quarters.
- [55:57]
C
Paul.
- [55:58]
D
Semis.
- [55:59]
B
Semis. 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.
- [56:10]
D
Thank you.
- [56:11]
B
See you in la. Thank you, Wilson.
- [56:13]
A
Cheers. Thank you.
- [56:14]
B
I'm sure we'll see you somewhere, somewhere at the World Cup. Thank you, Barry.
- [56:18]
C
Thank you.
- [56:18]
B
See you every day soon.
- [56:20]
D
Every morning.
- [56:21]
B
Who's showering first? Exactly. Football Weekly is produced by Ty Papula. Our executive producer is Joel Grove. And we'll do the other four groups tomorrow.
- [56:39]
C
This is the Guardian.
- [56:48]
B
Hi, pod fans. Max here. Barry's here too.
- [56:49]
C
Hello.
- [56:50]
B
Football Weekly is supported by Hotels.com Now, Barry, question. When you're booking a hotel, do you use hotels.com? actually, you're probably just going to say, I don't know. Producer Joel does it.
- [56:58]
C
I don't know. Producer Joel does it.
- [57:01]
B
Well, I think you should give it a try for yourself. Obviously, it's a massive summer of soccer and loads of our listeners will be traveling to watch the tournament and needing to book somewhere great to stay. So it's good to know that when you're a Hotels.com member, you can save up to 20% on hundreds of thousands of hotels. Plus you earn rewards on every stay. So each trip you take helps pay for your future trips. Just use those rewards like cash. And importantly, there are never any blackout dates.
- [57:23]
C
What's a blackout date?
- [57:25]
B
Well, it's a date where you can't use travel rewards, frustratingly, usually on or around major holidays or other peak travel periods. But there are no blackout dates with hotels.com rewards.
- [57:35]
C
Superb.
- [57:36]
B
Yes. So next time you're booking somewhere to stay, just book it at hotels.com hotels.com it's all in the name.
- [57:49]
F
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- [58:21]
G
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