The countdown is coming to an END, and the 2026 World Cup is getting nearer and nearer.
The ball begins rolling on Thursday (11). And at present you’ll get to know just a little extra about Teams G and H.
Group G options , , and . And Group H has , , and .
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The highest two groups from every group and the eight greatest third-placed groups will advance to the preliminary spherical of 32.
Will Belgium, Egypt, Spain and Uruguay dwell as much as the hype, or will the underdogs spring a shock? Go away your PREDICTION!
Group G
🇧🇪 Belgium
🇪🇬 Egypt
🇮🇷 Iran
🇳🇿 New Zealand
Match schedule
June 15, Monday, 4pm – Belgium vs Egypt
June 15, Monday, 10pm – Iran vs New Zealand
June 21, Sunday, 4pm – Belgium vs Iran
June 21, Sunday, 10pm – New Zealand vs Egypt
June 27, Saturday, 12am – Egypt vs Iran
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June 27, Saturday, 12am – New Zealand vs Belgium
Belgium 🇧🇪
Belgium’s well-known “golden era” is coming to an finish, and the workforce coached by Rudi Garcia is in a interval of TRANSITION.
Belgium nonetheless has veterans equivalent to (34), (34) and (33). The goalkeeper, for instance, is heading to his FOURTH World Cup.
However a number of kids can clean up this squad, equivalent to centre-back (22) and ahead (24).
Eradicated within the group stage on the final World Cup, Belgium will attempt to make a deep run, like in 2014 (quarter-finals) and 2018 (third place).
📸 BRUNO FAHY – Belgaimage
Egypt 🇪🇬
Egypt will play in its fourth World Cup (1934, 1990 and 2018) and might be chasing one thing UNPRECEDENTED: its first-ever win.
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To do this, the Egyptian workforce is banking on () and particularly (on his method out of ).
Salah, actually, might set a curious file. He has 67 targets for Egypt.
The all-time prime scorer is Hossam Hassan, with 69 targets and he’s… the workforce’s CURRENT head coach. Will Salah overtake the boss?
Iran 🇮🇷
With the nation in the course of a warfare with the US (and with Iraq), the is attempting to give attention to soccer.
On the pitch, Amir Ghalenoei is counting on a squad made up principally of gamers who play in Iran itself (or in neighboring nations).
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There are solely 4 exceptions: (Dender, Belgium), Mohebi (Rostov, Russia), Ksara Taheri (Paysak, Russia)…
And the largest star of the Iranian workforce, , previously of Porto and and now at Olympiacos.
New Zealand 🇳🇿
After shedding 4-0 to in a pleasant final Tuesday (2), New Zealand seems to be like a candidate to be the group’s punching bag.
They’ve by no means received a World Cup match (three attracts and three defeats) and are backside of the FIFA rating among the many 48 individuals.
Seeking at the least one win, New Zealand is relying on striker of .
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The previous and Newcastle man has 45 targets in 87 video games for the nationwide workforce.
Group H
🇪🇸 Spain
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
🇨🇻 Cape Verde
🇺🇾 Uruguay
Match schedule
June 15, Monday, 1pm – Spain vs Cape Verde
June 15, Monday, 7pm – Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay
June 21, Sunday, 1pm – Spain vs Saudi Arabia
June 21, Sunday, 7pm – Uruguay vs Cape Verde
June 26, Friday, 9pm – Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia
June 26, Friday, 9pm – Uruguay vs Spain
Spain 🇪🇸
Spain arrives as one of many large favorites, not least due to its Euro 2024 title and unbeaten qualifying marketing campaign.
Luis de la Fuente’s aspect has the most effective midfields round (if not THE greatest), with , and Fabian Ruíz.
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The large query mark for La Furia is up entrance. and are within the closing phases of restoration.
If the wingers attain 100% health for the World Cup, they are going to be arduous to cease. In any other case, Spain might run into bother.
📸 JOSE JORDAN – AFP or licensors
Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦
Saudi Arabia had a turbulent cycle, with managerial adjustments and a HARD-FOUGHT qualification for the World Cup.
Head coach Giorgios Donis has solely been in command of the workforce for 2 months.
Of the 26 known as up, 25 play in Saudi Arabia. Amongst them is the workforce’s standout participant, of Al-Hilal.
The workforce’s solely “foreign-based” participant is right-back , who performs for Lens in (and is a starter for Saudi Arabia).
Cape Verde 🇨🇻
Cape Verde is an African nation the place Portuguese is the official language — which is why it ought to get help from Brazilians on the World Cup.
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The nationwide workforce is constructed on a mixture of gamers born within the nation itself and kids of Cape Verdean dad and mom. Centre-back Roberto Lopes “Pico” is one instance.
Born in , he could by no means even have considered representing Cape Verde… till he obtained a LinkedIn message with an invite from the federation.
One other “foreigner,” ahead (born within the Netherlands and at present at Casa Pia), is the workforce’s BIG star.
Uruguay 🇺🇾
La Celeste heads to the World Cup after a turbulent cycle, with DRAMA involving coach Marcelo Bielsa and his gamers.
Canobbio, of Fluminense, is one instance. He spent fairly some time away from the nationwide workforce after a “tantrum” on the Copa América.
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With a barely lighter environment, Uruguay will attempt to make a deep run with names well-known in Brazilian soccer.
In addition to Canobbio, Rochet (Inter), Varela (Fla) and (Fla) might additionally begin. The midfielder, nonetheless, is a doubt attributable to harm.
This text was translated into English by Synthetic Intelligence.