24 years ago at the 2002 World Cup, world champions France faced a little known Senegal team in Seoul. Despite having the likes of Thierry Henry, Patrick Viera, and Liliane Thuram in their side, the French came unstuck in a 1-0 defeat in the opening fixture of the tournament. In 2026, the situation is a similar one.
The French are one of the favourites to lift the trophy on 19 June in New York and Senegal want to ruin their party. Didier Deschamps' men will have their work cut out as they face arguably the competition's toughest group, the infamous group of death. US Mondorf's stalwart in goal, João Machado, emphasised the strength of the group.
"The French couldn't really have asked for a much easier group. Senegal are a very, very strong nation. They didn't win the Africa Cup of Nations for nothing. They're a major force in football. I think Norway will be the surprise package of the tournament. Then Iraq could also end up deciding the group. It's a very interesting group, but also a difficult and tightly contested one. That said, I still think France are the strongest team in it."João Machado
Tournament football is always exciting but also extremely demanding on players not only physically but also due to the pressure of representing a nation on the world stage. The BGL League's second best goalkeeper narrowed the deciding factors for progression down to four key aspects, namely quality, mentality, squad depth, and conviviality.
"Quality is crucial at this level, but so is squad depth. If you look at France, no matter who they put on the pitch, even the substitutes would be starters for many other national teams. Mentality will also play a huge role. If a team slips up or draws a match they were expected to win, it's all about how they respond. Team spirit is important too. The teams that stay united through the highs and lows are the ones that can go far in the tournament."João Machado
Machado's point regarding conviviality may be particularly relevant for France as Kylian Mbappe's has been critcised of late in Spain, being labeled a dictator in viral social media posts. Will his ego play a divisive role in the French team?
The Real Madrid speedster is surrounded by a plethora of attacking talent, Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Ousmane Dembele (PSG), Rayan Cherki (Manchester City), Desiré Doué (PSG), to name a few but how they will all work together will be interesting to see. Their talent is unquestionable, but Didier Deschamps has selection headaches to solve and is tasked with making sure everything runs smoothly – we know the French side are no strangers to controversy at World Cups.
"This group is tougher than people think. If you know the players Norway have and look at the qualifying campaign they had, you can see their quality. Then there's Senegal, who are a very good side as well. A World Cup is always something special, and this group is much more dangerous than some people realise".João Machado
Although their African Cup of Nations victory is contested and will go down in history as one of the competition's most dramatic moments, when the Senegal team left the field following a contentious penalty decision, the quality the side possesses is undeniable.
A front three led by captain and star player Sadio Mané alongside Bayern Munich's Nicolas Jackson, who despite playing second fiddle to Harry Kane still managed to score 11 goals last season, and Ilimane Ndiaye whose skills lit up the Premier League for Everton.
The Lions of Terranga have a spine of a team that can upset any side, former Chelsea players Eduaord Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly have the experience at the back to provide the defensive stability needed. While the likes of Idrissa Gana Gueye (Everton) and Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham) can hold the fort in midfield.
All of these experienced players will be galvanised by the addition of two youngsters who have been making a name for themselves at two of Europe’s biggest clubs. Ibrahim Mbaye (PSG) and Bara Ndiaye (Bayern Munich), although they have had limited play time they’re addition to the squad shows how highly they are rated and could feature off the bench to provide some extra energy.
For many of these players it will likely be the last World Cup they play and they will be desperate to emulate or improve on the success of the 2002 side that reached the quarter-finals.
Norway are Machado's dark horses for a reason and it's not just because they have a goalscoring, long-haired robot up front in Erling Haaland. They have a group of technically astute players just behind him looking to let the Manchester City striker loose.
Martin Odegaard may have had an injury laden season, scoring only 1 and assisting 6 but the Arsenal captain still has the vision to unlock any defence. He will be accompanied by a wealth of talent in Fulham’s Sander Berger and Oscar Bobb who have enjoyed good seasons in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, RB Leipzig's Antonio Nusa has been dubbed the Norwegian Neymar had a stellar performance in their 4-1 dismantling of Italy in qualifying and will likely feature heavily this tournament, with Benfica's Andreas Schelderup also providing an additional creative outlet.
Not to forget Atlético Madrid's big striker Alexander Sorloth who often plays alongside Erling Haaland.
Although their defence is not scattered with household names like their attack, they only conceded 5 goals in qualifying and the nation has been gripped with football fever following their first qualification since 1998. A team not to be underestimated.
Much of the attention in Group I has focused on France, Senegal, and Norway, leaving Iraq somewhat overlooked heading into the tournament. Yet that may suit Jesús Casas' side perfectly. The Lions of Mesopotamia arrive at the World Cup with little external pressure and a squad built around discipline, organisation and collective spirit rather than individual superstars.
While Iraq may lack the star power of their group rivals, they possess a few players capable of causing problems. Midfielder Osama Rashid provides composure and creativity in possession. Up front, Aymen Hussein remains the nation’s biggest attacking threat after establishing himself as one of Asiass most reliable goalscorers in recent years.
Iraq's greatest strength, however, lies in their resilience. The side has developed a reputation for remaining compact without the ball and making life difficult for technically superior opponents.
