Ep. 7 - World Cup Preview (Pt. 1): Groups A, B, and C

Brandon and Shaun are here to breakdown every team in the 2026 World Cup. Our journey starts today with groups A, B, and C.

Each day this week we will breakdown three groups with our final preview episode coming on Friday. 

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Transcript

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Hello, friends, and welcome to another episode of the Friends on Football Podcast. I'm one of your co-hosts, Brandon Johnson, and I'm here today with my other co-host, the man that created this podcast, Mr. Sean Boyle. Sean, how are you doing, sir? Brandon, it is always a pleasure to speak with you. I am excited for today's episode. I'm doing well. How are you? I'm good, Sean. I was gonna say, uh there I feel like there's a little extra juice in this one. Um, you know, we we've been talking about the World Cup for the last, I don't know, three, four years, and we're it's finally here. So today we are going to do our first of four World Cup preview episodes. Sean and I will be going group by group, team by team, giving you all the ins and outs, the background, the coaches, the history to get you ready for the World Cup. So, Sean, you ready to go? Yeah, we're not wasting any time today. These are gonna be action-packed episodes, so we gotta get right down to business. All right, Sean, so here we go. So, Sean will be doing groups A and C tonight, and I will be doing group B. Uh, Sean, give us group A. Start us off. Here we go. I'm so excited. Like you said, there's a palpable buzz in the air for this. Group A consists of Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, and Czechia. Mexico are one of the three host countries for this World Cup. And right off the bat, immediately the first thing I have to touch on Mexico versus South Africa is the first match of the World Cup this year. And not only is it special because it's the first match this year, it is a rematch from the opening match of the World Cup in 2010, which South Africa hosted, and it takes place exactly 16 years later to the day. So that's that's some good stuff. We we like to see that. We have Shakira back in the mix with another banger World Cup song. It feels like 2010 again. That's got me juiced out. So Mexico will be the first team we talk about. Mexico as a country is also known as Estados Unidos Mexicanos, the United Mexican States, which I don't think I was aware of before doing some research. The capital and largest city is Mexico City, which will play hosts to several games in this World Cup. It is the 10th most populous country in the world. Some fun facts, as we're going to do for all of the teams. It is home to the most native Spanish speakers in the world. We celebrate Halloween here in the United States, but in Mexico they celebrate Dia de los Muertos, the day of the dead. It's a much different vibe than Halloween, too. Halloween is a little spooky. We dress up, we wear costumes, while Dia de los Muertos is meant to be more joyful, and the spirits are supposedly coming back to visit family. So a little interesting twist there, a difference in cultures. And then lastly, my last fun fact the Great Pyramid of Cholula is actually the largest pyramid in the world. So move over, Giza. You guys just have better PR. The pyramid of Cholula, that's where it's at. Now let's talk football. That's why we're here. El Tree is the nickname for the Mexican national team. They have qualified for the World Cup every year since 1994. They are one of only six countries to do so. This year, they did not need to go through qualifying as they are one of the hosts. They have 18 total World Cup appearances in their history, but their best finish is only in the quarterfinals, which they have done twice in 1970 and 1986. They are coached by Javier Aguirre, whose nickname is El Vasco. I like that. I'm a fan of that. He has managed in Spain at Atletico Madrid, Osasuna, Espanol, amongst others. He's also managed some national teams. He has been with Japan and Egypt at the national level. He will try to set up in a fluid 4-3-3, and he has said that the prettiest team doesn't always win. So he wants to get down and dirty, roll around in the mud a bit. I like that. We typically associate Mexico with a possession-based model, and they certainly did do that in the last Copa America tournament. But this side is also willing to sit back and use transitional moments. It's not a golden era for Mexican soccer, but we'll get to that in a second. Players to watch will try to give you at least a couple players from each team to keep an eye on as we go through this tournament. For Mexico, we'll start with the captain. He is a former West Ham player. It is Edson Alvarez. He's a proven presence, gives you some quality leadership in the middle of the park. The striker for Mexico is Raul Jimenez. He's a 35-year-old from Fulham. He is still leading the line. He's grown out the hair. He looks a bit better now. I think that look works for him. He'll be wearing the number nine, and he will be the focal point of their attack from a goal scoring perspective. Hilberto Mora is the guy I want you to take note of, Brandon. This guy, he everybody's talking about him already. He's a 17-year-old star in the making. He plays for Club Tijuana, but he will be moving to Europe as soon as he can, basically. So FIFA rules prevent him from moving before he turns 18, and he doesn't turn 18 until October. So the type of talent we're talking about here is a guy who has garnered interest from Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester City, to name a few. And he has said his dream is to play for Real Madrid. So keep an eye out for that one later this year. At the back, Mexico have Juan Vasquez. He's their pillar in defense. He's left-footed, calm on the ball, strong, imposing defender. He plays for Genoa. And then in between the sticks is where there's some big questions with the Mexican national team. They have three decent goalkeeping options. I just don't know who the starter is going to be. So everywhere you look, there's a different projected starter. The likely guy is Memo Ochoa, who, this guy, I mean, he disappears for four years and then just turns up at the World Cup and has unbelievable performance after unbelievable performance. He's 40, he's got to be in his 40s now. I don't know his exact age. He's aging rapidly, but he keeps coming around in these World Cups. So it might be him in between the sticks. It might be Raul Rangel or Luis Maligan or other potential starters. I would happily take any of the three on the United States team. I think they are a clear level above our goalkeeping crop. So what does success look like? I mentioned it's far from a golden generation. And while they are hosting the tournament, I get the sense that the general sentiment in Mexico is that they are playing the second fiddle to the United States in that department. They don't feel like they're genuine hosts. They get some group stage games, but then the tournament kind of gets away from them pretty quickly, and they don't host any of the last 16. So I think Canada and Mexico both share a bit of that resentment in that aspect, but the immense support they will have in their group stage matches should not go unnoticed. Their draw is super, super favorable as well. Success for them, I think, would be making a quarterfinal. I think that's what their fans would be happy with. They've had this event circled for years. They have a pretty talented squad, even if it's not one of their best teams ever. I don't think the round of 16 would be a failure, but I think it would leave fans wanting a bit more. My expectation for them will be I expect them to make it out of the group, and I think they'll win a game, and then after that, it'll be very matchup dependent. I think they'll be it'll be very hard for Mexico to not make it out of this group. We'll get through some of the other countries in here a bit, but they are the clear betting favorite to advance. Brandon, what are your thoughts on what you just heard about the Mexican national team? Yeah, thank you for for educating me. I forgot Ochoa was still in the still in the mix. You're right. He he really just comes out of nowhere every four years and and is back in the fold. Yeah, I I think you know, looking at their group, it's definitely not the strongest group. You know, getting their three group stage games on home soil is definitely going to be an advantage for them. So yeah, I would I would agree with you. I think making out of the group is the expectation. Uh and then maybe winning a game or two once you get to the knockout rounds. Obviously, once you get to those rounds, everything's kind of a crapshoot with matchups and who you play, and you know, you get them on a bad day, or there's yellow card accumulation. There's a lot of factors that go into that. So I I agree with you. I think Mexico is probably the favorite in their group, and it would be, you know, a colossal disaster for them not to come out. I yeah, if you couldn't have said it better there, it would be a total spectacular failure if they don't it if they don't at least make it out of the group. The next team in group A is South Africa. South Africans, they're an interesting bunch. They have three capital cities, which, to my knowledge, are the only country that has this as the case. They are Cape Town, which is the legislative capital, Lomfontaine, which is the judicial capital, and Pretoria, which is the executive capital. None of them are the largest city. That is Johannesburg. Their motto is Unity and Diversity. Some fun facts about the country. There is a country completely inside of South Africa. Losotho is entirely surrounded by South Africa, making it one of the only independent enclaves in the world. South Africa, if you like animals, boy oh boy, is this place for you. They are home to the largest mammal, the fastest land mammal, the largest bird, and the largest reptile. So get a bit of everything down in South Africa. And then one of my favorite fun facts that I've stumbled across so far in these previews Villa Kazi Street in Soweto is home to two Nobel Peace Prize winners. So a single street is home to both Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. How about that? Yeah, I feel like that is one of the that's a Jeopardy question. You know. That's why you come. That's why you come to the Transformation. You know, you'll learn football here, you'll learn about what's going on in the World Cup, but you also might get a Jeopardy question or two, right? So appreciate Villa Kazi Street. Just remember the name. On the pitch, the nickname for the South African team is Bafana Bafana, which is the boys in Zulu. Boy, that's a good one. This will be their fourth appearance in a World Cup. The first came in 1998, and they have never made it out of the group. Through the qualifying process, they qualified ahead of Nigeria in the African qualification process, which that's an impressive achievement. Nigeria has traditionally had a lot more talent than South Africa has, so good job by them. Their head coach is Hugo Bros, which his name is spelled like Bruce, but I have checked the pronunciation as Bros. He is a Belgian 74-year-old who has won the African Cup of Nations with Cameroon. Kind of a journeyman manager. He's been everywhere. A lot of his career was spent in Belgium. He has managed at the international level with Cameroon, and he won a trophy there. As a side with the least amount of talent in this group, he will want them to set up pretty pragmatically. They don't want to get crazy. They want to keep it in between the mustard and the mayo. In terms of players, some interesting stuff in the playing department here. Captain of the team is goalkeeper Ron Wen Williams, and he plays for Mamelodi Sundowns. This is a team in the top flight of South African football. Most of the national team relies on talent from Sundowns and then the Orlando Pirates. Those are the two biggest clubs in South Africa, and a lot of the team is comprised of their players. They are also led by Lyle Foster. He is the biggest name in this squad. He's an attacker who plays for Burnley, and he played this season in the Premier League and had a pretty good year in a Burnley side that did end up getting relegated, but that's at least a Premier League level player leading their attack. They also have Toboho Mokaina. He's a midfielder from again Mamelodi Sundowns. Mokaina is an orchestrator that pulls all the strings for this group. His father, Aaron Mokaina, captained the South Africa team in the 2010 World Cup. So this family is like royalty in South Africa. So that's cool. And then what will success look like for South Africa? I think winning a game would be a huge success. They have won two matches in their country's history at the World Cup. They beat Slovenia in 2002 and then France two to one in 2010. I think getting a third win would be awesome. Getting out of the group is the dream. And I will say, normally I would deem it impossible, but with how this group looks and the fact that there will be several groups where three teams make it out, I don't think it is impossible. I think there is a chance. So you're saying there's a chance? Yes, just a small one for you South Africans. I'll make a bold prediction that they win a game at this World Cup. That's that's I'm gonna go out on the limb. I'm not gonna I'm not gonna make bold predictions for each team, but I when I was reading about these boys, the Bufana Bufana, I I became a fan. So this gives me something to root for for the South Africans. I love that, Sean. I feel like, you know, we uh we have to pick pick the little teams, pick the small guys, because there there will be some upsets, especially in the group stage. So I like your I like your bold prediction. And the other thing is I'm falling in love with all these teams that I'm learning about, Brandon. You're gonna have to you're gonna have to refrain me. You're gonna have to fact check me when I'm throwing out, oh, this team's gonna make it out. I might have all four advancing. No, we we'll we'll make sure you don't do that. But uh yeah, I'm excited to see South Africa. You know, 2010 is obviously a huge memory. Um seeing them play the Vuvuzela, the the energy in that stadium. I mean, it was 2010 was a special World Cup, and unfortunately, you know, they didn't do so hot, but uh it'll be cool to see them have that rematch against Mexico, but then also play Korea and and Chechia to see if they can get through. And we will never have another song like Waka Waka. Not I mean that is the goat. That's it can't even be debated. I it was funny, you know, when when we were planning to obviously record this this podcast, uh I was on the way home from work today and I had to I had to hit it one time because I was like, oh, it just it just brings you back to such a just a great time. And like you said, it hasn't aged a day since then. No, not at all. And you know, she you mentioned she has another remix coming out this year for this World Cup. Um I don't know if it'll top Waka Waka, but no that it's just it's just it's synonymous with the World Cup. So I'm I'm glad to see Shakira back back making music for the World Cup. That's right. So something to keep an eye on with the South Africans, they're at least an interesting bunch. Let's move on to the third team. It is South Korea, officially known as the Republic of Korea, population of 51 million in this country. Seoul is the capital and largest city. Some fun facts. One of my favorite things about Koreans is that they consider themselves one year old when they are born. So the day you're born, you're one year old. How about that? And everyone universally turns a year older on the lunar new year. So, hey, we're not out here with cakes and candles celebrating birthdays. No, no, no. Everybody's born and they they were they know that, they acknowledge that, Korea, and they say we all turn two at the same time. We all turn 30 at the same time. It's great stuff, and I I wish we would adopt that here in the United States. I'm not even sure how to react to that. I'm a cakes and candles guy, though. So I'm I'm a little against it, but at the same time, you just have one big party, you're probably off from work, off from school, you're out in the streets with your with your boys, so yeah. I I could probably get behind it, but that would definitely take some getting used to. I'm not a cakes and candles guy either. So please, that's that sounds great to me. A holiday where we're all off, sure. Put it on put it on my calendar. And also, this I first learned about this actually, because one of my favorite players, you could see a scarf here behind me, Sun Hung Min, who we'll talk about quite a bit. He, as a Tottenham player a few years ago, there was there was a kerfuffle about just how old he was. We we had Sun in our ranks for about eight seasons before we didn't even we didn't even know his real age. One of the years he was at Spurs, we we just couldn't tell you if he was 28 or 29 or 30. Uh, there was rumors flying whether he was one when he was born or zero, and it was a who could possibly know situation. So I'm not even sure we got to the bottom of it. Sun might not know his own age. That's absolutely absurd. Uh yes, it worked out, but uh that is such an interesting fact. I had no idea about this. So I hope I hope the listeners learned something there. That I love that one. Also, another one in Korea, four is a very unlucky number. The word four sounds very similar to their word for death. So four is taboo. It's it's kind of like 13 here in the United States. A lot of buildings won't have a fourth floor, they'll call it something else. They skip that on the elevator. So four, no good in Korea. And then one last tidbit if you are ever in Korea, use two hands. Considered very impolite to pass money or a drink or anything one-handed. Also, no red ink. So those are two things to watch. So when you're driving, if you're ever renting a car in Korea, let's go ahead with 10 and 2. Okay, I want both hands on the wheel there. We don't want any, we don't want to disrespect any of the locals. The team on the pitch, they're known as the Taijuck Warriors or the Tigers of Asia. This will be their 12th World Cup appearance. They made their first in 1954. Their best finish was fourth place in 2002. Their head coach is Hung Myungbo, and he managed them in the 2014 World Cup. Now, it did not go well. He did not win a match and resigned immediately after. They thought, hey, you know what's a good idea? Let's bring them back. They will try to play a 3-4-3, utilizing some short passing. They're very against playing long balls, but the manager is a pragmatist, and first and foremost will be prioritizing being safe and a bit boring at times in hopes of a result. The South Korea teams typically like to press, and I believe they are concerned about the altitude at which they will be playing. Games in Mexico, the altitude is a factor. So I know they've been training with that in mind. We mentioned Sun Hyung Min, my Korean king, one of my all-time favorite players, Tottenham Legend. He's currently an LAFC player. As you mentioned on one of our previous episodes, Brandon, kind of struggling to find form this season. Father Time is certainly working against him. This will likely be his last World Cup, but I expect Sonny to rise to the occasion and find the net a couple of times as the leader here. He's their captain, he's their leading goalscorer. He will do everything in his power to pull this group up. Kang In Lee is another really talented player. He plays for PSG. The only issue for him is he doesn't get as many minutes as he would if he was at almost any other club in Europe. He's behind some really talented players on the wings there, but he will add a lot of flair to this side. Kim Minj leads the back line. He struggles for minutes at Bayern this season, but he's a really important player for the squad. He's their only real out and out central defender that is starting caliber, I would say. And he's an aerial threat. He's pacey, he can recover. He's a really good center back. And just because he doesn't play for Bayern does not mean that he's anything to be scoffed at. Lastly, last guy I'll mention is Bei Jun-ho. He's a Stoke City player, so a championship level player in England. He's 22 years old, he's very technically sound, picks a nice pass, and can complete some dribbles. I think he'll be an interesting one to watch as sort of the next wave of Korean talent. What would success look like for South Korea in this tournament? I think winning a game in the knockouts would be deemed pretty successful by all measures, in my opinion. There's a bit of a bad vibe around this team right now. They're kind of rudderless, stuck in the mud. There's not a ton of inspiration. Maybe it's the manager, maybe it's just the generation of players and a bit lost in terms of who they are. So I'm not exactly sure they're coming in on the highest of notes, but I trust Sonny so much that I think he'll get that locker room into shape. And they were brilliant in a couple of recent tournaments. Even if the results didn't match, they had some exciting wins over, I believe, Portugal and Germany in two of the last World Cups. I'm not sure they'll be able to bottle up that magic again. So I'm a bit concerned about them. I will, I'm gonna leave my expectation off it. I won't put a number on it. I think my prediction will be they struggle more than expected to make it out of the group. I'm not saying they won't because this group is very weak, but I think that they might be culpable to a slip-up against Czechia or South Africa. So maybe that's where South Africa gets a win. But you could still lose a match or two and make it out of the group. One win might be able to do it. So that's my expectation with South Korea. Brandon, what are your thoughts on Sonny's squad? Yeah, I think it's one of those things where the squad goes as he goes. And if he's in form and he's scoring goals, you know, I think they play a lot better than their, you know, 25th in the world FIFA ranking. However, you know, he's not in good form and things aren't going well. Like you already said, there's a little bit of turmoil in the in the dressing room. That this could be the fourth place team. I don't think it ends up being the fourth place team. Like you said, this group is not very strong, and I think they could definitely get at least third. Yeah. But but you're right. I mean, in a three game situation, you know, if you slip up too many times, you know, you'll end up going home. So I I I agree with you. I think I think getting through the group and winning a knockout game would be successful for them. Of course, then you get become massive. Matchup dependent, but I think that's a fair fair assessment. Perfect. We're all we're on the same page there. The last team in group A is Czechia or the Czech Republic. They're historically referred to as Bohemia. So this this country, what an interesting background. Way more interesting than anything you're going to see on the pitch from this group. So we'll spend some time here. The motto for Czechia is Pravda Vetezi. The truth prevails. Another good motto, strong motto. Capital and largest city is, of course, Prague. That is the most well-known city from Czechia. It used to be Czechoslovakia, as many of you will know. Our parents' generation, it was Czechoslovakia. But as a result of the hyphen war, what a name for a war, the hyphen war. The country peacefully split into independent countries. It was also referred to as the Dash War because simply it was a political war over how they were going to name their country. The Slovaks wanted Czechoslovakia and they wanted Czech capitalized and Slovakia capitalized with the Dash in between. And the Czechs wanted to keep it traditional. They wanted Czechoslovakia all one word with that S lowercase. They didn't even want Slovakia to have their own capitalized name. So eventually they got to the point where they just split up as countries and said, we'll do it on our own. So now we have the Czech Republic or Czechia and we have Slovakia. Fun facts the Czechs are the number one consumer of beer globally per capita. So this group is coming in with a buzz to the United States. They will drink your city out of house and home. So be careful around the Czechs. And this country has over 2,000 castles, including the largest ancient castle complex in the Prague castle. So I didn't associate Czechia as having the most castles in the world, but was fascinating to learn. Now, in terms of the national team, they are called the Narodak or the Repre. And Narodak means the national team or repre the representatives. This is their 11th World Cup appearance, but it's a bit blurry because it's different if you're counting Czechoslovakia or Czechia. So their first appearance as Czechoslovakia was in 1934. And if we're counting all of those appearances, this will be their 11th. But the first appearance as the Czech Republic was in 2006, and they have not been back since. This is their first World Cup appearance in 20 years. Best result for them was a runner-up finish twice as Czechoslovakia in 1934 and 1962. They have not made it out of the group as the Czechs. So Slovakia seems to be pulling a decent amount of weight here. We might need to do an audit of just how good the Czechs are without Slovakia. Their head coach, Miroslav Kubek, he is a 74-year-old former keeper. He has managed a bunch of Czech teams. He won the top flight with Victoria Plizen in the 2014-15 season. That's probably his most notable accomplishment as manager. How will they play? They are a classic team that wants to strike from counters and set pieces. They can be dominant in the air. These guys, they have some big lumps in this squad. I'm talking 6'5, 6'4, 6'7. Some real lumps. Their captain is Ladislav Kreci. He is a central defender who actually became the first ever Czech to play for Wolves. So he is a Premier League level player. He was named captain of this national team in March of 2026. So just this year, he took over the captainship from Thomas Suchek, who a lot of you Premier League fans will know. He's been a mainstay at the newly relegated West Ham. He's just a he's another lump in in midfield. Doesn't do much of anything, runs around, finds his head on a couple of balls, but he's going to be spending next year in the championship. Their leading goal threat is Patrick Schick. He will lead the Lions. Patrick Schick is a pretty reliable goal scorer in the Bundesliga, and he has been for years. He is certainly their main guy in the way of attack. And then Pavel Sulch, who is an interesting one. He's a number 10 creative type, plays at Lyon, offers something different in this setup. They're lacking a bit of creativity. I would say he's their most creative outlet. What does success look like for them? Again, another tough one. They've never made it out of the group as the Czech Republic. This is their first World Cup in 20 years. I would have to say they'd be happy with winning a game and potentially getting out as a third place team. I don't think their expectations should be to win a knockout game. I'm not saying they can't. A lot of times the style of football that they're going to try to play is ugly but effective. So I'm not ruling it out entirely, but I do think they'll struggle here. This group is wide open, like I said, they just need to get some teams to roll around in the mud with them. Yeah, I feel like this group is going to be a dogfight. Like someone's going to get through on four points or three points. It's going to be probably some ugly soccer games. I mean, you mentioned it with Mexico. I don't remember the exact quote, but basically you said it doesn't have to be pretty to be good. Like you said, Sean, I think it's it's going to be a battle. And I do think they can get out of this group. Again, I think South Africa is probably the weakest, but it's it's going to be kind of anyone. Anyone can take this group, I think. Perfect. Yeah. I think this one will be interesting to watch, even if the teams aren't necessarily the highest quality. Having one of the host countries in it in Mexico is obviously going to get some eyeballs on it. And I think there's some interest in these other three teams because of the fact that there's uncertainty, there creates intrigue. So while it might not be the best football we see out of any group in the group stage, I will be having my eyes on group A, even if it's just because I was the one who previewed them. Brandon, I am very excited for you to take the reins here and transition us to group B. Alright, so here we go. Group B. Group B, in my opinion, is actually probably the weakest group in this whole tournament. Um I know we didn't start off with a banger with group A, Sean, but I think group B might be worse. So we'll break down the four teams. We have Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, and Switzerland. To start, we'll start off with Canada. So Canada is one of the co-hosts of this World Cup, just as Mexico is and the United States. So, like Sean said, they will have group stage games in Canada. Uh, however, as the tournament gets closer to the end, all those games will end up being in the United States. Canada is the 30th ranked team in the world. Their capital is Ottawa. Interestingly, there are actually no games in Ottawa. Uh, it's not the largest city. Um, Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver are all bigger, and games will be in those three cities instead. Their nickname is Les Rouges, which just stands for the Reds. Uh, my French is still still back in high school. La Rouge. Some fun facts about Canada, they're actually the second largest country in the world by area, but only 37th in population. So a lot of space uh with not a lot of people. So if you're looking to move somewhere, might be a good spot to move. Uh, you can probably find some space. They have the largest moose population in the world. So, in contrast to my first statement, if you are afraid of moose, you probably shouldn't move to Canada because they have the largest population in the world. And uh third fact, which a lot of listeners will know, but hockey is by far their number one sport. Um soccer is is growing, but it's not a soccer country, per se. And one other fact, I'm sorry, they actually just gained their independence officially from Britain in 1982. So very recently, um very recently, not not too long ago, they established as their own official country. Breaking them down for the soccer, uh, this is their third appearance in the World Cup. Uh, they have actually never made it out of the group stage and never won a game in the World Cup. So they'll be looking to do that this year for the first time. Their manager is Jesse Marsh. Uh, Americans will know Jesse Marsh. He coached previously at New York Red Bulls, uh, but also coached in the Premier League at Leeds, and then also Red Red Bull, Salzburg, and Leipzig. So he has a lot of experience in that Red Bull system. He also played as a pro in the MLS back in the day. They'll look to play sort of that Red Bull style, uh, 4-4-2 setup with a lot of high pressure. Uh, they'll they'll try to get on the front foot attacking. And something that I've noticed with their team is they're very physical. Uh, they'll they're they'll tend to get some cards, um, but they'll they'll definitely try to establish themselves as a leader. And I think playing in a home world cup, this could benefit them, but at the same time, I think too much aggression and too much passion could get them in a little bit of trouble. They're players to watch. Uh Alfonso Davies, uh former Vancouver White Cap, came through the Vancouver White Caps Academy in MLS, now plays at Bayern Munich. Uh he has had a bad injury last year, uh, has been rehabbing. He's started to play again for Bayern Munich, but he's thought to be still not fully fit. Uh so it'll be interesting to see how Canada uses him. They typically don't play him as a defender. Um, he's really a left back by trade. Canada tends to play him a little bit higher up the field, more as a left winger or left midfielder. So it'll be interesting to see what happens with that. They also have Jonathan David, who is known as the Iceman. Pretty cool nickname, if you ask me. He's one of their forwards, and then also Tejan Buchanan, who played in MLS, uh now plays in Italy. He's a winger. Their goalkeeping, they actually have another MLS player, probably likely to be Dane St. Clair, who is inter Miami's goalkeeper. I know, Sean, you have feelings about Dane St. Clair from his time at uh Minnesota United, but he probably will be Canada's starting goalie. I like that. As someone who's not a fan of this Canadian national team, I like that. I I will say he to me he he tends to look a little bit better when he plays in the uh the red and white of Canada than he does in the MLS, but obviously that's to be seen. I think for Canada's success is them winning their first World Cup game. I mean, being into three World Cups, this is this being their third World Cup and not having a win uh is is unfortunate, but I think for them winning their first game would be good, and then also to get out of this group. Uh we'll profile the other three teams here shortly, but I don't think their group is very strong, and I think Canada uh is has the capability to get out of their group. I expect them to finish second in their in this group, depending on the round of 32 match, I could see them winning that as well. You know, having a home field advantage and having a lot of attention on them. Uh, if the players play up to their potential, I think they can definitely uh do do well uh at that next the next uh knockout rounds after the the group the group stage. Yeah, I would agree that they need to win a game. That should be the bare minimum for this Canadian team. Jesse Marsh likes to puff his chest out. He he's become kind of an arrogant prick, if I do say. And he really likes to talk about his work and the work of the Canadian national team. And they have made tremendous strides. I think they need to put a tangible, hey, this is what we've accomplished now. They need to put something on the board. So winning a match should be the minimum. And like you mentioned, in this group, winning a match might be enough. Maybe a match and a result might be enough to make it out. I think that should be where their sights are set. Yeah, I I agree with you. I think I think the quality is there for them to do it. And with this group being as weak as as it is, it would be a significant disappointment if they were to not make it out of this group stage. Turning over to our next team, we have Bosnia and Herzegovina. They are the 65th ranked team in the world. So actually, one of the lowest in the World Cup, I believe Curacao, Cabo Verde, and Ghana and New Zealand are the only teams ranked lower than Bosnia in this tournament. Their capital is Sarah Sarajevo. They their national anthem, Sean, actually has no words. One of the few countries that has a national anthem that's just instrumentals, which is which is pretty interesting. Um yov, burn your own verses. You think if we uh play the instrumental, you can you can spit some bars over it? I don't I don't know a single lick of whatever they speak. So no, no, I cannot. Bosnia is also known for its religious diversity. So on any given street, you may see a synagogue, a Catholic church, a mosque, uh, as well as some other religious buildings, just all on the same street, which which I think is pretty interesting. And uh a final fun fact is that there are hundreds of waterfalls more than most other countries in Europe. So Bosnia, I never really thought of them as a waterfall type of country. They have a lot of waterfalls. So if you're visiting, look out for them. They are also the pretty much the I don't want to I don't want to call it the only reason, but one of the main reasons why Italy is not in this tournament. Uh they beat Italy. You can even say only, yeah. I mean, it was a one-game, hey. Winner stays, they sent the Italians packing. It's like you, you know, when you're when you're a kid and you're playing King of the Court, and it was like, hey, winner stays, losers get off, and Bosnia beat Italy in a one-game playoff to make this World Cup. So Ciao. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Ciao to our Italian friends. Uh, we'll see you maybe in 2030. Their their nickname is the Dragons, uh, pronounced Smyabi. Uh, and I apologize because that's probably not exactly how you say it. But directionally correct is all we're going for with pronunciations, yeah. Their nickname is the Dragons. This is their second appearance in the World Cup. Uh, the last time they were in the World Cup was 2014, and in 2014 they did not make it out of the group stage, so they'll be looking to do that this year. Their manager is 54-year-old Sergei Barres. Uh, Sean, interestingly enough, Sergei was got his coaching licenses back in 2011. Uh, you know, pretty standard. He then became a poker player for a decade. Oh, that's sick. Was not actively coaching, returned to coaching in 2021, worked his way up and begot and got the Bosnia job in 2024. So I don't know if the poker skills help him as a coach, maybe to keep the cool face, you know, play his hands right, but kind of an interesting background, not your not your typical manager background. Let me tell you this that those skills don't hurt. No, they don't hurt, they might not help, but they don't hurt. I hope he's all in a couple times. I like the cut of this guy's jib. I I I I would have to imagine he's gonna be the coolest dude on the sidelines. Just, you know, if one of his guys scores a banger, he's just arms crossed, nodding his head. Just ready for the next one. But uh they'll look to play a 4-4-2. They'll they'll probably sit back a little bit and look to to counter more than a high press like Canada, and a lot of crossing and transition play through their wingers. That leads me to their players to watch. So their their main striker, their number nine, is Eden Jekko. So Eden Jekko is now 40 years old. Definitely Roma, Roma legend. Definitely on the on the over the hill uh in his career, but still bags goals, played at Roma, like you mentioned. Sean, also Manchester City. Currently plays at Schulk in the Bundesliga. Another player on their team with with American ties, actually, is Esmir Vakradovich. And I apologize, Esmir, if I said that wrong. Currently applies his trade at PSV, but interestingly enough, Sean, he is American and actually has one uh US Men's national team cap back in 2024. He played for the national team uh before switching to Bosnia. So for those that don't know, FIFA allows I guess it's called like a one-time transfer. One-time switch, yeah, one-time transfer, yeah. Yeah, and there's some rules and and regulations and and loopholes, but you know, kudos to Esmir. Like, found his footing, found his found a spot in the uh Bosnia team. So we'll look to see him at the World Cup. He's a midfielder. I think for Bosnia, uh success for them is to make it out of the group stage. I think the team is really on a high right now, uh, beating Italy, and and they I believe they won nine out their last ten games in qualification. So they're hot. And of course, national team form is a little wonky because you play you know only three or four games in a year, but hey, nine out of ten results is is great. So I think success for them is to make it out of this group stage, especially with this expanded field, like we mentioned earlier. There will be third place teams that make it through in in some of these groups, and I think Bosnia is probably a prime contender for that. They have the players, I don't know if they have the quality to beat Canada or Switzerland, which we'll talk about in a bit, but I think they can beat Qatar and and maybe you know nick a point from Canada, which should get them enough points to get into the next round. So I expect them to finish in third place. Love that. I think you did a great job with that preview. That was well done. Learned a lot. I I'm all in on the manager. I hope they keep getting good cards one nine of the last ten. They're getting hot hands. And I I think that's very important in the game of poker and footy. So I I'm all in on Bosnia. Yeah, yeah. No, it it'll be good to see them play. They're I mean, they're the lowest ranked team in this in this group, but I think they I think they can get through. Uh moving on to our next team, our third team in this group is the 55th ranked team in the world, Qatar. So Qatar's capital is Doha. Their team nickname is the Maroons, and Qatar is, as as many know, the richest country in the world. They are also the second flattest country in the world, uh, which is kind of interesting. I think the Maldives are the country with better. You know, being a travel fan than I am, Qatar Airlines was actually ranked the best in the world in 2025. I've personally never flown Qatar, have you, Sean? No, they are luxury though. I've heard nothing but great things about Qatar Airways. As the podcast continues to take off, nah, see, pun intended there. We'll we'll we'll take a trip on Qatar Airways and we'll we'll report back. We'll do the we'll do the dirty work, we'll put our boots on the ground, see how Qatar is. That's just field research for the tortured fans. We gotta tell people yeah, that's uh you gotta tell people how they fly. Yeah, so Qatar, if you want us to come, we'll come. Just let us know. We got no problem with oiled money, got no problem with it at all. Be the first to say it. No, and and obviously we'll be the visit Qatar friends on football show. If you if you if you'd want us to be, yeah, we'll slap a sponsor wherever you want it. Absolutely. This is so this is Qatar's second time uh participating in the World Cup. They were the host in 2022, so this is actually only their first time truly qualifying. As hosts of the World Cup, you automatically receive an invite. So this is only the first time qualifying. Their team, as of late, has been pretty pretty good. They won the Asia Cup in both 29, 2019, and 2023. Uh the last time at the World Cup in 2022, they were knocked out in the group stage, they did not advance. So uh they'll be looking to do that in this World Cup. Their manager is Julian Lopit Lopateghi. Again, I apologize. But I think it's Lopateghi. I think it's Lopateghi. Thank you. Fan football fans will probably recognize the name. He play as a player, he played for both Real Madrid and Barcelona. Spent actually most of his time with Rayo Vicano, who we mentioned in the last podcast. Uh he has also one one cap for Spain, and then also you find this interesting, Sean. I think he played for Basque Country, which is the area in Spain that is a little bit independent. They are not FIFA recognized, so essentially they basically would come together and play a few games a year against you know some lower-level national team. So he played a lot for them. They're actually currently trying to make that it its own independent nation. So they're being the 30 World Cup. They're full of pride in the Basque country, they really consider themselves separate from Spain, they have their own language. That's where Real Sociedad and Atletica Bilbao are located, and they try to only recruit and play players from the Basque region of Spain. So it's it's an interesting, interesting thing to dive deep on one day, maybe. Yeah, so so they're they're uh really trying to push for that. We'll see if in the future World Cups, you know, they have the possibility to qualify, but as of now, uh they are essentially like just playing exhibitions. Also, their manager, uh, as we mentioned, played for a lot of teams, but he also coached Spain, Real Madrid, and West Ham previously. Qatar has been known to hire a lot of Spanish or Portuguese managers, and that kind of goes into their style of play where they're gonna look to absorb pressure uh and hope to capitalize. So they'll play a little bit possession-based, kind of how the Spanish teams do. I think with the right players, the system could be great. I don't know how great Qatar's players are to play in this system, so they may struggle, but that's their goal. Some players to watch. Uh Muhammad Al-Mani, he is a mid play midfielder. He plays currently in the Qatar domestic league. Most of uh their players play in the Qatar domestic league, so we don't really have a huge barometer to go to go off of. Um, and then one of their other players, Akram Afif, he was the top domestic goalscorer in that league, and then also was the Asian player of the year in 2024. I think success for Qatar uh is to make it out of the group stage, uh, win a game and make it out of the Group stage. Do I think it's going to happen? I'm not sure. I'd expect them to be playing for that third, fourth place spot. They play Bosnia in the third group stage round. So that'll be interesting on June 24th in Seattle. So those two teams theoretically will probably come in with a few points to that game. So that third game may determine who goes through and who goes home. So uh we'll definitely keep our eyes on that one. Yeah, I remember Krama FIF from the 2022 World Cup previews. He was their he was the guy that everybody had talked about because they were hosting, he was known as their star player. So I'm glad to see he's still in the picture at the national team level. Yeah, you mentioned it's hard to project exactly when a team is comprised of mostly players who don't compete in the top levels of Europe. It's hard to judge just how they're going to transition to playing at this level. But in such a small sample-size knockout style tournament, anything's possible. So that's what makes this awesome. It makes it interesting. I do agree with you on what their expectations should be and what you think success would be for them. Winning a game making out of the group would be more than enough, I'm sure, for most of their supporters. So yeah, I'm right there with you. I would say I don't envision them getting out of the group, but it's such a wild card of a group that anything's possible. Yep. Exactly. And our final team in this group, and I would argue probably the favorite, is Switzerland. Switzerland is the 19th ranked team in the world. Their capital is unofficially Bern. Switzerland has a lot of neutrality and they don't really take sides on a lot of things. Um so the capital is Bern, but only in name. They have a lot of balance. So some of the other cities represent capital as the capital for different items, but the official government, quote unquote, capital that they have to have is Bern. Switzerland, here's a fun one for you, Sean. Switzerland, it is actually illegal to own just one guinea pig. So if you have a guinea pig, you have to have at least two guinea pigs because guinea pigs are known. And again, this is this is the deep, the deep interwebs telling me this. I I didn't know this previously. Guinea pigs must have companionship to survive and do well. So it's almost looked at as animal cruelty if you do not have a second guinea pig with your guinea pig. So, you know, if you if if you ever go to Switzerland and you want to get guinea pigs, be careful because you need to get two of them. It's like Noah's Ark. Yeah. Two in time. That's that's crazy. Who would have thought of something like that? And how do they know that guinea pigs need? I mean, it seems interesting to know that, but hey, that's the Swiss touch. It's the Swiss touch. It seems like a very educated country. They have four official languages: German, Italian, French, and Romish. Romish, which is like a Latin-based language used locally in Switzerland. Their team nickname is the Schweizer Nati, which just stands for the national team. This is Switzerland's 13th appearance at the World Cup. Uh, surprisingly, their best result has only been the quarterfinals. Uh, they reached the quarterfinals three times in 1934, 1938, and 1954, so have not been back to the quarterfinals since 1954. Their manager is a man by the name of Murat Yaquin. Uh, he is also an ex-pro. He's played for the Switzerland national team for about 10 years, has 49 caps. Uh, he's coached at the club level uh through some various teams, also in the Swiss League, and then he has been the coach of the Switzerland national team since 2021, so they have a little bit of consistency there. Whereas other teams, you know, hire their coaches a little bit later. They'll look to to be very compact defensively. I feel like they'll play like one of those lower-level Premier League teams who just want to sit back and cross their fingers and hope for the best. Uh it's which is interesting because in this group I think they probably will have the most talent. So I'll be interested to see if they change that a little bit because of their opponents, but they'll look to counterattack and they'll look to score on set pieces. They don't really have a ton of creativity. It seems like the players are a little bit more industrious. Uh they'll just do their job and do it well and you know, take care of business, but it doesn't seem like they have the creative flair that maybe some other teams will have. So I think they may struggle against some some better European teams, especially in the later rounds, but I think early they can do well. Their captain is Granite Jocka, uh, who'll just yeah, Granite Jocka uh plays for Sunderland. We won't talk about anything else about him. And another one of their better players is Raimo Freuler, who plays for Bologna in the Italian league. So they kind of make up the midfield for Switzerland. Definitely some talent there. I think success though for this for this team is is at least the quarterfinals. They reached the world round of 16 the last three World Cups, and they've done really well in qualifying to get here. So I think this team, you know, ideally taking that next step, uh, like I mentioned, the country has never been past the quarterfinals before. Um I think getting to the quarterfinals is a success, but you know, depending on matchups, uh, I think they could even go further than that. I think the expectation though for them is to win the group. This group is is very weak, just to you know reiterate on that point. Uh I think they should definitely win their round of 32 32 game, and then depending on their round of 16 matchup, I think they can get to the quarterfinals. So Switzerland, I think great draw, talent, talent on the field, their discipline, they'll play together. I think they're one of those teams that you don't want to face in the World Cup because they're not going to do anything too risky. You're gonna have to play with a little bit of flair, you're gonna have to take some chances against them, and they're just hoping to capitalize on your mistakes. So not not not really your typical World Cup team, in my opinion, but I think with the solid foundation, uh this team can can be pretty successful in the World Cup. Brandon, great job with the group as a whole there. I think you made a good point with Switzerland. They are on paper the best team in this group, but they're not a side that loves to dominate the ball, so it'll be interesting. None of these teams really want the ball. It'll kind of be like, no, you take it, no, you take it. And in those games, it gets a little quirky where anything can kind of happen. Canada might want it more than the rest, but it's gonna be interesting to see how those games break out. Yeah, and the last thing I'll tell you, Sean, before we move on to group C is um there's actually gonna be history made in this group. So someone will make it out of the group stage for the first time. Between Canada, Bosnia, and Qatar, none of the three teams have made it out of the group stage in any of their World Cups. So um history will be made here. I think uh, like we mentioned that July, sorry, June 24th matchup between Bosnia and Qatar could really determine a third place spot. And for Canada, they have all three of their group games in Canada, so I'd expect them to you know do a little bit better. Their first game is in Toronto, and then they have to go out to Vancouver, which is a little bit of travel, but then they'll be in Vancouver for the for the last two games. And then I would just say overall the prediction, in my opinion, it'll finish Switzerland, Canada, Bosnia, and Qatar. So no no real surprises there, in my opinion. No, no flashy predictions from me from this group, but you know, I I think I think Switzerland kind of coasts to this pretty easily. I think Canada easily finishes second. I really think the battle's between third and fourth. Good stuff. I will co-sign that I think the Swiss coast. I hope they pick up three wins from three. I will mention one guy. I'm not sure how he's gonna factor into the national team picture, but Johan Manzombi. He might get a move to the Premier League. He's a young midfielder. He's really, really good. He plays for Freiburg in the Bundesliga. He's somebody I'm gonna keep an eye on. I don't know if he's actually going to crack into that squad yet, but he he could be a reserve, he could get some minutes here or there, and I hope he has a breakthrough tournament. But yeah, I'm with you. I'm rooting for the Swiss because I don't want to see Canada win the group, and I kind of see this one going according to how you just said. Cool. Yeah, and I think you know, I think pla like I think the World Cup's a great opportunity for players to make those those impact moments to to get the big transfer, to get the big moment, because three you play three group stage games, but the games are probably ten days apart between all three of them. So it's gonna be hard for a lot of these older teams, uh, including Switzerland, with it with an older midfield, uh, to play the same guys all three games. So you'd expect to see some rotation and uh you'd expect to see some new faces. So I think depth will come into play. Um again, like we mentioned, Switzerland's probably already just better than these three other teams, so it shouldn't matter too much for them. But uh uh as we go along, it'll be interesting to see how depth plays a plays a factor in in these uh games. Yep, I'm with you because I think this World Cup is actually the probably the most spaced out between group stage games, but it's still, like you said, it's still only 10 to 14 days where all three of them are falling in between. So that's a quick turnaround for teams, and then it gets even quicker as you keep advancing. So, like you said, as we go on, depth will be tested. We'll see who stands the test of time. I guess we're on to group three or group C, the final group from this episode. I am taking the reins on this one, and finally, Brandon, we have a really, really good group. I think this group is full of hitters. So I am excited to dive in, and we're starting, we're coming in hot. We're starting off with Brazil. The motto for Brazil is ordem e progresso, order and progress. They are the fifth largest country by area, seventh by population. So this is a big, big country. They have the most Portuguese speakers in the world, and they are the only country in the Americas with Portuguese as an official language. So almost all of South America speak Spanish, except for Brazil, and they're the only ones to have Portuguese as an official language. So that's interesting. The capital is Brasilia. Everybody thinks it's Sao Paulo, it is not. The capital is Brasilia, Sao Paulo is the largest city. Some fun facts about 60% of the Amazon rainforest is located in Brazil, and it has the greatest biodiversity of any country on the planet. So if you're in the animals and animal species, Brazil and the Amazon rainforest is the place to go. As a coffee guy, I really appreciate this. It is the coffee capital of the world, currently supplies about one-third of the world's coffee. So they're pumping out some serious product, and we we thank you for it. They are also the first country in the world that allowed women into the armed forces. Now, I don't know if this was out of necessity or if this was an act of equality and kindness. I'm hoping for the latter. I'm not sure though, but it is of note that they're the first country to allow women in the armed forces. Onto the pitch. Their nickname is the Sele Sau. That means the selection. Also sometimes called the Canarinho, which is the little canary. They love to add Inho to the to the end of a word to make it mean little. We love that too. So Brazil have won the most World Cups in history. They have been five-time World Cup champions. Those titles came in 1958, in 1962, 1970, 1999, 1994, and their last World Cup win was in 2002. They've made 23 appearances. They have never missed a World Cup. They've participated in every one of these. So that's a high bar. They basically just have an iconic national team. Their jerseys stand out, they're bright yellow, green, they are usually class. And then on the pitch, it is flash, flare, attacking quality, and a brand of football that anyone can fall in love with. They call it Jogo Bonito, the beautiful game. That's how they intend to play every time they step on the pitch. If I were to ever direct people who are unfamiliar with the sport to watch games, it would always be an Argentina-Brazil clash because the amount of skill on display there and then the tenacity and hatred for each other, it's it just doesn't get better than that. So they are setting up shop on the East Coast of the United States. The games, their games are in New York, Philadelphia, and Miami. Their manager, what a legend this guy is, Carlo Ancelotti, Don Carlo. He is an iconic manager. He has won everything with Real Madrid. He is the only manager ever to win league titles in all of five of Europe's top five leagues. So he has won a league title in each of Europe's top five. His superpower is in his tactical flexibility and man management. That's what separates him. His whole vibe, we talked about it earlier, that easygoing potential poker face, nobody does it better than Don Carlo. His his sideline moments are unbelievable. Chaos could be going on around him, and he is the coldest guy in the room. Just standing there, arms crossed. He'll take a touch on the ball if it comes his way. It's absolute class. And that's some of those characteristics have made him one of the world's best managers. It is his first time in charge of the Brazil national team. In terms of a playing squad perspective, another fascinating part of the story for Brazil. Injuries have really hurt this squad. So they have lost Rodrigo, Eder Militao, Esteval, amongst others, two injuries, and they will not be in the squad for the tournament. They are currently captained by Casemiro. He is a really, really good player, has been for a long time, has played at Real Madrid and Manchester United. One of the many experienced players in this squad. His midfield partner will likely be Bruno Grimarge from Newcastle. Grimarge is he's top level, top drawer, one of the best midfielders in the Prem. I'm a bit worried about the depth behind those two in midfield. There certainly is a drop-off, and Casemiro's not exactly a spring chicken, so we'll see how they manage his minutes in the group stage. The real players to watch for Brazil are in attack. You have to start with Vinicius Jr. just electrifying on his day. He is unplayable. Rafinha is a mainstay at Barcelona and a consistent performer for Brazil. The big question mark here is what are we going to get from Neymar? News broke again that he has another injury and he's now going to be out potentially for the first World Cup game. Brazil have apparently put a timetable on his recovery saying he needs to be fit a day before their first match, which is when rosters are due and it's the last 24-hour window to make a change. They have apparently given him an ultimatum. They felt like they were lied to from his club, Santos, about his actual fitness coming in. And then when he got there for fitness testing, it turned out his calf injury was not just a big nothing burger. It turns out it is something. It's a calf strain. So calf strains aren't good. I I pray that we get to see Neymar, but I'm growing skeptical, is where I currently stand. The romantic in me hopes he's incredible. Do you do you think he makes it in the squad? Like, you know, I I know you're reading about the the news back and forth. Like, do you think he actually plays? It seems like he genuinely has an injury, but is doing anything in his power to get fit because this is his last World Cup. He wants to play more than anything. But I just don't know. It it seems like he's already ruled out for the first group stage game, and then at that point, it's like, well, coming back from a calf injury, you can't exactly ease yourself into a World Cup. Maybe you could get lucky and play in that third group stage game, and maybe that's where your first few minutes come from, and then your first knockout game, you're able to get 20 more, something like that. So I'm hopeful, but I I don't know. I'm growing skeptical, is where I would say. And and you might get into this a little bit, but when when healthy, is he a projected starter? I don't think so. Okay. He no, he wouldn't be for me. I'm not sure what Don Carlo will do, but I I don't think he will. He doesn't have the need to start him and play him 90 minutes. It just seems unnecessary. It seems like he's just going to be a break glass in case of emergency or a nice player to bring in off the bench that just provides quality that no one else has. But I'm not sure, especially going through injuries and coming back from injuries, that he'll be fit enough to ever contribute more anything more than 45 minutes. Okay. Yeah, that's that's an interesting one to keep an eye on. But you're right, like there's so much quality in that team that you really don't need him necessarily to play 90 minutes. But, you know, as you get later in the tournament, having a healthy name arc coming off the bench in the 60th minute is a lot better than you know, whoever the Americans are going to bring on in the 60th minute. Christian Roldano. Yeah, Brando. Yeah, for sure. So the the people that will have to step up in his place will be Ryan from Bournemouth, who they signed in January to replace Antoine Semeno when he left for Manchester City. Bournemouth knocked out of the park again. He's 19 years old, he's incredible. Another 19-year-old is Endrique from Real Madrid. He went on loan to Lyon this year and balled out. He is incredible. He is known as the next big thing in Brazilian soccer. And this World Cup is really his first chance to make that statement. So I'm hoping Endric has a big World Cup and launches his career to another level. What does success for Brazil look like? Well, it's pretty simple. It's winning a sixth World Cup. They have the most World Cups of all time. I think anything other than lifting the trophy will leave fans slightly disappointed. Now, obviously that's hard to do. Their expectations, I think, should be to make a deep run in this tournament. They have to be careful to take care of business in the group. Sometimes they like to play with their food a little bit. And I think this group's tricky. I wouldn't recommend doing that. They're the most talented team in it, but there's some hungry dogs in this one. And I just wouldn't play with my food too much. I ultimately think they'll win the group. They'll make that deep run. And then it's just going to be can some of the aging players in the squad give them enough quality and defense? Can some of these younger attackers take that next step and really provide goals and enough goals that they'll become the favorites for this tournament, which is what they're going to want as the tournament progresses. They want to be known as the world's best. What gives me optimism as a neutral, but someone who really likes watching Brazil play. And if it's new Brazil and somebody else, I'm going to root for Brazil. I think Don Carlo is just a spectacular manager. And I think he's built for a tournament like this. You saw his success that he had in a knockout tournament like the Champions League with Real Madrid. He's just really calm and composed, and that's contagious in a locker room. He's coaching some of the world's best players. It's not a golden age for Brazil, but they're still very good. I could spend all day talking about this group, Brandon. I'm fascinated by them. I'm enamored with them. I'm hoping Brazil gives us a deep run here in the United States. Yeah, I think deep run is definitely the expectation. I I do feel like coming into this World Cup, they aren't getting a lot of the picks to win it, win it all. But you know, you mentioned having won six World Cups already. Like they have to, or I'm sorry, did you say five? You might have said five. They won five, they're hoping for six. Yeah, winning five World Cups previously, like that's not something to just forget about. So the quality's there, the managers are there, the players are there. I'm I'm intrigued to see them, you know, in a in a round of 16 in a quarterfinal just getting into a dogfight with somebody. So yeah, I'm I'm excited. I don't I don't necessarily have them as my favorites to win it, but I I could see them getting to the semifinals. For sure. I wouldn't have them as my favorites to win it either. I'd love to see that, but I do think the talent is not at the same caliber, as crazy as it is to say. I don't think it's at the same caliber as the Spain, France, even Argentina's talent, I think is a bit higher. So they're lacking, and the injuries haven't helped with that either. They've lost one of their starting center backs in Ederbilatao. And now they're bringing in Gabriel from Arsenal to replace him. He's pretty good, so that shouldn't be much of a drop-off there. But Rodrigo is a world-class player. Neymar now might be hurt. It's just kind of one thing after another. So we'll see. But boy oh boy, if you could watch any games in this World Cup, I think groups is a good place to start on the when they begin, because Brazil is electrifying. Yeah, I feel like, apologize, listeners, like groups A and B, like, yeah, there's some teams, yeah, but now we're talking the big dogs. So this is when you really want to start locking up. Yeah. The second team is Morocco. Their background as a country, their motto is Allah Al-Watan and Al-Malik, which is God Country King. The name Morocco is actually derived from the city Marrakesh. That's where the name of the country comes from. It's interesting. The population is roughly 36 million in the official language is Arabic. The capital is Rabat, but the largest city is actually Casablanca, which is interesting. I didn't I did not know that. I thought the capital was Marrakesh, so I stand corrected. Fun facts: the Friday tradition in Morocco. On Fridays, families gather together to eat the national dish couscous and vegetables. So sometimes in the United States, we gather around, we eat pizza on Fridays during Lent. No, no, no. They got couscous, baby. Marrakesh is known as the Red City because of the distinct clay that was used to construct its walls and buildings. Some iconic shows and movies have been filmed here. Game of Thrones, Gladiator, Inception, to name a few. And then lastly, the American connection to Morocco. Morocco was the first country in the world to recognize the US as an independent nation. So they were really the first ball knowers. Interest interesting stuff. I feel like uh a nice, you know, a nice alternate uh thing that we're we're getting out of this this project is learning so much about the geography and the history of these countries. Um Yeah, that that's cool about Morocco. I I I've I've heard very good things about traveling there and and going there. Yeah. I used to work with with a guy that uh came from Morocco to the US and he raids about it. So uh maybe we'll maybe we'll take a trip out there one day. Yeah, but I mean listen, if we we get to a point here, I'll tell you where I won't be spending time, and it's where I'm currently at. So everywhere else. Yeah, we'll be boots on the ground research and learning for the next World Cup. The nickname for the national team is the Atlas Lions. They have made seven World Cups with their best finish coming in the most recent. In 2022, Morocco made the semifinals before a loss and eventually a fourth place finish. But they have really turned a corner in terms of football in their country. Eight wins from eight in qualifying, easy does it. They're a very talented side now. They are led by head coach Mohamed Uhabi. He was born in Belgium and started his managerial career at Maccabi Brussels and then Anderlecht. Unique story with him, he has been in the Morocco system since 2022 and he has worked his way up from the U-20 manager to the U-23 manager and now to the national team manager, which we do see more so in international football where coaches are able to start with a youth group and work their way up more so than we see at the club level. I feel like club level, it's a lot harder to break in at that same club. Whereas in country, sometimes you do see a guy grow with a group of players and eventually go on to lead them. Morocco love a counterattack. They are quick in transition and they have a ton of skill and flair on the wings. Their players, their captain is Atraf Hakimi. As many of you know, he is a PSG stalwart. He is their starting right back. He gets up and down the pitch as well as anybody, and he seems to never tire. He is an attacking force and creative when he's in the final third, and he can sprint back and mark his man on the other end of the pitch. So he's a special talent. Ebde, Izalzui, and Brahim Diaz are both threats on the wing as well. Ebde plays for Real Betis in La Liga, and he is exceptional. He plays on the left-hand side, likes to come in onto his right foot, a ton of tricks in his bag. And then Brahim Diaz, a Real Madrid player who just has a ton of qualities, a tiny little, kind of stocky man, but he has a crazy, crazy high skill level, which is why he ended up at Real Madrid in the first place. Recently, they had Issa Jop switch from France to Morocco. Issa, he's a center back for Fulham. He recently switched his, he did the one-time switch to become a Moroccan national team player. He will certainly bolster their defense. He will likely start at center back next to Aguard, who had been their captain in previous years. So they're experienced. They've made a run in a recent World Cup. They have a ton of young talent coming through the ranks. There's countless levels of creative midfielders and wingers that all might play a role. What will success look like? It's probably not going to be the same as the 2022 run. I'm just going to call that improbable but not impossible. I think the expectation should be to make it out of the group and win a knockout game. I think that's what fans will want. I think it's hard to say you went from a fourth place finish to not making it out of your group. But I my expectation is I think they're going to have a hard time doing so just because of how difficult this group is. So my prediction will be they make it out of the group but as a third place qualifier. I like their roster and they've had a ton of recent success, but I can't pick all the favorites in all these groups to advance. So I'm going to put Morocco as my third place finisher. I was I was following you, following you until you said that. I don't I don't know, Sean. I I truly think Morocco I think Morocco could win this group. And that's it could. That's the fun thing. They could, yeah. Yeah, this, I mean, we'll get into Haiti and Scotland, but I I feel like this group is one where the the quality is there, and so a team like Morocco winning it doesn't really surprise you. But as you said, like if they did finish in third, it also may not surprise us too much either. I just think I just think they're in great form. I I think they they do everything very well. And with Brazil's injuries and question marks about that, depending on when they play, and I apologize because I don't know the exact schedule, but if it's like a third third group stage game and both teams know they're through, you know, I could see both teams resting and and Morocco coming out on top. So yeah, that that Brazil-Morocco matchup, whenever it is, I'm I'm definitely gonna have eyes on that one. Yeah, there's there's a lot of good matchups in this group. And I'm with you. Like, if you just told me to hey, Sean, use your head and tell me where Morocco finished, it would be first or second. I just feel like something quirky might happen here. And I I don't know. I just have a hunch, I guess I would call it, that Scotland has a good showing, which I'll get into, but it's it's difficult to say. I would not be stunned in the slightest if Morocco made it out of this group on top. I do think they'll make it out of the group regardless, and I do think they will be a real threat to win a game or two in the knockout stage. Yeah, and I think that's great. Like I think, you know, obviously we can sit here and predict and play, you know, the future seers, but until it happens, like who you know, who knows? But I I'm excited. I I'm really excited to see this Morocco team. Um when when I saw that you you were assigned, quote unquote, this groove to look at, I was a little bummed. But I I think I think you got some good teams in there. Yeah, I did certainly luck out with this one. I think we both had stinkers and A and B, but I I see you got me right back, so I'm happy. I'm happy that's how the cookie crumbled. Let's move on to Haiti. Haiti are a Caribbean nation on the island of Hispaniola. They their motto is La Union fe la force, which is Union makes strength. Another good motto, strong stuff. Indigenous people lived here for decades before this motherfucker Columbus staked his claim and said he founded it. He once again takes all the credit, this guy. Unbelievable stuff. I couldn't believe reading that. The population of Haiti is 11 million, which I will say, hand up, a lot more than I thought. If you had me guessing how many people live in Haiti, I was not guessing 11 million. Port au Prince is the capital, and the official languages are Haitian, Creole, and French. Fun facts. The name Haiti originates from the Taino word Haiti, which translates to the land of the mountains. So the word Haiti is where we get Haiti, and that means the land of the mountains. One cool thing, voodoo is an officially recognized religion here. It is deep in their culture. So that is that's some cool stuff. Voodoo, baby. I do associate that with in the United States, I associate that with New Orleans and the French. It's good to see that that French voodoo has made its way to Haiti as well. And then lastly, their fight for freedom was one of the more influential revolutions of all time. I knew a bit about this going in, but did some deeper learning. It's a sick, sick, sick story. Toussaint Louverture was the ringleader of this revolution. Really cool stuff how they got their independence. I would encourage all listeners to dive into that story if you are a fan of history. So, in terms of on the pitch, their nickname is La Grenadiers, the Grenadiers, or La Rouge et Bleu, the Red and Blue. They have only made one World Cup appearance back in 1974. They have finally returned. They have never won a game in the World Cup. Their manager is a bloke by the name of Sebastian Minier. He has managed the Congo, Kenya, and Equatorial Guinea. Most recently, he was an assistant coach for Cameroon. All of his experiences as a national team coach. So that's pretty unique. He's been a lot of different places and they're all at the national level. He's known as a culture builder and has been in place since 2024. So they have they have a strong foundation. In terms of their players, their mainstay, their biggest name, I would say, is John Richner Belagarde. He's a Wolves midfielder who recently once again switched his allegiance from France to Haiti. He's a promising attacking player who will be pulling some strings in midfield. He might play as an eight. He might play as a 10. He can do a bit of everything. Another interesting player to watch, Joshua Casimir, he plays for Augier in France. He will play on the right side and can add a creative spark. Wilson Isidore, this is a Premier League player. He plays for Sunderland. He could play as a striker. He will likely drop back and play as a number 10 because they have a strong striker, which we'll get to in a second. But between Belgard and Isidore, that midfield could create some moments. So I think both are real legitimate level players and they're at important positions for Haiti. So that's that's going to be a positive outlook for them. If you're looking to something to point to, it would be that midfield. And then their primary striker will be Ducan's Nazon. He is Haiti's all-time leading goalscorer. They have an experienced side. They've been together for a few years now with the addition of some talent that has declared their nationality to be Haitian. So I think that's always nice to get a couple of treats on your way into a World Cup in the way of Premier League players. But what will success look like for Haiti? Once again, I think success is pretty simple. They've never won a match, winning a match. That's the goal. Have that moment, have that celebration for five days a week, however long it is. That would be awesome to see. And if you do win a match, again, it opens up the possibility of making it out of the group. All of a sudden, then you might be able to get through with three or four points in some instances. There was even some models that said one point might be enough to get you through. I don't understand how that works. That would be Mickey Mouse to the fullest extent. But winning a match should be what they define success as. The expectation I have for them, I'm expecting some flair from this bunch. They're gonna need to take on water and pick their moments of when to get out and attack in a really strong group, which hurts them. So sadly, I do expect a short stay, but I'm I'm predicting we get one or two real moments of brilliance from Haiti, hopefully leading to a banger of a goal. Maybe they eke out a one-nil against a Morocco or Scotland, something like that. I think we get a really good goal from this Haitian group, and hopefully it leads to a result. That's good analysis. Uh they also have Philadelphia Union midfielder, Danley John Jacques, uh, which is cool also because they play Brazil in Philly. I'll be at that game, so I'll get to see them in person. So that'll that'll be exciting. I I I agree with you though. I think you I think you did a great job with this uh overview. You know, winning it. I I think as Americans we take for granted winning a game in a World Cup. But but if Haiti were too we only have eight, I think we only have eight wins all the time. We don't have that many things, but because we grew up with winning games, yeah. Yeah, yeah, which is crazy that like we take it for granted. But I remember seeing qualification and when Haiti got through Kunkal qualifying, the the scenes that the fans, the town, the city, all around had was really was really something special to see. So I would love to see them create, like you said, a moment, uh, whether it be a goal, a play, you know, an incredible save, whatever it happens to be. And maybe, like you said, maybe they eke out a draw and find a way through. So Haiti will be an interesting side to watch and look out for. I'm excited to see that. Couldn't have said it better. We're finally on to the last team from part one of our preview. The last team of group C is Scotland. Boy, oh boy. I thought throughout all these different languages with these mottos that Scotland might be one of the easier ones. Oh my god. Their motto is Nemo me impune lacet, which sounds French. I'm sure it's said in a much more Scottish accent. I don't know how to say it, but it means no one provokes me with impunity, which is just whoa. Uh their capital is Edinburgh, their largest city is Glasgow. Those are the two heavy hitters in Scotland. They have a population of five and a half million people. So cross that off your card, that Haiti has double the population of Scotland. Would not have guessed it. Fun facts about Scotland. Over 790 islands in Scotland. Only about 100 are inhabited. So not quite 790. That seems like we're calling any little blip of land in the middle of the sea an island. Maybe getting loose with that classification, but they do have the most in the UK. Shortest commercial flight in the world operates between Westray and Papa Westray Islands. Brandon, can you guess how long the shortest commercial flight in the world is? I'm gonna go with island hopping from one flight to another, but it's a continuously operated airline flight. I'm gonna go with 12 minutes. 47 second flight. It's truly a updown. I don't even know, I don't even know how high they could possibly get. I would never do that. I'd rather swim. Yeah, well, I don't think it's take a boat. Yeah, I'm sure they I'm sure they do, but maybe the the locky, the flockless monsters roaming around there. Who can say? And then lastly, the last fun fact for Scotland is it is the home of golf, St. Andrews Golf Club. I mean, it's a special place in the golf world. Scotland has a million incredible golf courses, so I would love to get over there and do that one day. On the pitch, they are known as the Tartan Army, which is also the name their supporters give themselves. So they are the joint oldest national team in the world, which is interesting. They've been around a while, but this will only be their ninth World Cup appearance. First since 1998. So 28 years since Scotland have played in a World Cup. They have never made it out of the group. So they're the oldest national team in the world, one of two, and they have never made it out of the group. That's tough. Tough stuff. Tortured fans, I might say. Their head coach is Steve Clark. He's a longtime Chelsea player. He has managed West Brom, Reading, Kilmarnock, and he has managed Scotland since 2019. So one of the longer tenures of a manager that we'll see in this World Cup, they have come a long way in the last few years under him. Their talent level has been raised quite a bit. Now, this guy he learned from Jose Mourinho at Chelsea really emphasizes discipline and his tactics. And that's led to maybe some questionable man management, I would say. I'm not sure the players are all singing his praises. And I'm not sure he picks the best team available to him on all occasions. I think he maybe lacks some creativity in getting his best players in the squad, but they will be very direct in how they play. He's a pragmatist. He will want things a certain way. He wants his guys to follow his structure. And if they don't, that's where he starts to have problems. They have a talented squad, though. Their players are a strong group. They're led by Captain Andy Robertson, a new Spurs player. Go on. Seems like a lovely lad. He has won everything with Liverpool. He's probably on the ladder on the back half of his career for sure. He's 32. And he was once an up and down fullback. I think he's still got some tread on the tires, at least for a World Cup in which he'll be the captain. You're going to get his best as a Scotland fan in this World Cup, I expect. But he, like I said, won everything at Liverpool, brings a ton of experience to that dressing room. They have Scott McTominay, who you might remember from his days at Manchester United, which were a bit underwhelming. Well, Scott McTominay is a legend at Napoli. He has gone over there and he has completely re-identified who he is. No longer does he have a botched haircut, as the kids are saying, chopped. He he has he has locks. He has flowing blonde hair. He runs the roost in Napoli. They're calling him Scott Maradona. I mean, the crazy, crazy comparisons coming out of the Napoleons, but it really, really has gotten a lot better throughout his career, Scott McDominay. He's kind of transitioned into more of a central attacking midfielder where he was an eight at Manchester United. He's now getting in the box and scoring a ton of goals. They also have John McGinn from Aston Villa. He's a nailed-on starter in the center of the park, as should be Billy Gilmore. That makes a pretty strong midfield. The fullbacks and wings should also be fine. I think there's plenty of options. They have a ton of left back options, and one of the left backs will actually start at right back, probably Aaron Hickey. But Ben Ganon Doak is an option who could come off the bench. He could play as a winger, a lot of speed. What I'm worried about with Scotland is their strike force and central defense. Their strikers, Che Adams or Landon Dykes, can they give you enough up top? I'm not so sure I've ever seen proof that they can. And then can these center backs keep up with the attackers in this group? Because on paper, they cannot. On paper, these Scotland center backs are not going to be able to keep up with Brazil or Morocco. So that'll be interesting to see. What will success look like for Scotland? They have to get out of the group. You have to get out of the group. I know it's a tough group, and the expectation might be a bit lofty because you've never done it. But these fans have been suffering for long enough. And this is sort of a golden generation for Scotland where they've had some decent success in European tournaments, just not at a World Cup. I think Steve Clark needs to get this group into the knockout stages of this tournament. I remain skeptical that they'll be able to do that, but I have started to picture a world where maybe their discipline is able to beat that flair in one-game situations. So if they sit in that low block and find ways to counter against Brazil or Morocco, they might be able to nick a result there. And that might be all they need. So I'm I definitely don't expect them to win a game in the knockout rounds. I expect them to be right on the cusp of making it out of this group. I said I think Morocco might finish third. It would be Scotland who I picked to finish above them, but it's just barely, and that's just because I think they're desperate for this. Yeah, I think you did a good job of breaking them down. This group, like you said, is it's by far the best we've we've discussed tonight, and and probably will be one of the best that we discuss, you know, over the course of these four episodes. Scotland, yeah, like you said, I I think in a World Cup, in a one-game matchup, you know, you get the right matchup, you you wait for your chances. Hey, why not? They they they could definitely you know do some damage. I I can see them finishing in that second-third spot. I think I lean more towards third just because I think Brazil and Morocco are so much stronger. But like you said, the things happen and upsets happen, and you know, depending on the numbers and how things finish, teams might not even really be playing that third group stage game too too heavily, and maybe they sneak out and and tie or get a win from one of those teams. So yeah, I think this group overall is is is really good, Sean. And I'm excited to see them them get after it. Yeah, I don't want to miss a game from this group. I'm jealous you're going to the Brazil Haiti game. That'll be sick. A lot of flair on the pitch there. I like the hometown wrinkle that you mentioned too. That's that's really cool. It's just when you break down these groups and you get a good one, you start to get even more excited because you learn more about each team, you you learn when the matchups are going to take place, and it gets you pumped to watch every game unfold in the group stage. My official prediction, I guess, will be Brazil, Scotland, Morocco, Haiti, with those top three all advancing into the knockout round. I would be surprised if this group isn't one of the groups that has three teams qualify. Now, I am saying that because I think the group's talent level would mean that three teams should qualify, but I'm not sure that the points will break down that way. So that'll be interesting to see how it all works out. But that will be my expectation from this group. Brandon, first three groups are down. We've got some, we've got to hit the lab again, prepare for the next three groups, next episode. You will be doing two of them, so I'm happy I have a little bit of a break. I could just I could skip by with just one group. So I'm excited about that. Yeah, I'm excited to break down D and F. D will be obviously one that we really look at with the US being in that group. Uh my group F, uh, we have the Netherlands. A strong group, I would say overall. I think the second place team, we'll we'll talk about it, but between Japan, Sweden, and Tunisia could really be any of those three. I think Japan and Sweden probably are a little bit better, but um, I think that's another group where you could see any of those four teams kind of go through. So yeah, we're I'm excited to to break down those two. And I know you have uh Germany, which is always a World Cup favorite. Maybe a little bit of a of a step back with the current team. We'll get into that the next episode, but yeah, I mean, much more to come. We're having a lot of fun doing this. We're learning a lot about the country, about the soccer in the country, the players, the managers. So tap in, you know, join us. We're gonna be breaking a lot down over the next couple of weeks, and you know, we want to make sure that you guys are ready for the World Cup because it'll be what a month of games with games on every day. So, hey, if there's a day where the US aren't playing or your favorite team's not playing, you can still throw on the TV and you know a little something about who's playing. So we just want to get you right, we just want to get you ready. And hopefully we we show you how excited we are to be covering this. So join us. Yeah, the enthusiasm should be contagious. We will continue to roll out these preview episodes throughout the course of this week. You'll have all of the teams previewed. Our plan will then be to get into more prediction-based, fun episodes where we kind of just talk about some of those top-level stories and make some fun predictions. We might have a draft coming your way where we get a couple buddies on and we draft some teams where we kind of then have some more deeper rooting interests than whoever ends up in our pool. But that's what is all on the horizon here for us at the Friends on Football. We will talk to you again very soon. Brandon, thank you for joining me as always. Thank you, Sean, for having me. Listeners, make sure to like, subscribe, and just keep following. Stay with us. Tap in, and most importantly, tell a friend to tell a friend. Everybody's looking for a World Cup preview. Tell them to come tell them to come see the boys at the Friends on Footy show. Brandon, until next time, take care.