2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

It is. :slight_smile:

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World Cup 2010
Opening match South Africa vs Mexico June 11th

World Cup 2026
Opening Match Mexico vs South Africa June 11th

Don’t forget to take your Vuvuzelas with you :hear_no_evil_monkey:

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He doesn’t know the time of day frankly.

Anyhow need to get Diana Ross back for a penalty.

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Scotland to draw against Haiti at most

the usual shit when it comes to Scotland at the World Cup

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and so it begins…

i look forward to the usual tears and snotters when England get knocked out

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Honestly, the prospect of the US fucking up a very manageable group is the only thing that looks even remotely of interest to me in the first round.

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Fuck FIFA, fuck the World Cup. I’d rather watch paint dry.

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tewrrible analogy, id happily watch paint dry…so long as im on the clock…

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On a serious note now and no joking, yeah it’s an interesting and potentially tricky group for us Croatians.

Good old opponents in England, we had some great games against each other. And we never actually played Ghana and Panama, so a bit of new also. I didn’t want two ā€œPanamasā€ in the group, that just doesn’t feel like World Cup to me, regardless that I’m happy for some nations to get a taste of it.

England looked and look good to me under Tuchel, they’re one of the candidates to go far again. Even if I think the last two champions of major tournaments, Argentina and Spain, look like their level hasn’t dropped at all. Argentina have some exciting new talent also. Plus a few of the usual suspects like France, can never count them out, because they’re full of quality, depth, pragmatism and experience. One of those rare selections that are run like a club.

I don’t know much about Ghana lately, for example compared to their WC10 campaign. These days they have less known players to me, but of course that doesn’t mean much. We had tournaments going out in groups and key games against the likes of Mexico, Australia, Japan, etc. We also saw what a team like Morocco did in the last WC.

A lot will depend on how we do also. If we’re on it, then I believe we have what it takes to go through. That’s always Croatia’s mission, get past the group stage and then in knockout stages, just compete and go as far as we can. No doubt that certain successes from the past makes you proud, gives you confidence and motivation that nothing is impossible, we’ve proved it a few times with 3 WC medals since 1998.

Our qualifying group was on paper the easiest we ever had, so in a way it was good as it didn’t pose problems, but really now I want us to play the best possible opponents in friendlies. And I think a friendly against Brazil is confirmed, followed by Colombia. That’s maybe the toughest combination we could negotiate.

We have a tricky situation between the sticks, Livakovic is on loan at Girona from Fenerbahce and not playing at all. Very weird deal and situation from Girona’s point of view. One to be looked at in January. Defence looks alright with the likes of Gvardiol, Sutalo and Stanisic. We lack full backs so don’t be surprised if we do an ā€œArsenalā€ with CB’s playing at full back. Vuskovic is a talent to look out for at CB, currently on loan at HSV from Tottenham. Midfield is quality as usual, hopefully Kovacic comes back from injury and Petar Sucic looks like he might go down Brozovic’s path at Inter. We always lack pace in the side so no wonder that Perisic still starts on either wing and is important. But technically we’re always very sound team. Dalic has decided he will stick with 4 at the back (and then varieties between 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, 4-4-2), so there will be no attempts to try 3 at the back (which we did at one point between WC22 and EC24).

It will also likely be Modric’s final major tournament, I think he might retire internationally. Though you never know, he already surprised! Incredible really, I knew he would go far when he started, because his quality was so clear, but the career he’s had and still having… nobody could’ve predicted it.

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Not sure many England fans will be wanting to make trouble and take on the locals if they get to play in Mexico City..!! :0)

It’s gonna be fun watching Harry Wilson lift that trophy, though.

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BBC Sports?

The 18:13 GMT post…then Group A. :rofl:

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Possibly a more exciting group than some of the others - second/third could all come down to who can keep the score low vs Brazil. I’d fancy Antarctica to surprise many with their polyglot players. Could make a pretty good side from players left out of the Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and UK teams…

Good draw for Italy and Turkey.

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Edit

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and it will only get worse

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Not if Andrew Henry Robertson can lift it first!

This is the first time I’ve ever seen this :rofl:

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Ahh, Robin Williams! These were the times… :heart_eyes:

Of course, the current FIFA reps are far too self-infatuated and cowardly to dare inviting a genius like that.

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