Who will start? Predicted XIs for 2026 World Cup contenders, hostsplayAre Spain favourites for the World Cup 100 days out? (2:30)Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens break down ESPN’s World Cup Power Rankings and share their picks for who will finish top at the tournament. (2:30)ESPNMultiple AuthorsMay 13, 2026, 06:59 AM ET
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Tuesday marked 30 days to go until the start of the FIFA World Cup, with the opening game set for Mexico City between co-host Mexico and South Africa on June 11. In addition to laying out the second edition of our Power Rankings, where our global reporters and experts voted for the top 15 contenders set to take part in this summer’s competition, we’re drilling deeper on the major nations and the three host nations.
Not only are we taking a projection of their starting XIs based on form and fitness, but we are predicting their squads, formation and dissecting their strengths and weaknesses. The last two months have seen some big injuries and big names ruled out, which will present opportunities for new stars to step up.
– Meet World Cup debutants: Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, Uzbekistan
– World Cup kit ranking: Which teams will look best in 2026?
– Aggravations prompt fans to ask: Is the World Cup worth the expense?
How are they looking with less than 30 days to go? Let this be a 10,000-foot view of how they’re shaping up.
JUMP TO: Argentina | Australia | Belgium | Brazil | Canada | England | France | Germany | Japan | Mexico | Morocco | Netherlands | Portugal | Senegal | Spain | South Korea | U.S.
ARGENTINA
GROUP J
vs. Algeria (June 16, Kansas City)
vs. Austria (June 22, Dallas)
vs. Jordan (June 27, Dallas)
Projected bench: (Goalkeepers) Juan Musso, Geronimo Rulli; (Defenders) Leonardo Balerdi, Nicolas Otamendi, Facundo Medina, Gonzalo Montiel; (Midfielders) Valentin Barco, Leandro Paredes, Exequiel Palacios, Nico Gonzalez, Thiago Almada, Nico Paz; (Forwards) Lautaro Martinez, Jose Lopez
Squad snapshot: Argentina enter the 2026 World Cup as defending champions, a status that presents both a challenge and a massive responsibility. However, Lionel Scaloni’s side possess two primary virtues: mental fortitude and an innate ability to compete. They have a clear identity, and are a consolidated team rather than just a collection of individual talents — this is something of a rarity in international football.
The squad will once again feature Messi, whose presence provides an extra incentive to retain the trophy — something no team have achieved in over 60 years. By appearing in his sixth World Cup, the legendary No. 10 will break the record.
Argentina’s weaknesses involve a lack of depth in certain positions and the recurring physical issues of their defenders. The team also lack strong alternatives at full back, while in attack they rely heavily on two world-class strikers: Álvarez and Martínez.
For this tournament, Scaloni will have to make crucial decisions to ensure the necessary generational transition. Following Ángel Di María’s departure, but with Messi still as the focal point, there will be room for several stars to shine alongside emerging talents such as Barco and Paz. — Damian Didonato, ESPN Argentina
AUSTRALIA
GROUP D
vs. Türkiye (June 13, Vancouver)
vs. USA (June 19, Seattle)
vs. Paraguay (June 25, San Francisco)
Projected bench: (Goalkeepers) Paul Izzo, Patrick Beach; (Defenders) Kye Rowles, Kai Trewin, Jason Geria, Aziz Behich, Miloš Degenek; (Midfielders) Paul Okon-Engstler, Patrick Yazbek, Ajdin Hrustić; (Forwards) Nestory Irankunda, Mathew Leckie, Nishan Velupillay, Deni Juric, Craig Goodwin
Squad snapshot: Australia have long been established as one of the most defensively formidable sides in Asia, and this has been even more pronounced since the arrival of Tony Popovic as coach midway through qualifying. With the return to fitness of towering center back Souttar — one of the stars of the 2022 World Cup despite only just returning from an ACL injury — the Socceroos can be a nightmare for any side when they dig in and look to play on the counter.
With the ball, though, while Australia possess explosive individual talent in the likes of McGree, Irankunda and Touré, the team have a tendency to become static during extended periods of possession. They can also be vulnerable to counter pressing: their all-action first-choice midfield isn’t as comfortable in tight areas as others, which can cause dangerous turnovers in their own half.
However, they tend to keep things simple at a World Cup and are very comfortable settling into Australian sport’s preferred role of underdog and play on the counter. One only needs to look at what happened in Qatar — when they stunned Denmark to reach the round of 16 before pushing Argentina all the way — to see how they can leverage a backs-to-the-wall mentality and their game-breaking individual talents to spring surprises. — Joey Lynch, ESPN Australia
BELGIUM
GROUP G
vs. Egypt (June 15, Seattle)
vs. Iran (June 21, Los Angeles)
vs. New Zealand (June 26, Vancouver)
Projected bench: (Goalkeepers) Senne Lammens, Matz Sels; (Defenders) Brandon Mechele, Koni De Winter, Timothy Castagne, Joaquin Seys, Nathan Ngoy; (Midfielders) Axel Witsel, Hans Vanaken, Nicolas Raskin, Nathan De Cat; (Forwards) Leandro Trossard, Lois Openda, Dodi Lukebakio, Alexis Saelemaekers
Squad snapshot: Fitness is still the biggest worry for this Belgium team. The squad is interesting on paper, with a bit of everything — different profiles, ages and experience levels — but the biggest issue is injuries to many of their key players. Lukaku is the biggest concern, with hamstring and other muscle issues limiting him to just five Serie A appearances so far this season, most recently on March 6. Time is running out for him to get fit and lead the line.
However, manager Rudi Garcia clearly has ideas of how to manage without him, having beaten the U.S. 5-2 and drawn 1-1 with Mexico in the March international break. If everyone is ready to go, the attacking potential is huge, though it does lack depth. Defensively, however, Belgium are less solid besides the 6-foot-7 frame of Thibaut Courtois in goal… just think about a Debast/Theate partnership against the likes of Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé or Alvarez. And, as we know, having a strong defense goes a long way to winning big tournaments. — Julien Laurens
BRAZIL
GROUP C
vs. Morocco (June 13, New York/New Jersey)
vs. Haiti (June 19, Philadelphia)
vs. Scotland (June 24, Miami)
Projected bench: (Goalkeepers) Ederson, Bento; (Defenders) Douglas Santos, Vanderson, Bremer, Leo Pereira, Danilo; (Midfielders) Fabinho, Andrey Santos, Danilo Santos, Lucas Paquetá; (Forwards) Gabriel Martinelli, Endrick, João Pedro, Igor Thiago
Squad snapshot: Brazil are facing two different issues in their preparation for the World Cup: the limited time head coach Carlo Ancelotti has with the team, and a growing list of injuries to important players.
Éder Militão, Rodrygo and Estevão were all considered very important players for Ancelotti, but they are now going to miss the World Cup entirely. Alisson remains a safe pair of hands in goal, though nobody knows exactly how he will return from his just in injury suffered at Liverpool. Winger Raphinha and midfielder Bruno Guimarães have also spent time on the sidelines to recover from a heavy workload.
What we do know is that Brazil are trying to build a team around the speed, technique and intelligent movement of their attacking players, without a traditional No. 9 striker as a reference point, and supported by a very strong midfield duo — especially driven by Casemiro’s leadership.
There are also other important points to observe. The growing role of Danilo Santos — formerly of Nottingham Forest, now Botafogo — has added intensity and dynamism to midfield. There is also the question of how Vinícius Júnior will handle the expectations surrounding him, while the “Neymar debate” appears to be much hotter in the media than inside the CBF offices. His inconsistent performances at Santos, combined with concerns about injury and his behavior on and off the pitch, have made him a long shot to be named in the final squad. — Gustavo Zupak, ESPN Brasil
CANADA
GROUP B
vs. Bosnia & Herzegovina (June 12, Toronto)
vs. Qatar (June 18, Vancouver)
vs. Switzerland (June 24, Vancouver)
Projected bench: (Goalkeepers) Maxime Crepeau, Owen Goodman; (Defenders) Niko Sigur, Richie Laryea, Zorhan Bassong, Luc de Fougerolles, Kamal Miller; (Midfielders) Mathieu Choiniere, Nathan Saliba, Marcelo Flores, Jacob Shaffelburg; (Forwards) Liam Millar, Tani Oluwaseyi, Daniel Jebbison
Squad snapshot: The glass-half-full read is that Canada are undefeated in their last six matches, they’ve got a best XI composed almost entirely of players from European clubs and, when fit, they have a genuine world-class star in Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies taking charge on the left flank. Coupled with a World Cup on home soil, the tournament co-hosts will look to make some noise in another international competition after doing just that a couple of years ago as Copa America semifinalists.
The glass-half-empty read is that in those six matches Canada failed to score in half, while earning four draws. It would be a stretch to say that they were highly convincing and without some of their top stars, they’ve also looked vulnerable when relying on alternatives. It’s a common scenario for most national teams that don’t have the talent pool of a Spain or France, but the health and fitness of crucial starters will be key for a run through the knockout stage. And Davies has now suffered another hamstring issue that could see him miss out.
There’s also a worrisome trend of red cards, with players picking on up three times in their last five matches. “We’re physical, we play hard, but we’re not a dirty team,” coach Jesse Marsch reported in March. — Cesar Hernandez
ENGLAND
GROUP L
vs. Croatia (June 17, Dallas)
vs. Ghana (June 23, Boston)
vs. Panama (June 27, New York/New Jersey)
Projected bench: (Goalkeepers) Dean Henderson, James Trafford; (Defenders) Tino Livramento, Lewis Hall, Ezri Konsa, Dan Burn; (Midfielders) Adam Wharton, Kobbie Mainoo, Jordan Henderson, Morgan Rogers, Cole Palmer; (Forwards) Noni Madueke, Marcus Rashford, Jarrod Bowen, Ollie Watkins
Squad snapshot: England only need to find a little improvement to have a strong chance of ending their 60-year wait for a major international trophy. The FA hopes that Thomas Tuchel can provide it as an elite coach with a tactical acumen that many view as an upgrade on his respected predecessor, Gareth Southgate.
He could start with a bang before a ball is kicked, with midfielder Phil Foden and right back Trent Alexander-Arnold huge doubts to make the final squad despite their experience and pedigree, and there are other areas of concern.
England’s run to the Euro 2024 final featured a series of dogged, but largely uninspired, performances as Southgate scrambled for an effective combination in central midfield. England have long lacked a deep-lying No. 6 midfielder capable of dictating the tempo of a game, but there are signs Anderson could be that player. The Nottingham Forest star’s emergence has been a feature of the Tuchel era, bringing composure and confidence to the base of England’s engine room but it remains to be seen whether he can translate that to the biggest stage of all.
England’s center backs are not entirely convincing, although Guéhi’s move to Manchester City only furthers the idea he is developing into a top-class player, while O’Reilly’s rapid progress at City could provide a solution to the problematic left back position.
Overall, England’s strength is in attack with a rich array of options and one of the best No. 9s in world football: Kane. Tuchel has sometimes favored Rogers’ all-around contribution over the star power of Bellingham in the No. 10 role, while he must figure out how to rotate the likes of Palmer and Saka effectively during a difficult schedule.
England have historically struggled in hot conditions at the end of another arduous Premier League season in which many clubs have had extended runs in European competition. Tuchel must succeed where Southgate came up just short in forging a clear identity which maximizes that individual talent, and he must do so while battling another familiar enemy: fatigue.— James Olley
FRANCE
GROUP I
vs. Senegal (June 16, New York/New Jersey)
vs. Iraq (June 22, Philadelphia)
vs. Norway (June 26, Boston)
Projected bench: (Goalkeepers) Brice Samba, Robin Risser; (Defenders) Malo Gusto, Ibrahima Konate, Theo Hernandez, Lucas Hernandez; (Midfielders) Warren Zaire-Emery, Adrien Rabiot, Manu Kone, Bradley Barcola, Eduardo Camavinga; (Forwards) Rayan Cherki, Marcus Thuram, Maghnes Akliouche, Randal Kolo Muani
Squad snapshot: The March international break was a great success for Les Bleus, with top performances and wins against Brazil (2-1) with the A team and Colombia (3-1) with the B team. It displayed a huge depth of talent in the squad. The serious injury to forward Hugo Ekitike, who will miss the World Cup, is a blow though as he would have started on the left side of the front four this summer. Outgoing coach Didier Deschamps wants to move Michael Olise from the right wing, the position where he’s arguably the best in the world, to the No.10 behind the striker. Let’s see if it works during the tournament.
With Lucas Chevalier’s injury, there is a spot to take as the third goalkeeper and Hugo Lloris, the former captain and 2018 World Cup winner who retired after Euro 2024, has made it known that he would be happy to be part of the adventure and help the squad with his experience. The full back positions might be the only weakness in this side, but both Gusto and Kalulu did well in Koundé’s absence on the right in March, as did Theo Hernandez and Digne on the left. — Laurens
GERMANY
GROUP E
vs. Curacao (June 14, Houston)
vs. Ivory Coast (June 20, Toronto)
vs. Ecuador (June 25, New York/New Jersey)
Projected bench: (Goalkeepers) Alexander Nubel, Finn Dahmen; (Defenders) Antonio Rudiger, Waldemar Anton, Malick Thiaw, Ridle Baku, Maxi Mittelstadt, Josha Vagnoman; (Midfielders) Felix Nmecha, Pascal Gross, Angelo Stiller, Chris Fuhrich; (Forwards) Nick Woltemade, Deniz Undav, Leroy Sane, Jonathan Burkardt
Squad snapshot: Kimmich is Bayern’s midfield general, but with Germany he play at right back. It’s too important a role in coach Julian Nagelsmann’s system to hand to anyone else, especially given the uninspiring alternatives (Baku, Vagnoman). It’s the story of national team coaches: You’re stuck with what you have. The same concept applies in goal, where the retirement of Neuer and recurring injuries to Ter Stegen have left holes. It looks like Baumann, 35, will get the nod, but he has plenty of doubters.
There’s depth and quality at center back, and even with Kimmich deployed at right back, central midfield should be fine with Pavlovic and one of Goretzka or Stiller alongside him. Nagelsmann also has plenty of options in attacking midfield, too, even with the injury-enforced absence of Serge Gnabry and doubts over Sane.
It’s a question of how the pieces fit together, but you can expect Nagelsmann to put his faith in Wirtz and Musiala and one other. That “other” could be Havertz, unless he’s needed up front because, of course, that’s the other area of scarcity for Germany right now. Woltemade isn’t a target man, Undav is a different profile altogether, and guys like Burkardt and Fullkrug don’t have much support to get a spot in the squad outside of their immediate families.
Overall, there’s plenty of talent, but it’s spread unevenly throughout the side. And with a number of stars coming off injuries or difficult seasons — starting with Wirtz and Musiala — Nagelsmann will need to get creative.— Gab Marcotti
JAPAN
GROUP F
vs. Netherlands (June 14, Dallas)
vs. Tunisia (June 20, Monterrey)
vs. Sweden (June 25, Dallas)
Projected bench: (Goalkeepers) Keisuke Osako, Leo Kokubo; (Defenders) Ayumu Seko, Shogo Taniguchi, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Junnosuke Suzuki, Yukinari Sugawara; (Midfielders) Kaishu Sano, Ao Tanaka, Daizen Maeda, Hidemasa Morita, Junya Ito, Kodai Sano; (Forwards) Koki Ogawa, Shuto Machino
Squad snapshot: What originally would have been a formidable Japan squad could have its depth tested given some horrible luck on the injury front. Takumi Minamino is almost certain to miss the World Cup following his ACL injury in December, while talismanic captain Wataru Endo faces a race against time to recover from a foot ligament injury he suffered back in February.
Question marks also hang over the fitness and match readiness of Itakura, Tomiyasu and Ito, who ordinarily would have made for quite the back three.
It does mean that coach Hajime Moriyasu has been forced the rearrange the pieces of his adventurous 3-4-2-1 system that reaped a remarkable 48 goals from 13 matches throughout their qualifying campaign. Kamada is capable of dropping back from his usual playmaker role, which means Mitoma — who was possibly the most attacking wing back you’ll ever find — will likely slot in as one of the No. 10s.
Japan do look well settled in the midfield engine room, even if Endo is forced to sit out. Their central midfield depth even saw Morita — a mainstay for the qualifiers — omitted for the March friendlies, though they could still boast an all-Premier League central midfield duo in Kamada (Crystal Palace) and Tanaka (Leeds).
Up front could also be a concern, even if Ueda has a decent scoring rate and can always be relied on to put in a shift. Neither he nor those below in the rotation, headlined by Ogawa, are the prolific sort who can be fully backed to score the one clear chance that might fall their way in a match — which could be the difference between winning and losing at the World Cup. — Gabe Tan, ESPN Asia
MEXICO
GROUP A
vs. South Africa (June 11, Mexico City)
vs. South Korea (June 18, Guadalajara)
vs. Czechia (June 24, Mexico City)
Projected bench: (Goalkeepers) Guillermo Ochoa, Carlos Acevedo; (Defenders) Israel Reyes, Mateo Chávez; (Midfielders) Gilberto Mora, Edson Álvarez, Orbelín Pineda, Luis Romo, Obed Vargas, Luis Chavez; (Forwards) German Berterame, Santi Giménez, Guillermo Martinez, Armando González, Alexis Vega
Squad snapshot: The Mexico national team’s objective is to at least reach the quarterfinals of the World Cup. And to accomplish this goal, manager Javier Aguirre has carried out multiple experiments throughout his process leading up to the tournament.
The star of the team is Fulham forward Jiménez. While the position with the most uncertainty is right back, as Aguirre tested as many as six players during his process. In the end, Sánchez is the player who logged the most minutes in that role.
In goal, Aguirre has placed his trust in Rangel, a goalkeeper who stood out in recent tournaments with Chivas, following the season-ending injury to Luis Malagon. However, Rangel arrives at the World Cup without having played an official competitive match with the national team. His backup is 40-year-old Ochoa, who has appeared in six World Cups and now serves as a mentor to the 26-year-old goalkeeper.
In midfield, Aguirre has expanded his range of options with the emergence of players such as Fidalgo and Gutiérrez, footballers who were not developed within the Mexican football system. Off the bench, he can call upon the likes of Mora, Romo and Vargas, all of whom have shown their talent with their respective clubs.
In attack, Jiménez is the starting striker and will be supported by a proven goal scorer in Quiñones as well as Alvarado, who enjoyed a strong season with Chivas. Competition in the forward line is heightened by the expected call-ups of Martínez, Santi Giménez and “Hormiga” González. — Omar Flores, ESPN Mexico
MOROCCO
GROUP C
vs. Brazil (June 13, New York/New Jersey)
vs. Scotland (June 19, Boston)
vs. Haiti (June 24, Atlanta)
Projected bench: (Goalkeepers) Mehdi Benabid, El Mehdi Al Harrar; (Defenders) Jawad El Yamiq, Anass Salah-Eddine, Zakaria El Ouahdi, Chadi Riad, Ismael Baouf; (Midfielders) Sofyan Amrabat, Oussama Targhalline; (Forwards) Abde Ezzalzouli, Ayoub El Kaabi, Chemsidine Talbi, Eliesse Ben Seghir, Youssef En-Nesryi, Yassir Zabiri
Squad snapshot: Morocco are under new management for the first time since 2022 after Mohamed Ouahbi replaced Walid Regragui in March. While Regragui oversaw an immense period of success — including a run to a World Cup semifinal in Qatar and African Nations Cup success in January — supporters were increasingly disgruntled with what was perceived to be an overly conservative style.
Ouahbi immediately switched from Regragui’s 4-3-3 to a more progressive 4-2-3-1 for the friendlies against Ecuador and Paraguay, seeking to exploit Morocco’s wealth of attacking-midfield talent. His late arrival adds an element of uncertainty to what was a very settled side, with Ouahbi introducing seven new players to the squad.
The former youth-team head coach promoted several players from his U20 World Cup-winning squad of 2025, and the likes of Baouf, Yassine and Zabiri now find themselves firmly in contention. Diop, eligible for both France and Senegal, received his first call-up in March and is primed to start, even though he’s yet to feature alongside his likely defensive partner Aguerd, who is recovering from injury.
Long-term backup goalkeeper Mohand has yet to return following surgery earlier this year, while Igamane will miss out after sustaining an injury during the Nations Cup. Hakimi’s fitness will again be a key preoccupation after the full back picked up a thigh complaint in the first leg of PSG’s Champions League semifinal against Bayern Munich.
Hakimi, Morocco’s undisputed star, now faces an anxious wait to return to fitness in time for the UEFA Champions League … and the World Cup to follow.— Ed Dove, ESPN Africa
NETHERLANDS
GROUP F
vs. Japan (June 14, Dallas)
vs. Sweden (June 20, Houston)
vs. Tunisia (June 25, Kansas City)
Projected bench: (Goalkeepers) Robin Roefs, Mark Flekken; (Defenders) Nathan Ake, Stefan de Vrij, Jeremie Frimpong, Jan Paul van Hecke; (Midfielders) Kees Smit, Luciano Valente, Quinten Timber; (Forwards) Memphis Depay, Noa Lang, Wout Weghorst, Justin Kluivert, Brian Brobbey, Crysencio Summerville
Squad snapshot: Most spots in Ronald Koeman’s squad seem settled, but injuries, lack of form and limited playing time leave several players uncertain about their place on the plane to the World Cup.
In goal, Verbruggen appears secure as first choice, with Sunderland’s Roefs likely the backup; Bijlow and Flekken are competing for the third spot, though Koeman is even considering taking four goalkeepers.
The defense is the Oranje‘s strongest asset. Captain Van Dijk is a guaranteed starter. Van Hecke, Timber, and De Ligt are competing for the right-sided center back role, though the latter two are not fully fit. Koeman also favors De Vrij despite his limited playing time for Inter Milan this season. Denzel Dumfries is one of the team’s most productive players and a certain starter at right full back; on the left, Aké has performed well in recent years, but might have lost his place due to injuries and lack of minutes, with Van de Ven emerging as his replacement.
In midfield, De Jong is assured of a starting role in a double pivot alongside Gravenberch, with an attacking midfielder ahead. Reijnders is currently the leading option for that role, especially with Kluivert racing to regain fitness and Simons sidelined by a serious knee injury. Koeman also admires young creative talents Smit and Valente.
Up front, the big question is who will play as the main striker. Depay is usually first choice, but he is still recovering from injury. Meanwhile, Malen’s strong form as a central striker at Roma makes him the leading candidate. Gakpo is a clear pick on the left wing, while the right side remains unsettled if Malen moves to the center, with Koeman even experimenting with Koopmeiners there due to a lack of natural wingers and because he’s a set-piece specialist. — Alain van Hilten, ESPN Netherlands
PORTUGAL
GROUP K
vs. DR Congo (June 17, Houston)
vs. Uzbekistan (June 23, Houston)
vs. Colombia (June 27, Miami)
Projected bench: (Goalkeepers) Jose Sa, Rui Silva; (Defenders) Diogo Dalot, Renato Veiga, Matheus Nunes, Antonio Silva; (Midfielders) Ruben Neves, Samu; (Forwards) Rafael Leao, Francisco Conceicao, Joao Felix, Francisco Trincao, Goncalo Ramos, Henrique Araujo, Rafael Leao
Squad snapshot: We didn’t get to see Ronaldo in March as he was injured and missed the 0-0 draw against Mexico and 2-0 win against the U.S. PSG’s Ramos replaced him up front and wasn’t great, and Leao was also missing. It shows again that in a hugely talented squad stacked with potential, the No. 9 position could be an issue for Roberto Martinez. Ronaldo is 41 and hasn’t scored in either of the past two big tournaments he played in, while Ramos doesn’t play much in Paris. So where will the goals come from?
For the rest, there is no weak link unless it is Martinez himself. Most of this squad has been playing really well this season with their clubs, especially the likes of Fernandes (Man United), Silva (Man City), Vitinha, Neves and Mendes (all Paris Saint-Germain), Cancelo (on loan at Barcelona) and Ronaldo (Al Nassr), but the coach will have to find the right formula, balance and combination of players to make this team as successful on the pitch as they look on paper. They have everything to go really far. — Laurens
SENEGAL
GROUP I
vs. France (June 16, New York/New Jersey)
vs. Norway (June 22, New York/New Jersey)
vs. Iraq (June 26, Toronto)
Projected bench: (Goalkeepers) Mory Diaw, Yehvann Diouf; (Defenders) Mamadou Sarr, Abdoulaye Seck, Ismail Jakobs, Antoine Mendy; (Midfielders) Pathe Ciss, Lamine Camara, Pape Matar Sarr, Ismaila Sarr, Nampalys Mendy, Mamadou Camara; (Forwards) Cherif Ndiaye, Boulaye Dia, Ibrahim Mbaye
Squad snapshot: Senegal are a settled side under manager Pape Thiaw, with the coach giving some fringe players starting opportunities during the March international break without overhauling the team that won the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year before CAF’s appeal board overturned the result and awarded the trophy to Morocco.
In attack, Senegal have a plethora of options, the midfield is rugged and combative, while the defense conceded just twice across seven AFCON fixtures. However, fitness concerns surround captain Koulibaly, who hasn’t featured for Al Hilal since early April following a freak injury during training. If he can return to contention for the World Cup, he will be lacking match sharpness, and this ought to represent a significant concern considering the veteran’s struggles during the Nations Cup.
Thiaw handed a debut to Rayo Vallecano’s Mendy during the March break, and he’s likely to make the squad, although Seck or Sarr will likely be the chief beneficiary of Koulibaly’s fitness problems. Thiaw also introduced Diao and Dieng back to the fold after the Nations Cup to bolster Senegal’s options in the final third, while Club Brugge forward Diakhon was handed a debut.
Tottenham midfielder Sarr has been struggling with a shoulder injury and hasn’t started a game for his club since March 22, while Mane’s recent fitness complaint at Al Nassr will be monitored closely. — Ed Dove
SOUTH KOREA
GROUP A
vs. Czechia (June 11, Guadalajara)
vs. Mexico (June 18, Guadalajara)
vs. South Africa (June 24, Monterrey)
Projected bench: (Goalkeepers) Kim Seung-Gyu, Song Bum-Keun; (Defenders) Kim Ju-Sung, Kim Tae-Hyeon, Kwon Kyung-Won, Seol Young-Woo, Cho Hyun-Taek; (Midfielders) Kim Jin-Gyu, Paik Seung-Ho, Hong Hyun-Seok, Park Jin-Seop, Yang Hyun-Jun; (Forwards) Bae Jun-Ho, Cho Gue-Sung, Oh Hyeon-Gyu
Squad snapshot: It is remarkable that, after sticking with a 4-2-3-1 throughout their qualifying campaign, South Korea coach Hong Myung-Bo now appears to be pivoting to a 3-4-3 formation — the system he has used in their past three friendlies. And it could be a case of his hand being forced by injuries.
While hardly one to grab the headlines, the understated Park Yong-Woo’s reliability as anchor man often allowed those in front of him to focus primarily on creating and scoring goals. But with Park ruled out of the tournament, Hong evidently feels the side now need extra insurance in the form of a back five.
South Korea’s problems don’t just end there. Another key midfielder, the metronomic Hwang In-Beom, is racing against time to recover from an ankle injury that has ruled him out for the rest of Feyenoord’s season. It could leave Lee Jae-Sung as the only one remaining from their first-choice midfield trio.
The positive for South Korea is they do have genuine game changers in Son Heung-Min and Lee Kang-In, and — to a lesser extent — Hwang Hee-Chan. Still, history suggests leading the line centrally isn’t the best position for Son, yet it is a role the 33-year-old probably will have to fill if this system is what Hong is going forward with.
Unfortunately for South Korea, neither Cho Gue-Sung nor Oh Hyeon-Gyu are in the sort of form that suggests they could slot in as the spearhead and let Son do his usual damage from the left — which could actually work with Hwang Hee-Chan, who has had some struggles with fitness, then performing the role of impact sub, which worked pretty well at the last World Cup. — Gabe Tan
SPAIN
GROUP H
vs. Cape Verde (June 15, Atlanta)
vs. Saudi Arabia (June 21, Atlanta)
vs. Uruguay (June 26, Guadalajara)
Projected bench: (Goalkeepers) David Raya, Joan García; (Defenders) Pedro Porro, Dani Carvajal, Dean Huijsen, Robin Le Normand, Aymeric Laporte, Alejandro Grimaldo; (Midfielders) Martín Zubimendi, Dani Olmo, Álex Baena, Fermín López, Pablo Barrios, Gavi; (Forwards) Ferran Torres, Borja Iglesias, Victor Munoz
Squad snapshot: Spain are sweating over the fitness of Yamal after he tore his hamstring playing in April. Barcelona ruled him out for the rest of the season, but reported he should be fine for the World Cup; however, there remain doubts about when exactly he will return. Will he be fit for the first game against Cape Verde? And then, even if he is back for the group stage, he will be returning from an injury that could be aggravated again if not managed properly. He will also be without match rhythm. All of that, for a player who depends on his ability to twist, turn and accelerate, could represent a major problem.
Spain can live without Yamal, but they are so much stronger with him. Fitness doubts around Rodri and Williams, among others, are also complicating Spain’s preparations for the summer.
On the flip side, if Yamal gets over that hamstring injury, Spain have a chance at glory. Other pluses include underrated center forward Oyarzabal being in career-best form, having just lifted the Copa del Rey with Real Sociedad, and Muñoz emerging as a lightning-quick alternative to Yamal and Williams out wide.
Spain’s greatest strength has always been in midfield. Rodri’s return to prominence with Manchester City is welcome news as an alternative to a Zubimendi, who looks tired after a grueling season with Arsenal. Pedri needs no introduction, and could cement himself as a contender for Xavi and Iniesta’s joint “best Spain midfielder ever” status if Spain go all the way.
In defense, Llorente is a candidate for player of the season in LaLiga and his form means there’s no need to lament Carvajal’s injury struggles; Huijsen is finding confidence after a midseason dip at Real Madrid, and Le Normand has regained his place in the Atletico back line.
Beyond the individuals, Spain’s playing style remains crystal clear, their faith in coach Luis de la Fuente and his methods absolute. With the notable exception of Yamal’s injury, Spain are arguably in a better place than they were two months ago. — Sam Marsden and Alex Kirkland
UNITED STATES
GROUP D
vs. Paraguay (June 12, Los Angeles)
vs. Australia (June 19, Seattle)
vs. Türkiye (June 25, Los Angeles)
Projected bench: (Goalkeepers) Matt Turner, Chris Brady; (Defenders) Alex Freeman, Mark McKenzie, Auston Trusty, Miles Robinson, Max Arfsten; (Midfielders) Aiden Morris, Cristian Roldan, Sebastian Berhalter, Malik Tillman, Brendan Aaronson, Gio Reyna; (Forwards) Ricardo Pepi, Haji Wright
Squad snapshot: Previous World Cups have seen the U.S. strong in goal and defense, but light in attack. In this edition, the opposite appears to be true.
Questions abound in goal, as well as the center of defense, with Ream, 38, still penciled in to start despite questions about his mobility. In attack, for the first time in over a decade, the U.S. has a standout striker in Balogun with the likes of Pulisic, McKennie and Weah charged with getting him the ball — or creating opportunities for themselves.
The U.S. certainly has more attacking options than they’re used to. That includes full backs Robinson and Dest, who will be critical to the USMNT’s attack, with Robinson providing service from out wide and Dest taking on the role of attacking wildcard. Therefore, the center of midfield will be key in helping to shield the backline with Adams providing the steel and Cardoso (if he can get fit) the cultured passing.
The intangibles settle on the fact that the U.S. is playing at home. Will the USMNT use the home crowd to spur it on, or will the weight of expectations prove to be too heavy? It will be up to manager Mauricio Pochettino to make sure the team is prepared and possesses a confident mindset.— Jeff Carlisle
