World Cup 2026 preview: Groups I-L – Football Weekly

23:57Max Rushden:Well, just one thing about Algeria. They have to cover almost 5 ,000 kilometres, jump in two town zones in their three qualifying games, which is, I think, well over twice the distance anyone else has to travel. I don't know if that'll be an issue in these days of luxury, first-class private planes and whatnot, but it is possibly worth noting. Also, Austria. Paul Weiner from PSV and Kearney Chukwameka, Borussia Dortmund, ex-Aston Villa and Chelsea, they've just declared for Austria, having previously played underage football for Germany and England, respectively. Interesting. And that'll do for part one.

24:41Humbledore Group K in part two. Hi, pod fans. Max here. Barry's here too. Hello. Football Weekly is supported by Gradient FC. Now, Barry, we've talked a lot on the pod about football analytics, XG and all that, and all those pod fans who are deep into football analytics will probably already know Gradient Sports. They work with pro clubs across Europe's top leagues to provide player performance insights, but they're now bringing that same pro-level analysis directly to fans through the Gradient FC app. Sounds interesting, Max. What can it do? Well, each match is graded by a team of experts who evaluate over 2 ,000 player actions per match, not just by outcome, but by execution.

25:19So, for example, a completed pass that leads the receiver into danger is graded negatively, while one that puts a receiver in on goal is graded positively. Sounds like common sense. Yeah, and with Gradient FC, you get some of the deepest metrics available to ordinary fans, like line-breaking passes, dribbles into dangerous positions, and chance creations. Now, I know you hate making match predictions, Barry, but maybe all that could change with Gradient FC. With head-to-head player comparison tools that show you who's best across more than 100 grades and metrics, it's easy to build and defend any prediction.

25:49And here's something else that will appeal to you, Barry. It's free. Okay. I'm surprised to hear that, Max. Yeah. Well, explore it for yourself at gradientfc.com or download the Gradient FC app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

26:07Hi, Podfans. Max here. Barry's here too. Hello. Football Weekly is supported by Hotels.com. Now, Barry, question, when you're booking a hotel, do you use Hotels.com? Actually, you're probably just going to say, I don't know. Producer Joel does it. I don't know. Producer Joel does it. Well, I think you should give it a try for yourself. Obviously, it's a massive summer of soccer and loads of our listeners will be travelling to watch the tournament and needing to book somewhere great to stay. So it's good to know that when you're a Hotels.com member, you can save up to 20 % on hundreds of thousands of hotels, plus you earn rewards on every stay, so each trip you take helps pay for your future trips.

26:39Just use those rewards like cash and importantly, there are never any blackout dates. What's a blackout date? Well, it's a date where you can't use travel rewards. Frustratingly, usually on or around major holidays or other peak travel periods. But there are no blackout dates with Hotels.com rewards. Superb. Yes, so next time you're booking somewhere to stay, just book it at Hotels.com. Hotels.com, it's all in the name.

27:13Welcome to part two of the Guardian Football Weekly. So Group K, Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan and Colombia. Portugal managed by Cristiano, managed by Roberto Martinez, came third in 1966. Last time I got to the quarterfinals, DR Congo managed by Sebastián Desabare, best in the group stage of Zaire in 1974. Uzbekistan, managed by Fabio Cannavaro. That's where he is. And Colombia, managed by Nestor Lorenzo, got to the quarterfinals in 2014 and the round of 16 last time they were in the tournament. Portugal then. Baz, they do look so strong, don't they? Was it Mark Langdon predicting they might win the whole thing?

27:56Max Rushden:Yeah, they look brilliant. Their squad looks absolutely formidable. But, and it's the massive obvious but, but there's no getting around it. Cristiano Ronaldo is still hanging around that squad like an eggy fart. And I just think his presence is incredibly damaging. Roberto Martinez keeps picking him. I don't know why. I guess he's having pressure put on him by both Cristiano Ronaldo and the Portuguese FA because he must know. He must know that the presence of this man, this monstrous ego is detrimental to the squad. Now, in the very unlikely event that someone can sit Cristiano Ronaldo down and say, mate, you're going to be a fringe player.

28:42Max Rushden:Just get behind the lads. You will get minutes. There's no reason why they couldn't go and win this tournament. On paper, their squad is as good as any other, I think. But, yeah, that's the massive, massive question mark over this squad. Yeah, and you look at the rest of it. you know, Bruno Fernandes, Vettinia. And a slightly smaller question mark, João Felix is obviously still there. Which João Felix turns up? The prolific João Felix or the João Felix that looks like he's never played football before. And you look at their squad, Johnny, Vettinia, João Neves, Rappo Leveilleau, Bernardo Silva, Mendes, etc., etc.

29:24Do you go along with Barry's assessment?

29:26Jonathan Liew:Look, I've had so much fun with Cristiano Ronaldo at tournaments over the last few years. I remember when he got dropped against Switzerland four years ago, I took great pleasure in writing a sidebar from the game that didn't mention him once. It was all about Gonzalo Ramos. And then finally, Portugal bring on their big man at the end and Rafael Leal gets his goal. So, and then a couple of years ago, I wrote, you know, when they went out to France, I wrote about, I call him the chain-wrapped anvil that will bring them all down. And I think that's basically the popular view these days outside Portugal.

30:11Jonathan Liew:I actually, weirdly, I believe it a little bit less than I used to. First of all, you have the Nations League finals last summer, where Ronaldo does play a big part. He scores against Spain in the final. He scores the winner against Germany in the semi-final. The goal against Germany comes from a fierce Ronaldo press, which I didn't think he possessed anymore. Don't tell Wilson. I know, but if you watch the goal, if you go back a few phases, Ronaldo charges down the keeper and they win back possession. I think he is prepared to knuckle down a little bit. He's sharing the free kick duties at Al Nasser with Joao Felix.

30:54Jonathan Liew:which I think is a good sign. And I think if he does, if Barry says, if he does accept a reduced role or the fact that he's not necessarily going to be the star of this team all of the time. And there are kind of signs that that is happening, that he sort of recognised that this might, this is probably, you can never say certainly, this is probably his last World Cup. And whether there's this kind of messy effect where everyone else says, let's win this one, let's run like bastards to win this one for him which is kind of a mad reason to want to win a World Cup from an outside perspective but does kind of have a weird internal logic to it and the other factor is who does play up front if Ronaldo doesn't because obviously we're talking about the talent that's stacked in every other area of the team but if it comes down to it do you really want Gonzalo Ramos has had a nothing kind of season at PSG, Joao Felix obviously You know, Rafael Liao's international scoring record is terrible.

31:58Jonathan Liew:Ronaldo will have a role to play. And, you know, when it comes to, you know, marshalling that 6 to 18 yard, you know, area, there's actually nobody, nobody you'd want, few players you'd want more in that position.

32:14Philippe Auclair:It's amazing. Well, it's amazing. I'm listening to Johnny. I think that everything I thought before we started this preview is wrong. You sound very convincing, John. I convinced myself. I mean, you know, we've all got this kind of orthodoxy now. I do think that Gonzalo Ramos would be a better option than Cristiano Ronaldo, this being said. You know, like climbing down from that little cloud. The other thing, part of the problem for me is the fact that I don't think that they've got the manager who is going to deal with that question particularly well. When you've got a manager who hates confrontation, absolutely hates it, even more than you, Max, which is saying something, he hates to put, you know, I love confrontation.

32:58Yeah, yeah, you do.

33:02Philippe Auclair:He is more than a diplomat. He's a bit of a Pollyanna, really. So therefore, he's not going to address this. He's always going to be able to fall back on, well, look at Ronaldo's international record. Look how important he's been in the recent past with us and so forth. And then what the other players think about Cristiano Ronaldo, actually, I don't think anybody knows. Because I don't think anybody would dare to say anything in Portugal about the great man. Because you would immediately find yourself being ostracized. On the other hand, if you're talking about great squad, this is the most balanced, most complete squad of them all.

33:41Philippe Auclair:I include France, certainly, but I also include Spain in that. It's by far from one end of the pitch to the next, the most balanced. And the midfield is just insane. Really insane. And actually, Barry, the group looks friendly, doesn't it?

33:57Max Rushden:Yeah. Yeah, so DR Congo are in the group managed by Sebastian De Sabe. It's their first World Cup in 52 years. Obviously, DR Congo, massively populated country, but it's a constant conflict there. Most of their players are born in Europe. They've got Arnavan Bissak, Axel Toon Sebi, Johan Wisse, who has not had a good season by any standards since he's moved to Newcastle. They're a resilient team. They're tactically disciplined. I think much of their realistic part of the knockout involves getting a result against Colombia in the second game and then beating Uzbekistan. And I don't think that's out of the question.

34:47Max Rushden:Oh, they also have Sunderland's Arthur Masawaku. Any thoughts, Johnny, on Colombia or Uzbekistan?

34:54Jonathan Liew:Yeah, I mean, Colombia, Yeah, about a couple of years ago went on this incredible run. Between about 23 and 24, they beat Spain, they beat Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, I think maybe Mexico. They reached the final of the Copa America. And at that point, you say, this is actually a legitimate contender. And what has happened to them since then, I don't really know. But I saw highlights of that France game where basically a first string Colombia gets destroyed by a second string France. And it's really clear something's gone quite awry in that team. They're not taking John Duran. John Duran, I think, is one of those guys who's really sad.

35:45Jonathan Liew:He's just kind of lost all kind of appetite for the game. and so you know they they decided they couldn't take him they won a training camp in Spain they decided they couldn't take him and what you have left is a team based around James Rodriguez who might even retire at the end of this tournament he was 34 and a mixture of I think players who are a little bit past their peak you know the guys like Yeri Mina and and Luis Diaz who has been brilliant for Bayern this season, but is 29 and has played a full club season at high intensity. So, you know, it's a team that's low on confidence and maybe not entirely sure of their best starting XI, maybe not even entirely sure what their identity is anymore.

36:30Jonathan Liew:So I think for the other two teams in this group, it could be kind of chaos. I'm really looking forward to this group because I don't think Colombia are going to perform like people are expecting them to. and DR Congo and Uzbekistan are the sort of teams that can create a lot of chaos in that group. Whoever wins this group gets a lot easier run or draw, basically.

36:52Max Rushden:Brackage, I think, is the word we're using these days, isn't it?

36:55Philippe Auclair:Yeah, I mean, just to carry from what Johnny was saying about Colombia, if you look at that squad, it's old. It's very old. There are only two players under the age of 25 in it, which is very old, especially in modern football, and relying on players who've got tons of experience but who are on the wrong side of 30 for the most part. So, and I was also struck by how easily France dismantled them. So they were not probably famous last words, but this could be a pretty tough World Cup for Colombian supporters is the way I would put it. And finally, Barry, Uzbekistan. Beyond Fabio Cannavaro, what have you got for us?

37:43Max Rushden:Well, he was appointed after they qualified. Uzbekistan have a history of glorious failures and near misses when it comes to qualifying for the World Cup. They're at this one. Abdukadur Kushinov, Man City defender, is obviously their best-known player. They're expected to be a tough watch, trying to grind out draws and nick goals on the break. but it would be a surprise if they finished anywhere other than bottom. All right, that'll do for Group K. We will finish our previews with Group L at England. Hi, Pod fans. Max here. Barry's here too. Hello. Football Weekly is supported by Gradient FC. Now, Barry, we've talked a lot on the pod about football analytics, XG and all that and all those Pod fans who are deep into football analytics will probably already know Gradient Sports.

38:32They work with pro clubs across Europe's top leagues to provide player performance insights but they're now bringing that same pro-level analysis directly to fans through the Gradient FC app. Sounds interesting, Max. What can it do? Well, each match is graded by a team of experts who evaluate over 2 ,000 player actions per match, not just by outcome, but by execution. So for example, a completed pass that leads the receiver into danger is graded negatively, while one that puts a receiver in on goal is graded positively. Sounds like common sense. Yeah, and with Gradient FC, you get some of the deepest metrics available to ordinary fans, like line breaking passes, dribbles into dangerous positions, and chance creations.

39:10Now, I know you hate making match predictions, Barry, but maybe all that could change with Gradient FC. With head-to-head player comparison tools that show you who's best across more than 100 grades and metrics, it's easy to build and defend any prediction. And here's something else that will appeal to you, Barry. It's free. Okay. I'm surprised to hear that, Max. Yeah. Well, explore it for yourself at gradientfc.com or download the Gradient FC app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

39:46Welcome to part three of the Guardian Football Weekly Group. LN England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama, England managed by Thomas Tuchel. The best they've ever done is they won it actually in 1966. got to the quarterfinals last time. Harry Kane putting that penalty over the bar against France. Croatia, managed by Zlatko Dalic, runners-up in 2018, came third last time. They're indefatigable, aren't they? Gardner, managed by Carlos Quiros, got to the quarterfinals in 2010. Of course they did. We all remember that game. Not at the group stages last time. And Panama, managed by Thomas Christensen, have been there once before 2018.

40:23Let's start with England then. David says, is this the most settled starting XI England I've had going into a World Cup? What do you think, Johnny?

40:33Jonathan Liew:Yeah, people keep moving the goalposts on England, don't they?

40:39Jonathan Liew:2018, the wrap on England is that they always underperform at tournaments. 2018, you've reached the semi-finals. Oh, but you didn't play anyone. You didn't play anyone good. So you've never beaten anyone good. You lose to the first big nation you come up against. Euros, 20-21, they beat Germany. they reach the final yeah yeah but you're on home soil you know you can't you know you can't really and and it's this sort of thing where nations become bad by virtue of having been beaten by england so 2022 they play brilliantly against france in the quarterfinals and they're a penalty kick away from potentially going all the way there uh i yeah but you know you've fallen short again and um and then euro 2024 they reach the final like very unlikely oh yeah but um you know you Again, you didn't beat anyone good because, you know, Netherlands aren't a big footballing nation anymore.

41:30Jonathan Liew:And also you play terribly. It basically comes down to this, isn't it? If they win, then the whole thing is, you know, the whole project almost is vindicated. And I think I've talked myself into this. I think they will. And I think because when I'm looking at teams going into a national tournament, I'm always asking what's their motivation? What's their greater purpose? What is their why? and it's kind of struck me with England that there's a real kind of purpose, sense of purpose, almost arrogance to them now. We are the best league in the world. We are the, you know, the centre of the footballing universe and now's the time to prove it.

42:09Jonathan Liew:They have, you know, maybe not the best squad in terms of talent, but I really love the way that Tuchel has plotted out every area of the pitch and every kind of possible scenario that he's picked a squad that is calibrated to the demands of a tournament. They know how to keep the ball now. They're pretty good at keeping the ball to the point where people start saying it gets boring, but they have the highest possession of European qualifying, which is going to be crucial in the heat. Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson and Drew Bellingham, if he starts, one of the best midfields in the tournament.

42:44Jonathan Liew:And they have the best striker in the world, potentially on current form. So I see no reason why they can't do it. It's just, can they get over the neuroses and the shit that people will throw at them and the circus that will follow them? I think that's the big unknown because I think they've got all of the keys this time. Barry, do you want to come anymore after hearing that?

43:07Max Rushden:Yeah, look, I'm always concerned. I think this is a really good England squad. I have a lot of time for Thomas Tuchel as a manager. I suspect he will be better than Gareth Southgate. and by the way imagine my shock last night i was doing the washing up and i suddenly heard my own voice coming from the television and i was in one of the opening scenes of the the drama dear england i don't remember giving anyone permission for that i certainly haven't received a royalty

43:41Jonathan Liew:check or a they're not creative enough they're not positive enough no i was i was talking them

43:46Max Rushden:up i was appalled uh surely they could have found an england journalist to do this you know that's that's a job for henry winter if ever i saw one but anyway there i was so yeah that was a shock to the system my phone lit up like you're in dear english anyway uh that's by the by my concern my main concern for England will be the conditions, the heat, the potential of a game against Mexico in Mexico in the quarter final. But otherwise, I'd give them a great chance. What do you think, Philippe?

44:24Philippe Auclair:I agree with that. When I heard Barry say my main concern for England, I think, is that England would win. I think that would be our top pick. Then we could have perhaps, I don't know if you're going to watch England's final game together but uh we could have a a replay of what you did uh in the past which was uh well of course yeah the jig the chef's kiss you know we know all the things and i don't i just don't ever believe they'll win it i don't ever believe they'll win it and i'm at peace with that i don't think i'm just saying that to make myself feel better but i i agree with the other lads philly that that you know there is balance to this squad there is a sense of purpose there is that not just picking all, you know, the attackers.

45:08You know, there is a method with Tuchel.

45:10Philippe Auclair:Yeah, and it's a team of players who've won quite a lot of things with their clubs as well. It's a younger team as well. There have been some pretty sharp calls from Tuchel when he named his squad. They were the right choices, by the way. Perhaps the only thing you would, you know, let's not squabble about that. And the fact is he will be in a situation that I think New England manager has been in before in terms of his own relationship with the old country. He doesn't give a toss about it. He is, yeah, he will not be ruffled by anything that's going to be put in the papers. Absolutely not. And I think he will be, this will have an impact on the players as well.

45:57Philippe Auclair:And honestly, yes, I'm sorry, Max, but they're my favorites for the tournament. Really? They are, absolutely. It's the momentum, you know. It's the momentum. There seems to be a right feel around that team. And it's got, yeah, it has the right ingredients. People used to say, well, they don't have the central defenders. Well, actually, no, they do. Oh, they don't have a defensive midfielder. Well, yes, they actually do. And forward, they're terrific. And blah, blah, blah, you carry on. No, can do it. Absolutely. Do you think Bellingham starts, Johnny, over Morgan Rodgers?

46:34Jonathan Liew:I don't think so. I mean, I think he's particularly shown that he's willing to cull the sacred cows. You know, I think leaving out Foden and Cole Palmer was just, it was just, I know it made sense, but it was such an incredible, it's an incredible thing for an England manager to do. and I think he won't have any compunction in leaving Bellingham on the bench or subbing Harry Kane off after 60 minutes if he's having a stinker. I think he's got the authority and he's got the record and he's got the stubbornness and the bloody mindedness to do that. And I mean we've talked about the squad a bit before Barry but I suppose there are a few surprises Dan Byrne and Jordan Henderson seem to be in as just sort of good lads maybe that is not fair.

47:21You could see Dan Byrne being brought on if they're 1-0 down with 10 minutes to go, going, look, be a centre-back when you're defending, but, like, cause some problems up there. Ivan Toney, as well, is a really interesting selection. I think Ivan

47:33Max Rushden:Toney's a great pick. He takes a perfect penalty. There's no better penalty taker than him around anywhere. Look, this English thing of nitpicking over fringe players who probably won't get a minute or, you know, anything more than a handful of minutes. It's just ludicrous. I don't really want any part of it. The only selection I have any problem with is the omission of Adam Wharton. I think he's just a terrific player, but he's not there, so there's no point in worrying about him. I think England's first team is excellent. They've got seven good, you know, excellent replacements ready to come on if things get too hot or if they need to change things up.

48:18Max Rushden:As Philippe has said, Thomas Tuchel doesn't care about any of the sideshow nonsense in the media or the silly questions at press conferences. He doesn't care what anyone thinks of him. He's not enamored to big names or star players. I think it's a great formula for success.

48:37Philippe Auclair:The other thing, it might be just an impression, but my impression is that this England team will arrive at the World Cup in a much better state physically than what I was expecting. So I think quite a few of us would be worried about the effect of burnout, super long season in the Premier League, clubs going quite far in European competitions, well, at least Arsenal and Villa and Palace, and so on. But that doesn't seem to be really the case. And when you look at the performance level of some of the key players in that side, Harry Kane is in absolutely astonishing form at the moment. Declan Rice is as good as he's been all season, which is really saying something.

49:17Philippe Auclair:You're talking about really important players in this case. Even Morgan Rodgers, who's played, I mean, over 50 games, still looks sharp. It's a team that looks sharper than previous incarnations, which tended to arrive at big competitions with players who were either out of form or even carrying slight injuries. And this time, Tuchel has decided, players who are carrying slight injuries, I'm sorry guys you're not going to make it and that is another argument in their favour especially given the climatic conditions in which the tournament is going to be played It's the hope that kills you, isn't it?

49:55Ted says, at what stage will Croatia get tired? Amazing Barry, Perisic is there Kovacic is there Krammerich is there Modric is there This is just glorious Yeah, look

50:06Max Rushden:this team were runners up in 2018 they came third in 2022 to uh moderate perisic crameric 462 caps between them still there it's it's just incredible uh they do have some young blood luke old vascovic is 19 year old he's been on loan at hamburg from spurs he will be the heart of their defense probably alongside um josko gvardiol martin And Batarina from Como is sort of the heir apparent to Luka Modric. Does Luka Modric start? I don't know. Has he come on? Has he got 90 minutes in him? Probably not in the heat. But the presumption seems to be that they will finish second between them and Ghana probably.

50:58Max Rushden:I think it could benefit England to finish second in this group rather than win it. but that's a bit of a gamble to try and finish second rather than first. But yeah, I don't really know what to expect from Croatia. They're obviously good players, but they are pushing on, aren't they? What about Ghana, Johnny? How do you see them?

51:20Jonathan Liew:Yeah, I genuinely don't understand why countries keep hiring Carlos Keroz. Maybe one team has to have them. One team has to have Carlos Keroz. It's like, whose turn is it? It's like the class teddy. Who's got the Carlos Caros? Who takes the goldfish home for the summer holidays? Yeah. Yeah. He's, you know, he's kind of weathered and, you know, he's got a slightly worn patch. Yeah. I don't know. He couldn't get Egypt to the World Cup, couldn't get Colombia to the World Cup. Most recently at Oman. Like, what is it? What is it about this guy's CV that makes, like, a series of nations that this is our guy, this is the guy.

51:58Jonathan Liew:You know, maybe it's the fact that he's, you know, to Alex Ferguson, the shimmering, reflected glory. Look, they're not coming into this tournament in great form. Germany had a field day against them. Mexico had a field day against them. They've been, I think, in Wales doing their final preparations. And Keros has been getting very antsy about all the Thomas Partey questions he's been getting. I would be surprised if they did well in this group or in this tournament. I would be surprised. We all know about the likes of Semenyo. We all know about Partey. Jordan Ayou, I think, is still hanging around there.

52:38Jonathan Liew:But I haven't seen anything from them that really should give England or anyone else any cause for pause.

52:44Philippe Auclair:For me, Ghana is one of those teams whose reputation, because of their name, is much brighter than what they actually have to offer. And it's been the case for a very long time for Ghana, who have always been the team that of which so much was expected. I mean, it's back to the 60s when they didn't play in the 1966 World Cup and they boycotted basically. And when everybody said, oh, look at Ghana, they were fantastic. And it's always been like that, generation after generation. This idea that Ghana was somehow a kind of African superpower has taken hold, that that's just not true. It's not true.

53:22Philippe Auclair:And their team looks not particularly well balanced to me. I don't think they will make a deep impression on that tournament at all, I'm afraid. Can I just add one thing for Luka Modric? Because this tournament is the tournament in which Modric is probably going to enter a very, very, very small club, which is the players who have got more than 200 caps for their country. He's on 196 at the moment. Messi's on 198. so there's only two I mean it's Christian Ronaldo he's way ahead 226 and the second most cap

54:01Max Rushden:Shea given his own 475

54:04Philippe Auclair:yes and so we could have two players coming into the 200 club so who's the other one which is Badr Al-Mutawa from Kuwait who retired in 2022 and who's got 202 caps Christine Sinclair has entered the chat by the way

54:23Jonathan Liew:I know we're post-woke now Has anyone got a line on Panama?

54:28Max Rushden:Yeah, I don't think they're going to be the whipping boys people probably expect them to be They got out of a group containing Bolivia, Uruguay and the USA at the last Copa America They got to the final of the CONCACAF Nations League Their manager is a Danish fellow Thomas Christensen who I think had one appearance for Spain that's what I've written down here it was a long time ago I wrote that down but I presume it's correct and yeah I mean their opener is against Ghana in Toronto I'm not going to say they could win it but if they did it would certainly shake things up Blimey, I just looked Christine Sinclair 331 games for Canada so yeah, take that Luca got to keep going for the next 20 World Cups I wouldn't put it past him.

55:22Quickly then, so Philippe, you think England will win the whole thing? Yes, absolutely. And you, Johnny?

55:28Jonathan Liew:Yeah, I've gone from France to Spain to France to England in the space of the last 10 days. So come back in a few days, but at the moment, England. Barry, who are you tipping for the whole thing? French. Okay, go on boot, everybody. Philippe? Well, Harry Kane, got to be logical here. Johnny? I'm going Haaland on the basis that he's playing a rock in the group stage and Haaland against a rock could be even more of a mismatch than some of the other encounters. Baz?

55:58Max Rushden:In the absence of Christian Benteke, my tactical guess for this one, which could badly backfire, is Spain's Mikel Ollar Zabel. Right. Jose Mourinho Lothalabal. Yeah. Okay, and then some dark horses then, Johnny. I'm going Ecuador.

56:15Philippe Auclair:All right. Philippe? It's the first time I think that they've ever been called dark horses. I'm going for Germany. Germany's a dark horse. Nobody talks about Germany at all. Funny that. That's true. But I still think they can't be a dark horse. They're always just a horse, aren't they? Baz, Turkey?

56:31Max Rushden:No, Ecuador or mine as well. Or Uruguay or Senegal. I'm hedging. No, Ecuador. And Barry, I mean, we've heard England will win it from Philippe and Johnny. Where do you think England will go, Baz? A round of 16 exit at the hands of Mexico. Right, okay. To stay across.

56:52Philippe Auclair:This was the last episode of Wishful Thinking, starring Barry Glendening. Find us on TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, Blue Sky, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Keep listening to us or watching us on YouTube. Thank you, Philippe. Thank you very much, Max. Cheers, Johnny. Thanks. Cheers, Barry.

57:10Max Rushden:Well, I hope you're smirking on the other side of your faces in a few weeks. Let it be noted, Barry, that I didn't smirk. I'm not doing any smirking. I'll only smirk if and when we lift the trophy and I don't think it'll ever happen. See you in LA, Baz. Football Weekly is produced by Tai Papula. Our executive producer is Joel Grove. Yeah, back for the World Cup.

57:40Jonathan Liew:This is The Guardian.

57:50Hi, Podfans. Max here. Barry's here too. Hello. Football Weekly is supported by Hotels.com. Now, Barry, question. When you're booking a hotel, do you use Hotels.com? Actually, you're probably just going to say, I don't know. Producer Joel does it. I don't know. Producer Joel does it. Well, I think you should give it a try for yourself. Obviously, it's a massive summer of soccer and loads of our listeners will be travelling to watch the tournament and needing to book somewhere great to stay. So it's good to know that when you're a Hotels.com member, you can save up to 20 % on hundreds of thousands of hotels.

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