Transcript of FIFA World Cup 2026 Matchday 1 Preview | Morally Abhorrent New

Welcome back to Morally Abhorrent, a Dan Lebatard show, quote, situation. That is according to Dan Lebatard. We are now here for episode 3. In episode 1, you can go back into our main feed or our YouTube page to check these out. We previewed the United States with our good friend Tom Bogert of the Golazo Network and The Athletic. And then I'm really proud of the episode that we did with Chris Whittingham last week. And check it out once again on our feed, on our YouTube page, where we previewed the totality of the tournament. Basically, we went through each every group. However, when you're doing that, you don't have a lot of time to drill down on the games, and that's what I'm going to do with my dear friend Master Tesfatsion, who's got a dream job right now working with TalkSport. He's got a great podcast that he'll tell you about called The S Word. It's a great show. I've been on it already, uh, plan on being on it again. He's an American talking about soccer and doing us proud over there because the Europeans feel some type of way about us. I think I'd like to talk to you about that before we get into this group preview, but he is here to go line by line on all the matchday ones of this illustrious tournament.

We are going to touch on every team, their first match of the tournament, about a week and a half's worth of games here because it's an expanded World Cup. So Master, my good friend, welcome to Morally Abhorrent. Hope to have you on the program again sometime soon during this tournament. Tell the folks where they can find the good work that you're doing with Talk Sport.

Yes, Mike, actually, you were our first guest that we've ever had. So appreciate you for that and the honor that you had of joining The S Word. It is a show for Americans to talk about the sport in a manner in which we talk about it at the bars and pubs amongst the 50 million that consider themselves soccer fans in America. But maybe it's not the most reflective in the sports media coverage. So we created a daily show to help meet the needs that Americans so desperately are looking for. We are live 8 to 10 a.m. Eastern Time. Every single day, 7 days a week throughout the World Cup. Myself and Will Gavin, who you may know, is the viral British voice of the NFL UK play-by-play, but also has done a lot of commentary as well within the soccer space in Europe. So 8 to 10 AM, we're live every day. You can check us out on the YouTube channel, uh, TalkSport S-Word is, I believe, the handle. Also, you can check us out on Instagram and X. We have the same handle as well, TalkSport S-Word. As well for that. So check us out, show some love.

We've had some great guests, yourself included. We've had Steve Nash, we've had the president, the CEO of U.S. Soccer, JT Batson, on. This is for the casuals, between the casuals and the diehards. We're welcoming everyone into this beautiful game and we are not gatekeeping unlike other places, because the more the merrier, as I like to say.

I love the gambit of a dude that is over in the UK that is trying to ingratiate himself over to an American audience and prove that they know what they're talking about. An American that is fighting against all the stereotypes. I thought you did a great job in episode 1 of defending the merit of the American soccer fan. It doesn't feel like we are legion because over here it's more niche, but that doesn't mean it's without— it's not without its passion. And that doesn't mean that there aren't millions upon millions of us here. So what have you had to fight against the most here in the lead-up to the World Cup? Because I imagine there's also a lot of political stuff that you're running into.

Yeah, a lot of political stuff. A lot of people just not thinking that Americans understand the knowledge or have a basis of understanding of the sport. But hey, let's be honest here. We consume more across the global space from domestic leagues than I would say any other country in the world. We are up at 4:30 in the morning on the West Coast watching Championship, watching League One, watching the Premier League. We're up at 7:30 in the morning in the bars on the East Coast, watching the Premier League. And then it goes on and on and on at that point from the La Liga, Bundesliga, Scottish Premiership, you name it, everything is being consumed and watched in America. As much as we get knocked on for being such a, the biggest consumer market in terms of spending and goods, we also are the biggest consumer market for viewership. And so we're seeing that with record viewership within the Premier League, we're seeing a record viewership within the Champions League final. And it is— there's plenty of room to grow in that aspect. And this is a time window that we're talking about, again, that is not catered to us, Unlike this World Cup where we're literally having to play games at 12:00 Pacific time and 3:00 Eastern time so we can cater to the European marketplace so they can watch it at a very reasonable time for themselves.

So we go out of our ways. There is no reason why this sport should be picking up momentum in the way that it is in the States because really nothing is catered towards this time zone. But lo and behold, we're out in pubs, we're packing it out. There's fan, fan bases of pretty much every team you can find all across this beautiful nation. And in terms of the knowledge and the breadth of understanding from a macro perspective, I'd put an American soccer fan over anyone all over the world. So the political stuff, I mean, I mean, yeah, they got a point. I can't really say much about that. So that part, you know, you kind of concede to that. But you know, when they're trying to knock the stadiums and all that stuff, as you're seeing lately over the last couple days, I'm like, come on. Like, we pack 110,000 people at Kyle Field every Saturday in College Station, and that esthetic looks so much greater and beautiful than the greatest cathedral you can think of in Europe. So What are we talking about?

You make a lot of great points. I, I would also stack the American true soccer fan. If you describe yourself as someone who loves soccer here in the United States, you are far more well-versed across the globe when it comes to soccer, where if you talk to someone from the UK, they're really dialed on the Prem, no doubt, maybe a little bit on the Championship, but then you start going Bundesliga and, and they know what they know from European competition really, where here is the United States goes, it's a lifestyle to follow soccer. It— there is a lot of sweat that goes into being a soccer fan in the United States, and a lot of sacrifice too. Not just getting up early, but you have to subscribe to all the streamers if you love soccer in this sport. So shout out to the passionate American soccer fan. I know this is a truly global event, and that's why you're getting all the worst stereotypes about America, but the people that are truly passionate about this sport in this country are highly educated. So let's put that to the test as we go through Match Day 1 for all these teams.

Master, we begin with one of the co-hosts of this tournament, Mexico, going up against South Africa, a former host nation with a very memorable kickoff game. These games always have something that, that sticks with you, be it a Bastian Schweinsteiger strike or shabalalalalala. Scoring an unbelievable goal for South Africa. And the passion of a host nation really resonates through the screen. And for Mexico, vibes on an uptick. Great young squad, lots of high-end potential with this team, and a dark horse for me and Chris Winningham to go really, really far in this tournament. And they go up against South Africa that has quite the obstacle standing in their way. What is your take of this first match?

Yeah, the South African side I thought was very disappointing in, in AFCON. And in terms of what I've seen since then from them, I, I think they finished last in this group. So, uh, which is unfortunate because it doesn't really capture the macro story of South Africa. And from 2010 and seeing the growth of the football federation within South Africa, it's a beautiful story and it's continuing to grow. However, Mexico host, one of the host nations, maybe the disappointment that we've seen from Mexico, particularly in 2022, but seeing them start to pick up momentum, as you mentioned, winning the Gold Cup, starting to have some of their young talent that's being weaved in with some of their veteran core that they have. I think they're going to be pretty disciplined. I could see this being a 2-0, 3-0 game, truth be told. But I think Mexico more than anything needs to send a statement to the Mexican fans. That this will not be a repeat of 2022, and they are here to make a statement, and they're here to make a long run. And out of all the 3 nations, I think they probably go the furthest.

So that opening match at Estadio Azteca, it's going to be electric. I, I expect them to win pretty convincingly over South Africa.

And I hope you're, uh, warning our friends across the pond that, um, a lot of these projections may have England having to go to Estadio Azteca for a result in the World Cup. Against a game Mexico side. We know from being Americans where you would die for just a point going over there. I think Mexico could be primed for a huge upset when we get to the knockout stages. So make sure all those English lads that you're talking to over there, don't take them lightly because their journey may come to an end at the hands of Mexico.

I've been warning them. I think I saw a tweet, someone saying, hey, let's overpollute Mexico City for that round of 16 so it makes it harder for them to breathe. And again, I'm not endorsing that, but I think that shows the links and which Mexican fans are willing to do to have a home field advantage against England if it comes down to it. And the heat, the conditions, all of that will come to effect here. And yeah, I think, I think England will have their hands full trying to keep up with Mexico in a round of 16. It will be— we're used to it as Americans going down to Mexico in a hostile environment. I can only imagine what they have up their sleeve for the English if that happens to come to fruition.

We don't have to wait long for a sicko's delight, especially you over in the UK. What time is this happening at the UK? Like what, 2 AM? Local time, we have South Korea, Czechia. That's right, a 10 PM Eastern start. So we get to relax and rebuild ourselves. And while we tuck ourselves in, in bed here in the Eastern time zone, or still dragging ass at the pub, we get a sicko's delight. South Korea, mixed bag in international competition, obviously have the, the huge star in Han Min-sun. Um, what do you expect from the South Koreans in this match? Czechia, they've got some good players. If you're familiar with the Bundesliga, you know Patrick Schick, can score goals in bunches. Um, not the firepower when they had Nedved over there and they got out of the group with the United States, but they have rebuilt themselves and they are back here in the limelight in international competition. This game can be cagey, Master.

Yeah, it can be cagey. And I think the biggest thing is I expect Mexico to win Group A, but for the other 3 nations— South Africa, South Korea, and Czechia— uh, I think the biggest thing is who can take the who can maximize the, the chances that they create. These are 3 nations in which have struggled in terms of, uh, taking advantage of their chances. A lot of big chances missed on a lot of occasions for these 3 nations as they were going through qualifiers. And so that's the biggest thing to keep in mind here for South Korea and Czechia. And if any— either one of these nations is able to get 3 points here, they are in pole position to finish 2nd behind Mexico, even challenge potentially Mexico to finish first there. Uh, of course you talk about with Son, but on the flip side you've got Suchek, as you mentioned, with Patrick Schick as well. So I don't expect any of these nations to keep a clean sheet. If I had to guess, I could see this being a 1-1 draw and it ultimately coming down to how these two nations perform against South Africa and Mexico to determine who finishes second here.

I give the slight lean to South Korea just for the experience sake, but I can imagine this, this, this one could be a drawn-out cagey affair, as you mentioned.

So if we're on the DraftKings app now live in all 50 states, the DraftKings Sports app, we're going to take both teams to score in this one and maybe a little, little play on the draw here. Let's move over to the other host nation on Friday, Canada. The, the unlikely fortune of having to play two countries, Bosnia and Herzegovina. So that's going to be tough for Canada. Deck is stacked against them. Canada. I wanted to believe in Canada 4 years ago. And they talk big and I had them even making it to the knockout stage and it was kind of disappointing. They tried to play really big teams at their level and they weren't there. And also being a host nation, they haven't had to go through a grueling qualification process. Jesse Marsh rate them quite highly, hold them in high regard. This is going to be a difficult matchup. You keep waiting for Canada to have the big result, the big sweeping victory, and it's not happening. I didn't like what I saw out of them against Scotland. Against Ireland, I mean, over, over the last few days. There's something just missing with this Canadian team and it might be a consistent Alphonso Davies.

But I do think the host nation having that energy behind them, a Toronto crowd, I think that this may be a low-scoring affair that gets settled with a Johnson Cross, a Jonathan David who can finally find his form now back in an international shirt. Do you favor the co-host here? In this really important match for Canada?

I go back and forth on this, this, this, this match and honestly this group because Bosnia, I mean, besides having such a banger song, you know, of wanting to come to America, it's, it's hard not to love this nation and how much they're just embracing this entire journey. But also they've got two teenage wingers in Karim Alžibegović. I hope I'm saying his name right. Um, and I like— they, they in a 4-4-2 setup that they have, like, this team is going to be very tough to break down. And also they'll find ways to have the counterattack. The one concern I have with, with Bosnia and Herzegovina, their travel schedule is just absolutely ridiculous. They're based in Utah, Sandy, Utah, okay? This match is going to be played in Toronto, Canada, then they'll go back to the base and then their second match is going to be in LA. Then their third match is going to be in Seattle. Like nothing about this logistically for them is going to be, very convenient per se, which obviously the travel and the heat is going to be two things we need to keep in mind for these nations.

Having said all that, with Canada without Alphonso Davies, I don't know if they'll have enough of a punch to really get the three points here. Maybe I'm being a coward here. I'm going to lean towards the draw. I think I think Bosnia-Herzegovina is going to be one of those surprise nations, I think, that can really pick up momentum. That could be the new Croatia, if we're being honest, in terms of that nation that really just takes— fully embraces this experience and people just fall in love with them as they go on a journey. But with Canada, as you mentioned, their third World Cup, they fared well in Copa America, the only North American side, CONCACAF side, that made it out to the knockout stage. Without the, without the emergence and the uncertainty of Alphonso Davies, I just feel like they're missing a little bit firepower to get these 3 points. So I'll go with the draw here. It could be nil-nil, could be 1-1, but I can see both these sides, uh, getting a point from this one.

Take a word of warning from someone who follows Italian soccer: do not take Bosnia lightly, especially a Bosnian team that, as Master pointed out, has a tough schedule ahead of them. They need a result from this match in particular to be able to go to the places they want to go. Let's turn our attention to the US out in your Former neck of the woods, Los Angeles, Paraguay, USA. Now a big injury to, to, to Paraguay that certainly affect this. But Masser, I'm worried about this game because the US has been trying to play with teams and take the attack to them, leaving them susceptible to a counterattack. And that plays right into Paraguay's hands.

Yeah, it does. And I'll actually be at this match, so I'm really excited to see how this US side looks with that back five they've been playing. With Anthony Robinson, Serginho Dest, that have created a ton of chances and truly outshot Germany in this last friendly they had. But I think it— as you talk about Julian Enciso, uh, more than likely missing this match, which is a huge loss for Paraguay, arguably their best player. Chris Richards' uncertainty with his injury also has me concerned for the backline of the US, which I just do not have the same confidence in Tim Ream or Miles Robinson or whoever else they have filling in at the center-back positions, along with the uncertainty that you have a goalkeeper, whether it is Matt Freese or Matt Turner, uh, though that, that is a huge area of, of, of, uh, of weaknesses for this U.S. men's national team side.

When have we ever entered a World Cup not knowing who our number one goalie is? That is just not a situation.

It's not, it's not. Having said all that though, I liked what I saw from the crowd in Chicago. Hopefully this whole ticket situation can be settled and that we can get a packed house at SoFi. I think U.S. finds a way to get 3 points here. I really do. I think better from, from the chances they've been able to create. I know, but Paraguay is going to come in, they're going to make it physical. We know how comfortable it can be. We know how Paraguay was, uh, trying to make it out of World Cup qualifiers. This can be a tough physical team that's really going to try and punch the U.S. in the mouth. And so it's all going to be dependent on how they respond to that and how they respond to the pressure of being the host nation that it's finally here.

But well, with the— with recent history, uh, as our guide, these two teams did play recently and the US responded quite well to that physicality. So in that sense, I'm kind of happy that we have Paraguay as our first opponent over there because that'll be able to force our team to tap into some fighting spirit, get the crowd behind them a little bit, have the blood boiling. I think that's good in match one.

I think it is too. And I could see this— that, that friendlies you talked about between US and Paraguay, it finished 2-1. I, I can see that same load happening here. I think, I think I could see U.S. winning 2-1. It's just hard for me to believe if Chris Richards is not there in the goalkeeping situation that this team is capable of, of holding a clean sheet against a tough and physical Paraguay squad, even if Enciso doesn't play.

All right, we head over to, uh, Saturday, June 13th. I, I think in terms of Match Day 1, this one is about as easy to predict as any. Switzerland against a former host, Qatar. Uh, Switzerland laden with veteran players, names that you recognize playing for this team. They have their identity, they have their roster cohesion, and we fully expect them to take all 3 here.

Yeah, I would think so as well. Qatar, it's a huge accomplishment for them making it back to the World Cup, obviously making it in 2022 as a host nation, but becoming the only host nation ever to not make it out of the group stage, which obviously they'd love to find a way to make up for that in 2026. But going through the qualifiers in Asia And making it back is a huge accomplishment for them as they continue to try and establish themselves as a footballing nation. But, uh, Switzerland's just gonna be too much here. It's just the quality of the talent that they have with Ruben Vargas, with Mbolo and, uh, Ndoye, Noah Okafor. Uh, there's just a lot of quality players here. And of course, Granit Xhaka, uh, I can't— hard to forget to mention him. There's just too much talent on the side. I think Switzerland handles them very effortlessly here and I think Qatar is probably someone that finishes last in this group as a result of that.

Brazil-Morocco is a fascinating match, not just because it's Ancelotti's Brazil and Brazil usually performs really well in North American tournaments, but talent-wise, this is about as weak a Brazilian team and hanging a lot of hopes on an injured Neymar that on merit probably doesn't even deserve to be on the roster. I know I'm a Chelsea guy and I'm biased here, but it seems as though Leaving João Pedro home is going to be a big mistake. I, I don't get that decision. I don't get the decision at all. I think he should be starting. I, I— he certainly shouldn't be at home. Rafinha has been unbelievable this year. I think they're going to get their goal-scoring punch more from the midfield, especially with no João Pedro. Don't let your Arsenal bias show here. However, Morocco, not a fluke, really talented, perform well in international competition. They're in the midst of their own golden generation, and they have proof of concept. They've done this recently. They went very far in the last World Cup. This is a sneaky play for a draw, a sneaky play for an upset. I think Brazil is going to get got in this tournament, and they may get got by an even lesser player.

I don't think Morocco is now at the point where anyone takes them lightly, but if you're just going off a name brand recognition in this match, think twice.

I literally had Morocco winning this group up until this morning when I woke up and I saw Abdé Ezalzouli, who had a tremendous, performance against Norway. He was subbed out at halftime and it's apparent that he has a knee injury that could force him to miss the entire World Cup. And without his presence, I think that's a huge loss for Morocco that they may struggle to find someone else that can ma— like replicate his creativity. Obviously they got Brahim Diaz and, and they got Hakimi and they got, uh, Bouhadi as well in that midfield. But what Ezazouli was able to create, it, it just that moment of magic that he's able to produce that that can really unlock Morocco from being this, you know, low-block side that we saw in the 2022 World Cup that is sitting back, taking pressure, and, you know, trying to respond on the counterattack to being on the front foot. So if, if he's not available, I think that truly changes the, uh, the ceiling for Morocco. But as you mentioned with Brazil, um, this is a very old Brazilian side that, you know, Carlo Ancelotti is leaning on the veterans.

But they— the one dynamic person, the reason why I think I'm not really concerned about João Pedro not being there is because They've got a young kid named Endrick that I feel like can be the game changer, can be the difference maker, as he scored, uh, in their last friendly. And he truly, in my opinion, he should be starting with, with Vini Jr. Whether they play in the 4-4-2 with the two strikers, they play in a 4-3-3 with Vini on the left, Endrick should be starting over Igor Thiago. He is that much of a game changer. Even though as short as he is, he somehow still finds ways to find goals. He has a knack forward, and he can score in many ways. He, he, he will be the X factor for Brazil if they're able to start him. I don't think he starts in the first game, unfortunately, because Carlo Ancelotti is going to lean on his veterans. But seeing this matchup, seeing the absence of Ezio Zouli, I truly think this is a coin toss. I was leaning towards Morocco before the injury news I heard. Now I'm probably, I'm probably slight— I'm leaning towards a draw on this one.

I, I truly think Both teams will try to size each other up as the result of this one is going to play a huge impact in terms of who wins this group at the end of the, uh, the group stage.

Fascinating match. And I, I, I'm in prove-it mode when it comes to Brazil. They got to show me here in this tournament, which is a ridiculous thing to say. They're usually a pretty proven—

no, they should.

You're right.

You're 100% right. They, they have to prove to me too. This is the worst Brazilian side we've probably seen in our lifetimes. So in terms of everyone thinking that they can go on a run, Yeah, it's just hard for me to see that.

But, but in our lifetime, in our lifetime, Master, they haven't had this type of figure at the manager position, though. This is a hugely respected manager who Vini has performed well against. Not totally proven on this level. It's a fascinating dynamic for a Brazilian side, and I think we're going to learn a lot from match day one.

I think so too. I think we'll learn a lot about Brazil, and I think we're going to learn a lot about Morocco as well. I mean, You know, they finished runner-up in AFCON, whether you like to acknowledge that or not. They sacked their coach and, you know, they're kind of retooling and re-piecing themselves trying to maximize this window. So there's a lot to prove for both of these nations in this first match at MetLife.

All right. I'm super excited. I've talked about this match pretty much every episode of Morally Abhorrent. Haiti versus Scotland. I'm in tune with all the friendlies. I'm singing Scott McTominay with a bicycle kick. I love the Scottish fans. I love this Haitian team and the way that they play. I think this game is going to be bonkers and well worth staying up for. If you're in the UK time zone, Haiti versus Scotland, we're taking the over, pal.

The over.

Oh, I'm taking— oh, I am taking the over. If you have watched Haiti play here recently, I think we're going to— they are capable of worldies. They are capable of running. This team is very athletic. Pace. Uh, it'll be interesting to see how Scotland matches, matches up with them. I, I also think— I look, cards on the table, I got a future on Scotland finishing last in this group because that's a play. If you want the real value, you can take Haiti moneyline for the, the straight up upset there, but you get more juice if they finish last place. And for them to finish last place, they'd have to lose this game. So that's my logic there. Do not sleep on Haiti. This is a real good side. Scotland, though, name recognition on this roster, the likes of which we're not used to seeing.

Yeah, I completely agree. But I mean, again, there are a lot of players that we're seeing as well playing for Wolves and other places in Europe. And this is such a great moment for Haiti. You see how they came out in droves in Miami. And I expect as much as we talk about the Scottish fans will show up and show out, I expect the same from Haitian fans. I think they're going to be packing these stadiums in red and blue at every single one of these venues. I even saw Young Thug and Quavo hanging out with the Haitian national team the other day on social media, which was like absolutely insane. But look, I don't know if I'll go with the over here, but I am very curious if Scotland finds themselves in a dogfight with Haiti. I think that's the worst case scenario for Scotland because more likely they'll be lining up in a 4-4-2. We'll probably see John McGinn making it in the starting 11 with McTominay. And so they've got quality there in their starting 11. But will they be able to— will they be able to go toe for toe and match Haiti's intensity, Haiti's ability to withstand the heat and the conditions, all of, all of the circumstances of which this Haitian national team is so accustomed to because they play here often?

So that is my biggest concern with Scotland. I see them complain all the time here in the UK about the heat and the weather conditions when it's 80 degrees out here? Will they be able to withstand the outdoor conditions at Gillette Stadium regardless of what it looks like, the humidity? I, I might go Haiti here, man. I, I, I, I, I—

this is my upset special.

I think Haiti can pull this off. I really do. And I could see this being a slugfest in the first half, and the longer that it stays that way, Haiti can sneak out and get a counterattack goal, and this could finish 1-0 Haiti very easily.

All right, well, you and I both have an eye towards Haiti there, and one of the, the more interesting sicko delight matchups that there is. Türkiye— I was asleep when they, they decided to change the branding, but I'm going to call them whatever they want to be called. I guess it was told to me that they were sick and tired of being the second result when you Googled Turkey. I get it. Yes, second obviously to hair transplants, not, not the bird. Um, they, they take a look at Istanbul.

I'll be there soon.

Same, same. No to Australia. KG team, uh, some players more of a team that just knows its identity and knows what it has to do. They're never going to outplay you on the pitch. They're going to win by being organized and not conceding. They have a good goalkeeper. Turkey A should win this game. They have more talent. I expect them to win this game after maybe a gritty start.

Yeah, I think so too. I think the biggest question with Turkey is going to be um, whether they can— I— whether they can keep their shape and remain, you know, disciplined defensively. Because I mean, we know with Arda Güler and Kenan Yıldız, they're going to have more talent. Nolu— they're going to have a lot of talent mixed with the young and the veterans that they have, uh, to be able to find the back of the net. It's just more so, can they remain disciplined, um, on the back end to withstand some of the counterattacks, which of course Australia is going to be you know, seeking to find goals on the counterattack against Türkiye? Will they leave themselves overexposed trying to find goals and chasing goals, uh, that Australia can pounce on those moments? So that, that is my biggest concern with Türkiye. And, but I, I do think they find a way to, to get the 3 points here. And I think they have an impressive performance and, and make themselves a, a, uh, uh, give themselves a, a, a, as good of a shot as they can to try and win this group. Group, which also features obviously USA and Paraguay.

Yeah, that's how I'm going to be watching this one. What kind of performances Australia put up there? Because if Australia gets beaten down, you're going to be facing them next, uh, a get-right performance where they are desperate for a point. That, that is not a great situation for a US team. That again can play into more cagey teams' hands a little bit. So watch that with a US prism. I feel bad for Curaçao. Well, number one, I feel great for Curaçao. They seem really happy to be here. It's an amazing story.

It's amazing. It's an amazing— the smallest nation ever to make it to the World Cup. And it's a nation that is known for baseball. But through the diaspora, especially in the Netherlands, and I'm there often as well, and meeting them and the excitement that they have. Only one person is actually born from Curaçao on this roster. The majority of them, if not the rest of them, born in the Netherlands. This is a wonderful story and a great opportunity to highlight a nation that, you know, it has overcome the odds and found a way through CONCACAF to make it to the World Cup. I think seeing them on a school bus and without air conditioning, just rolling down windows down. Like, it gives you the, the feeling of, of how we all played growing up. There's some core memories coming out, and it's curious how I was enjoying this experience. I don't feel bad for them at all, but they will—

anything can happen. Anything can happen in this tournament. Not that, I don't think that, but, but no, no, but if they somehow score against Germany, absolute scenes. You, you never know. Someone can get a leg out there. You're up against 10. That's what this this, this incredible tournament can provide occasionally. I just don't think it's going to happen here. I want to talk to you a little bit about this German side. I imagine you'll join us on a future episode and we'll be talking about this German side later on in the tournament as well. Kai Havertz, to me, the comp for me, and I may be doing an Arsenal-Chelsea thing here, he's a lot like Olivier Giroud now. I think he has found this, this veteran game to him. He's got a little bit of old man game, timely scoring. Kind of goes away during stretches of games. You wonder what he's doing out there and then he's super efficient with his chances. I've become a big Kai Havertz guy and I think— I know, I think he's gone from a punchline to knowing he was always in between midfield attack. What is my role?

He was always a man looking for a home. And now I think it's a little bit more clearly defined. And not unlike Olivier Giroud, I know what this guy is. I can count on him. He's gone from inconsistent to consistency. And, uh, I love to see it because he was a very good, nice young man, and a lot of things happened early in his career that would explain some of the struggles. But it seems as though he's finally found his rhythm.

Yeah, he's a false 9, and he's someone that the work rate— again, the physicality— he serves as a great threat for aerial duels. He can drop, uh, and, and receive passes and, and serve as a facilitator to, to create chances. He can be in the lower third, in the final third, and he can serve as, of course, for set pieces, as he did against the USA in the second minute, scoring on that set piece goal. Uh, and then of course he's always a threat to score a clinical goal, as he did for Arsenal in the Champions League final. He always shows up in big games, so he's someone that you just cannot discount. And there's a great connection that he has with Florian Wirtz that I think with him and Jamal Musiala, it's a great connection and tandem that they have between those three. However, my concern with Germany is, um, Leonard Karl getting hurt. I thought that was a huge loss. I love seeing the teenagers that can take advantage of these opportunities with this being on this big stage and really bursting onto the global stage. And I thought he was going to be one of those that everyone was going to talk about at the end of this tournament.

And the midfield between him, Wirtz, and Musiala, I thought could compare and compete with some of the best midfields in this tournament. And unfortunately, he suffered a thigh injury and will miss the World Cup. So that's a huge loss for Germany. And also just figuring out what they do with the back end, because as we saw in that USA friendly, the USA wasn't able to take advantage of a lot of those chances that they had outside of Jedi's worldly that he had. But they're, they are, they are to be had if you can create chances and you can be creative. That back line is not something that really most teams and most nations nations will be able to fear. So again, I'm not saying that Curaçao is going to win this one, but I'm saying in terms of their long-term projections, but it's something to keep in mind for Germany as some people view them as a dark horse. I, I do question whether they have enough in the back end to, uh, make a deep run in this tournament.

One of the great matches of Matchday 1 in their group, Netherlands-Japan. I, I have high hopes for Japan in this tournament. I think they can be a giant slayer once we get into the knockouts. I'm forecasting them to get out of the groups. Really curious to see how this match goes. Netherlands name brand recognition, solid talent. They got the guy that is better in the international shirt than he is in the club scene in Memphis, still out there doing it. What is your take from this Netherlands-Japan match?

Yeah, it'd be interesting to see if Depay even starts. I mean, do they go with Robbie? I mean, I don't— I'm not saying Wout van Horst deserves to start, but he's being in consideration as well. I think they could potentially go with Robbie up top, uh, to pair up with Cody Gakpo, who for some reason performs so much better in orange than he does domestically. But this is a very solid team that I think you can consider as a dark horse. And you look at their back line and it's incredibly solid as well. Like, this is a team— I saw The Mathematician picking them to win the World Cup. I'm not going that far, but I, I, I'm gonna pick them to win this one. And I know this is maybe a bit tricky because, as you mentioned, a lot of people are viewing Japan as like giant slayers this summer. Uh, Mitoma's injury has me a bit down on them. I'm not gonna lie, I'm a huge Mitoma fan. And his hamstring injury that he pulled, uh, with Brighton towards the end of the Premier League season. Uh, Japan still has enough talent to, to come out of this group.

And I like Kubo. They, they got good pace to them. They, they're good with the ball. They still look good.

Yeah, I agree.

But clinical.

Yeah, but I like Netherlands in this match, and I think they, you know, they, they, they have a performance here that allows them to, to, to win this group, which is Group F with Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, and even Tunisia. It's going to be a very sneaky, interesting group in terms of how that plays out at the end of the group stage.

I mean, the matches on this day are unreal. Ivory Coast, Ecuador. Ecuador. I got them going for— wait for this one. I got them going far in this tournament. This one's huge for both teams here as you're going to want a result in this match. Getting zero points from this match puts you in a tough spot, even in an expanded World Cup. A lot of great players here, a lot of athleticism. Kaiseido is probably the best defensive mid in the world for my money. And on the international level, he's a demigod even more so. What do you think is going to happen in this one?

This one is probably one of my favorite matchups of the group stage. Ivory Coast is a dark horse sleeper team with so much depth. When you talk about Amad Diallo, when you talk about Yan Diomande, who's supposed to be making a huge move to Liverpool potentially. Uh, you got, uh, Bisouma Toure on, uh, Hoffenheim, which I know you watch the Bundesliga. A young 20-year-old kid who can come off the bench and be a difference maker. Ivory Coast has— is a very, very deep squad that I think is not one to be played with. But Ecuador, I think, is one of the best defensive teams in this tournament. The best defense in CONMEBOL without question. But defensively, I, I, I find it hard to think that it's going to be— again, the attackers of Ivory Coast versus this stout defense of Ecuador. And it's a classic matchup of what is the immovable force versus the irresistible object.

So the object—

yes, I think this— I got a draw on this one as well. I'm leaning slightly towards Ivory Coast because I think they've got a bit more defensively than I think Ecuador probably has on the attack. So I could see Ivory Coast squeaking this one out with 1-0. Actually, you know what, I just talked myself into it. I'm going Ivory Coast 1-0 here. I think Ivory Coast find a way to just do enough, um, to break down Ecuador and find a way to get a result of this one. But if Ecuador would win this one, I would not be shocked at all. I think Ecuador is a tremendous team, and these two nations, uh, are gonna be jockeying to try and win that group.

Yeah, I got Ecuador here 1-0 winning this game straight up. Um, I, I just think what Ecuador does so well is going to frustrate a team that's going to, you know, try to beat you with some style early on and run it into Ecuador on this continent where South American teams perform so well on this stage. I just— I think Ecuador is a machine, man. They know exactly who they are and they put a lot on Caicedo's shoulders defensively. And he always seems ready for the task. I just love this Ecuadorian team. I've got them going pretty far and I think they send a message early with a victory over Ivory Coast. Sweden. I want to talk to you about this team. I want to talk to you about Sweden and Tunisia. Yeah, I already see your hand on your forehead here. A lot of uncertainty surrounding this Swedish team. I mean, if everybody is healthy and everyone's putting their best foot forward, Sweden got a nice little squad that can make some noise. However, there are so many questions surrounding this team.. And you don't want to do that against a team that knows exactly who they are and is tough to score against and drags you into the mud the way that Tunisia does.

This could be scary and this could get off to a real bad start for Sweden.

This can get absolutely scary because, as you mentioned, for whatever reason, Alexander Isak and Victor Jokerez have just not been able to work well together in a front three. And then you've got Elanga as well on the right wing as well. Uh, it just— you would think with the talent they have, with Bergvall as well in the midfield, Uh, Kulusevski didn't make this roster obviously because of all the injuries and his lack of availability this season. But Grant Potter was able to turn things around and they were able to qualify despite a disastrous, uh, qualification, uh, bid that they had. They made it through just off the strength of the Nations League, which is— I think it's absolutely ridiculous. I don't think this nation— I don't think Sweden should be in this tournament, truth be told, but they are in this anyways. The one guy I will point out that, uh, just keep your eye on him. Um, Taha Ali, um, for Sweden, he's a left winger as well. He's Somali-Swedish, plays for Malmö. This guy has Tekkers delight, man. He is someone that can come in the match and can be the, uh, Ryan Cherki for Sweden and really give them and unlock, uh, some of their attacking issues that they may have present themselves with.

And I'm not sleeping on Tunisia per se. I think Tunisia— again, this is going to be a very competitive group and a sneaky group, and Tunisia absolutely can get a result here. I just think Sweden will find a way. At least that's what I'm banking on. Sweden will find a way. They'll get the 3 points here. They'll find a way to beat Tunisia. I, I'll go 2-1 here. I, I don't see them keeping a clean sheet because they, they concede very often, but I, I think Sweden can find a way with Isak, with Yokeres, with Elanga, with Taha Ali to overpower Tunisia, even though Tunisia is going to be very compact and they're going to be very disciplined and Tunisia knows exactly what their identity is. It's just, will they have enough firepower to withstand what Sweden has to offer?

I don't know. Graham Potter, not that guy, pal. Just from my experience.

So look at this Chelsea bias.

God, we can briefly touch on Spain. I think we expect Spain to just totally run through Cape Verde. But, um, any, any Spanish takes you want to let go before we, uh, preview Belgium-Egypt there, Master?

I mean, it's gonna be interesting to see what the— you know, they're saying Lamini could be available now for the first match. I wouldn't want to rush him. Um, so, and it'll be interesting to see what this midfield, as deep as they are, obviously Rodri and Pedri need to stay healthy. We haven't seen too much of them being able to play a full 90 minutes, so how long will they be able to go and how will Luis de la Fuente try to manage their minutes in the group stage so that they are available during the knockout stage? But I wouldn't sleep on Cape Verde either. I'm not saying they're going to win this one as well, but, you know, another great nation with a great story. I saw them throughout qualifications. It's a very disciplined side that knows their identity, that knows who they are.

They, they could sneak up and be one of these third-place sides that gets in, in the knockout Belgium-Egypt, probably a match I wanted to see several years ago. Both of these teams in different places, but still fascinating because both teams are going to need something from this match. And yeah, you have Mo Salah in this one and you have some, some legacy players from the leftover golden generation of Belgium that made it all the way to third place in the World Cup and played Brazil so brilliantly. What do you expect in this match?

Yeah, these are two sides that have been just annoyingly frustrating when you watch them in international competitions where you, you've always expected more from them, even though obviously, as you mentioned, Belgium did finish third place, uh, in a World Cup. But with Egypt and Mo Salah, he is yet to win an international competition. Like, Egypt went on a crazy run of winning AFCON before Mo Salah showed up, and then he shows up and they just have not been able to win that tournament. And they had a disappointing exit once again in this, uh, past AFCON during the wintertime. And then with Belgium, I mean, they've still got some remnants and pieces with Kevin De Bruyne and obviously Lukaku and Jeremy Doku was finding his form there late in the Premier League season. You've got Courtois back now as well, a goalkeeper. So I expect them to win this group. I, I generally expect Belgium to win this group, and I think they should get these 3 points from Egypt here. I just don't think Egypt Every time I watch Egypt, I just do not think that, um, they, they play to the competition a lot of times.

And, and in this situation, I think Belgium can, can really overpower Egypt. My expectations for Egypt are very, very low, if you haven't found out.

Saudi Arabia takes on Uruguay. I believe this match is in Miami, Florida. Uruguay, not the same kind of team. Recognizable names, but, you know, vibes aren't great around them. And Saudi Arabia, they're not sneaking up on anybody. Obviously last year, the upset of the tournament, arguably over eventual champion Argentina. I think the home crowd here in Miami pushes Uruguay to new heights and they can feed off of that for the rest of the tournament. I'm a little bit more bullish. I think the narrative has kind of gotten a little out of control with Uruguay's chances in this tournament. I favor the South American teams here. I think that they send a message early on here and this is going to be a tough spot for Saudi Arabia, especially with that atmosphere.

I'm right there with you, man. I think that the narrative situation has gotten a little bit out of hand. Um, I expect Uruguay to— they're still the feisty team, they're still going to be a very physical team. Um, the both of these nations very understanding of the conditions. Uruguay obviously in Saudi Arabia playing in the desert, so I don't think that'll play too much of an impact. But I, I just, I, I'm, I'm banking on Uruguay here and I just I think guys like Fede Valverde will be able to get these guys in line and in check. And once the matches start playing, then we'll be back in a position. Once we get to the final group stage match of, you know, between Spain and Uruguay, as we all had expected this group to play out, as those two nations finishing 1-2 in this group.

We've seen war-torn nations go to international competition and give their people something to believe in, and they're sparked by it. We have a fascinating situation here in the United States with Iran in particular. They're taking on New Zealand. Not much is expected from New Zealand, one of the weaker sides in this tournament. Iran need a point here. If everything was on the up and up and there was no war, I'd like Iran to get out of this group, especially in this expanded World Cup, and they would do so on the heels of a good performance here in match day 1. I just don't know if they're even capable of it. I can't get inside their minds right now. But all the uncertainty with their travel and having to relocate their, their training grounds, not being able to fully train because how could you possibly with all this on your minds? It's a fascinating situation. And when that whistle blows, it's going to be absolute scenes for Iran, which actually has a huge community here in the United States too. So I'm sure they'll get a fair amount of support. This goes beyond the game. This is about Tim Payne on one side, and this is about a war-torn nation right now in Iran that is actively at war with its host nation, with the World Cup host nation.

What are you expecting from this match?

Yeah, and unfortunately for Iran, if you remember, Mike, 4 years ago when the U.S.

was in the final group stage that they had in 2022, was terrified, needing a result against Iran.

Terrified. Yeah, it was terrifying. And there was also a backdrop there where the players— there was a protest, there was protests going on all throughout Iran. I believe it was a woman protester that was killed and the players weren't singing the national anthem and essentially were threatened to do so. And so in that match, there was a political backdrop as it was kind of forcing patriotism among the players or else having to deal with the consequences. And ultimately it felt like it impacted their performance. As obviously Christian Pulisic scored with his midsection and the USA advanced out of the group stage into the knockouts. It feels like it's a kind of a totally different landscape now, 4 years later, where this forced patriotism maybe isn't needed because of the endurance that they've had to deal with and the uncertainty and unfortunate situation that they find themselves in. I don't know how that will either unite or divide this, this, this group and locker room. And I'm curious what their sentiment is now considering where they were 4 years ago and that backdrop. But as you mentioned, there's a lot of Iranians in the United States and this match will be played in Los Angeles, which, uh, there's going to be a huge Iranian population that shows up for this match as there is in, in Los Angeles.

So I'd expect them to have the home crowd in this match. Uh, I'd expect them to have a huge, huge turnout and a huge performance here. As you mentioned with New Zealand, not only just with Tim Payne, but also Chris Wood and his, his impact that he can have as well on a counterattack. He's very clinical, very efficient, makes the most of his chances as he has. And I'm sure New Zealand will be trying to find ways, uh, to get him out and, and create some chances for him. But I'd expect Iran to come in and send a big message and, and get the 3 points here. And that will go a huge way towards, you know, 3 points essentially can guarantee you, all but guarantee you, a spot in the knockout stage. And I'd expect Iran to, to get that in the first game.

3 points would go a long way to what is statistically the most probable knockout opponent for the United States. It is, it is a possibility, folks, that we get Iran versus the US in this tournament. France versus Senegal is a match everybody was looking forward to once the groups were established in the draw. I'm gonna be at this match, uh, MetLife Stadium, potentially New York totally on fire at that time because if necessary, Game 6 of the NBA Finals is going to be going on in the same day. This match should hopefully deliver end-to-end action, loads of talent on the pitch for both sides. Got to tell you, not thrilled with what I've recently seen from Senegal. The way that the U.S. took the fight to them, that was a— a recalibration. It was a recalibration. There were still some big-time players on the field for Senegal. Let's just— let's agree that it was a little unexpected. How well the U.S. looked against Senegal, because I think you and I both agree the Senegal squad is a little bit more talented than the U.S., at least top to bottom and high-end talent. Now, France, probably the most talented side in this entire tournament, the odds-on favorite.

Kylian Mbappé, N'Golo Kanté still hanging around. I'm not sure if they're getting along, but neither of those might be the best or most important player for France. How do you see this tournament going for France and what do you expect in this matchup in particular?

Yeah, France is incredibly talented and a lot of the pressure is on Kylian Mbappé, or at least his pressure that he's putting on himself to be the man, to be the, the guy that the center point, the focal point of this nation. But I mean, he's got so much talent around him. He's got Ousmane Dembélé, he's got, uh, Desirée Doué, he's got, uh, Michael Olise, all of these incredibly talented players that he just needs depend on and rely on. And we'll see if Kylian Mbappé is able to do that. But truth be told, Kylian Mbappé scored 12 goals in the last 2 Men's World Cups, more than any other player in the tournament in that stretch. So as much as we like to say other players need to step up, we know that Kylian Mbappé at the end of the day will, will make this team go as far as they're capable of going. My concern with France though is their backline. Uh, I don't think their fullbacks are capable of stopping some of the best wingers in the world. Uh, you're more likely gonna have what Theo Hernandez starting on the left, and, uh, right now with Malagusto I think is going to be on the right side unless they put Zaire Emery at right back.

And then the center-back situation, if Saliba has these injury concerns and he's not able to play, then you're relying on Konaté and Upamecano, who I just, I think are very questionable center-backs to have. You still got Lacroix, who I think is a tremendous center-back, and actually I would start him win over those two. But don't, don't sleep on Senegal, bro. Do not sleep on Senegal. Whatever you saw in the US match, it is a friendly. It was a rotated side. The Senegal team is deep. They have the chance to have the—

wasn't just a friendly. Well, it was the Allstate Continental Clásico. Come on.

Uh, whatever, the balls are bouncy, whatever the case may be.

And you know what made it a Continental Clásico, right? The fact that they both play on continents, master.

I did not know that.

Thank you. Yeah, yeah, it's one of the more— look, I'm, I'm all for shoehorning a sponsor into something, but the Continental Classico between Senegal and the United States, I'm gonna need that one explained to me.

Well, listen, here's my take. I would not be shocked if Senegal wins this group.

Wow, both teams to score?

100%, both teams to score. Absolutely, both teams to score. And coming off of Ivory Coast beating France, I'm not sure why you're not leaning into that result either, and seeing how France has been a bit lackadaisical during these friendlies.

Okay, look, we've seen in previous World Cups, you get some footage of some drama around the locker room and a bad result, these things can spiral, especially for a France team that has high expectations. So I'm with you. I, I don't think that— I'm not totally bought in that what— that this team can play up to what is expected of them. Mbappé is going to be going for the all-time goalscoring record in this competition, is primed to do so. But we'll know early on.

Maybe could this be 2002 all over again?

Could be, could be. I mean, France, France is known to have the occasional clunker, but they've got overwhelming talent, lots of talent on display in that match. Iraq and Norway. Let's not spend much time on Iraq. I know that they've had their travel issues. Norway can score goals. They've got some talent and they're avoiding the heat for the most part with their start times and locations here. You expect 3 points for Norway here, no doubt.

I expect 3 points for Norway, but I'm not really convinced on this Norwegian side. We just saw their midfield get completely dominated by Morocco yesterday. I think there's still an imbalanced side. That has been the biggest issue for them and why they haven't been able to qualify for World Cups in the past, despite having Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard. And I think it'll be a problem that continues to persist. I don't see them being a better side than France or Senegal, and I think they'll be fighting for that third-place qualification spot. So they need these 3 points, and that'll go a long way for them to, to, to advance to the knockout stage. But I don't see them going any further than that.

Depends if there is a game 6, but my attention right now is going to be totally locked in on Argentina-Algeria because Argentina a little longer in the tooth, still counting on the same players. Are they capable of dialing up that same effort? I think Emi Martinez certainly is capable. I think Messi is certainly capable, provided he is fit. But I'm not just talking about those guys. I'm talking about very important role players for them. I don't know if they still got it. And Algeria on the international scene, usually a tough nation. Lots of talent comes from that country. This could be a good one, at least early on before Argentina pulls away. I do expect Argentina to win. But I expect Algeria to be as tough as they usually are in these competitions.

I tend to agree with you on this one, but I know you're questioning Enzo Fernández. This goes back to your Chelsea bias and Alexis Mac Allister.

He's a, he's a great player. Yeah, I'm sure for, for whatever fee you're trying to get for him, I'm sure you're going to be a great player for Real Madrid provided we get 100 in return.

There's something about these Argentine players though, man. It's when they put on that, that jersey and they're wearing that crest and they're the, the, the weight of that kit. I mean, they become superheroes. And there's something to be said about their willingness to continue playing for Messi, whether it is the best thing for them or not, considering, uh, how they play without him. I, I still feel like this is going to be a dangerous Argentina side. And, um, despite the talent that comes out of Algeria and, and how well that nation is in terms footballing nation in Africa in particular. I expect Argentina to pull away from this one and I could see a 3-1 result here.

Austria doesn't have the, the casual names that soccer fans would recognize right off the jump. But if you follow the sport, you know that they have some very good players and they will be tricky to play against in this tournament. I think they sent a message right away to Jordan that says probably a little bit more about Jordan, but I rate this Austrian side Well, what do you think their chances are in this match and then beyond that?

Yeah, I think they should be able to run away with this one here. Um, with all due respect to Jordan, uh, a nation which I watch very often, um, in, in, uh, their qualifications and also, uh, in the Asian Cup, and, and they've always found ways to make some good runs in that tournament. But, uh, you know, with some of the experience and the leadership that we talk about Austria having, um, you know, it's just, it's just hard for me to see another scenario other than, you know, Austria just completely dominating this match. I really do. In terms of their situation, I don't know, I'm not really that convinced with them. Like, I think they'll do well in this group, but beyond that, I mean, you're still relying on David Alaba to be your captain and someone that has gone on and off with his injuries and You know, obviously you got Sabitzer and you've got Chukwuemeka as well. And, you know, some other players that again are— Ardanovic, like again, he's 37 years old. Like, it's fine. You know, it's pretty much how I feel. Poland made this tournament as well. It's fine. It's enough to get you through the group stage, but I can't see them going any further than that.

Portugal, DR Congo. This game could be fun. I have Portugal right now as my champion and I think that they have a real good squad top to bottom. Most American fans that are checking in on soccer every 4 years, their, their eyes are going to go to Cristiano Ronaldo's name on the team sheet and not realize really like the, the massive amounts of talent behind him. Quite honestly, I do think there is a community in soccer. They're mostly made up of Messi fans that think Ronaldo is probably the only thing that can get in this team's way for a deep run right now. Recent clips would suggest he's struggling to fit in, but he's such a cult of personality that you got to put him in the team sheet, right? What do you think is going to happen in DR Congo versus Portugal?

Yeah, I've been banging the drum on Portugal now for, what, a year plus, going back to the Nations League final last year, this time last year, even banging the drum that I thought Vitinha was the best holding midfielder last year over Pedri. Yeah, and he is—

I agree with you.

He's, he's proved me nothing but being absolutely spot on with that. Vitinha has been absolutely exceptional. And that midfield— Portugal has the best midfield in the world and in this tournament with Bruno Fernandes coming off of a player of the season campaign in the Premier League for Manchester United, João Neves and Vitinha, uh, once again winning back-to-back Champions League winners trophies. Uh, they, they are absolutely exceptional in the midfield, and I think their backline as well is a bit underrated considering how they're being perceived. It's all about what they can get from the wingers, um, in terms of their performances. And yeah, with Cristiano Ronaldo, everyone's gonna talk about him and talk about his ego and, and how much of a force he's gonna be for this team. There's nothing more he needs to do on this— in this side except just be in the box. That's it. And if he's a goal poacher for this team, as he has shown in the Nations League as well, and someone that can step up and take pins for them. That is pretty much all they need from them.

Master, let me drill this down though. Do you think he's capable of just being in the box, or do you think he's going to want to step in front of that ball, hike his shorts up, and take a kick and sail it 3 rows over the net and take a, a kick that should be going to someone else?

I mean, yeah, potentially. I, I can't see that. And considering there's other free kick specialists that they have on that side, I should be to do that. Yeah. But again, he's, he's still in great condition. He's still in great shape. I think something's been a bit overblown. I think it's a bit of a— I've been— I think the Ronaldo aspect of it has just been overblown a bit. Truly, truth be told, I think it just stems from the fact that people have wanted to believe in Portugal time and time again for this World Cup, and each time they let you down. And maybe I'm saying we, but I'm really speaking of me, because every single time I see this Portuguese side and I see the town and I'm expecting big things out of them, and then they get knocked out disappointingly, because they can't break down a Moroccan side in the last World Cup. And time and time again, they have fallen short of the expectations of this team, you know, making it to the World Cup final and potentially lifting the World Cup trophy. Having said that, I wouldn't sleep on the DR Congo.

This is still a team that has a lot of talent. Jan Vista unfortunately had a disappointing season with Newcastle. He's still a tremendous talent. You got Juan Besaka as well, who's a dynamic wingback as well that can create challenges and problems for this Portuguese side. When you talk about Nuno Mendes and the, you know, trying to step up and maybe being a bit more attacking, they can try and catch them on the counter. So I don't— I expect Portugal to win this one, but I can expect DR Congo to have a pretty nice qualification round and be one of the teams and nations fighting for a third place spot.

England, Croatia. Croatia, I thought they were too old a World Cup ago and they performed really, really well there. One last ride for their core. England, I'm sure you know plenty about this game and plenty about this squad. Two big, two big-time brands here. England, loads of expectation. They need to get all 3 points, I think, in this match.

Yeah, I think so too, just to send a statement. You know, Thomas Tuchel made some, you know, eyebrow-raising decisions in terms of his roster, leaving off Cole Palmer and leaving off some other players in which people thought Phil Foden, that maybe deserve to be on his team. But he's been very pragmatic and he's someone— surprise, surprise, the German being pragmatic— but every single person is on his team. He's been very methodical and thinking about, you know, what, what situations can present themselves in this World Cup and do I have an answer for that? And I think that's just probably the best approach you can take as a coach because the World Cup will challenge you and will present so many questions. As other managers and nations are trying to find your weaknesses. And Thomas Tuchel is taking a holistic macro approach of saying, look, for every single potential challenge that we're facing, we will have a situation, a formation, a player, a tactic that we can turn to that could be a potential answer, along with finding answers as you go. Even down to the fact of, you know, how can you deal with the conditions and them having their, their own cooling systems that they, that they funded to, to take care of that aspect of things.

So I would expect England to win this one in Dallas at AT&T Stadium, which— or Cowboys Stadium, or Dallas Stadium as they're calling it now. Dallas Stadium, yeah, that's right, Dallas Stadium. Sorry, Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas. I'm sorry. Um, but this Croatia side, man, I feel like they, they've got us right where they want us, man. Every single time we want to doubt this Croatian inside, they just come out with their backs against the wall. And it's almost like a position they just love being in. And I'm not saying that this Croatian team can make a deep run or not. But even I have found myself questioning them. And I've truly admired this entire generation. But when you're relying on a 40-year-old Luka Modrić to find goals for you, it doesn't necessarily equate to the best formula to success. But every single time we have questioned and doubted Croatia, they have found ways through this generation to get results, to find ways to, to go on deep runs. They have finished second and third in the last two World Cups. I don't know how far they go in this one, but if this team somehow able to make it to a semifinal, we have to start putting them in the conversation of the greatest, one of the greatest generations we've ever seen in World Cup history.

No doubt. No doubt. Ghana is a team historically that Americans don't want to see in a World Cup. Panama, historically a team that Americans just don't want to see flatly because they're, they're a nightmare team. And I think you need to explain to the folks across the pond that Panama's not some rollover opponent here. This could be an upset special. I actually think Panama has an opportunity here to win this match and get into the knockout stages. I like Panama a lot. Please fight on behalf of CONCACAF over at the TalkSport Studios because this could be a good one, bro.

I have been telling the English sides because we've had a lot of people come on the show like knocking and dissing Panama, and I keep telling them, I'm like, bro, you don't want to get CONCACAF'd. And I'm telling you right now, Panama will put a fight up, and if you're not prepared for this, they will punch you in the mouth and you will be absolutely stunned beyond belief. And I say that while saying, I, I do agree with you, I think Panama does win this game. I think Ghana, along with South Africa, are probably two of the worst African nations in this World Cup, truth be told, um, out of the 10 nations that are in it. Uh, put this in perspective, Ghana hasn't won a match since October 2025. They lost to Japan, South Korea, South Africa, Austria. It's at 4 matches already I'm talking about right now. And you add on to the fact that they've lost to Germany, Mexico, and just drew with Wales. So in their last 7 matches, Ghana has not gotten a victory at all. I, I think this Ghana team is coming in with some bad vibes. I don't think it's as talented of a Ghanaian side as we're accustomed to seeing.

They didn't make it in AFCON qualifiers. They were able to salvage themselves making it through African World Cup qualifiers to win the group and make it to the World Cup. But I truly expect this Ghanaian side to finish last in this group with England, Panama, and Croatia. I, I just— I truly think that they're not up for the task, and they will be humbled very quickly in this tournament by a Panamanian side that Yeah, they lost 6-2 to Brazil, but in that first half it was a very tightly contested match before Brazil basically just subbed out their entire team and brought in their, their second squad, which obviously is a bunch of world-class players as well. This game being in Toronto, potentially the conditions as well being involved, I think Panama runs away with this and they get 3 points.

And in closing, the final match that we're going to preview here, I guess these are my little side pieces in this tournament because Italy is not in the tournament, but I got Fabio Cannavaro coaching Uzbekistan. And I live in Miami, and Colombia is always going to be my little side piece on the side because, I mean, how can you not love a good Colombian party? I'm even going to Guadalajara for Colombia-DR-Congo later in the tournament. Uzbekistan can make it a rock fight. Colombia excels in rock fights. I expect Colombia to win this match, but it may take a minute for them to score. What do you think is going to happen in this match, Master?

Yeah, I think Colombia, I think they'll have a huge performance here against Uzbekistan. Again, another Asian side that I feel like is a great story for them to be here. But Colombia is, is primed to have a huge World Cup, especially with being able to have the Colombian crowd that will be behind them, that will be following them throughout. We know there's a huge Colombian diaspora all across this beautiful nation of ours as well, and a lot more that will be traveling in as well. So I, I think this Colombian side will be dangerous. They'll be lethal. There'll be a side that you just do not want to face, and it's setting us up to have a fantastic, uh, group stage situation between Portugal and Colombia to see who tops this group. But I think Colombia sends a huge message in this one and beat Uzbekistan very, very handily, unfortunately.

Well, great previewing all the, uh, the first matches of this tournament with Master Tesfatsion. Check out his good work on Talk Sport, The S-Word, available on YouTube and on Podcastmaster. We'll see you again, buddy, on Morally Abhorrent. Thank you once again for taking the time out to talk some soccer with me and show the world that Americans know what they're talking about.

See you soon, my friend, and enjoy this World Cup because all the nonsense and all the negativity you're going to hear, it's not nonsense, but it's a lot of negativity. We've been waiting on this for a lot. A long, long time. It's here. I do not remember 1994. I will soak up every single second and every single moment of this, and I know you will as well.