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Gabriel Magalhães has established himself as one of the best centre-backs in the world. Photograph: Foto Arena LTDA/AlamyUnimpressive in qualification, fans will be hoping Carlo Ancelotti can get the best out of Vinícius Júnior, as he did at Real MadridThis article is part of the Guardian’s 2026 World Cup Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 48 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from three countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 11 June.Brazil went on a true rollercoaster ride to reach the 2026 World Cup. There was a political crisis within the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) which led to a change in presidency. On the pitch it was just as bad, if not worse. It was the country’s worst qualifying campaign ever with defeats in Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia, as well as a historic home defeat – a first in World Cup qualifying – by Lionel Messi and co.After the 4-1 reverse in Buenos Aires in March 2025, the head coach Dorival Júnior was sacked and there were even fears Brazil would miss out on the tournament. However, the South American qualifying – with six direct spots for 10 teams – is extremely forgiving and there was renewed hope, not only for qualification but for the actual tournament, when Carlo Ancelotti was appointed in May 2025.Brazil go into the World Cup with the intention of playing a 4-2-4 formation, which has been Ancelotti’s preferred tactical set-up since his arrival. However, the Italian has lost several important players to injury, such as Eder Militão, Rodrygo and Estêvão. “Considering the players we have at our disposal we believe the best model of play for us is to go with four up front,” Ancelotti said in March.In this system the defensive midfielders have to support the defence. The lack of high-level full-backs is a concern, especially for a country long accustomed to players such as Cafu, Roberto Carlos, Marcelo and Dani Alves among others.The question of whether Neymar would make the World Cup dominated the buildup to the squad announcement and in the end the 34-year-old Santos forward had done just enough to get a place in Ancelotti’s 26-man squad. “We realised that in this last period he had continuity and was in good physical condition,” the coach said.However, he has now suffered a new calf injury is unlikely to start. He could even miss out on the whole tournament. Without a true No 9, Ancelotti’s Brazil showed in the friendlies against France and Croatia in March that they will rely on counterattacks and pace, exploiting the potential of Vinícius Júnior, much like Ancelotti did so successfully during his second spell at Real Madrid.Carlo Ancelotti has won everything – and in every possible way – throughout his career as a club manager. He is one of the most successful managers ever and has won a record five Champions League titles. Now, at the age of 66 – he turns 67 the day before the World Cup starts – he has embarked on a whole new adventure. “Coaching Brazil is highly motivating,” he told Estadão in 2025. “I believe this is one of the most important moments of my career.” The start to life in Brazil was not easy because of injuries to key players, defeats against Bolivia, Japan and France and the very strong pressure to select Neymar. But the likable Italian seems as unruffled as always. “I’m not obsessed with winning,” Ancelotti told the Guardian in May. “What I have is a passion for enjoying the moments that football has given me.”Viní Jr’s status as one of the best players on the planet is indisputable but he has, so far, never managed to replicate his Real Madrid performances with the Brazil national team, where he has, at the time of writing, played 47 matches, scoring just eight goals and providing seven assists. This is his chance to change that narrative as he will wear the historic No 10 shirt and be the team’s star at the 2026 World Cup. “If Vinícius is focused on the game, focused on his football, he is the best in the world,” Casemiro told the newspaper As in 2025. “In that way, he is the best. But that’s not easy, because he is constantly provoked.”Endrick needed to take a step back in order to move two steps forward. Overlooked at Real Madrid by Xabi Alonso he was loaned to Lyon in January and rediscovered his form, making 12 goal contributions in 17 Ligue 1 games. Ancelotti did not hesitate to call him up in March and against Croatia, having come on as a substitute, he proved the impetus as the Seleção came from 1-0 down to win 3-1. He may not be in Ancelotti’s starting XI at the start of the tournament but be not surprised if he is later on.During Arsenal’s climb to the top of the game in England and Europe, Gabriel Magalhães has established himself as one of the best centre-backs in the world. At the World Cup, much will be made of the performances and likely goals from Raphinha and Viní Jr or even Alisson’s saves, but all of that will count for nothing if Gabriel does not hold the defence together. “When you talk about the Brazilian national team, you have to work every day, work at your club so you can arrive here in top form,” Gabriel said in 2025. “I know I’m doing very well, but I also know the level I can still reach.”This World Cup will not feel like playing away for Brazil. According to the government, more than 2.8 million Brazilians live in the United States, most of them in the New York and Miami regions, where Brazil will play two of their three group games. In addition, many fans, possibly as many as hundreds of thousands, are expected to travel to North America for the tournament. The supporters’ group Movimento Verde Amarelo will be present and has the backing of fan groups from 40 different Brazilian football clubs. This should make venues such as MetLife Stadium and Hard Rock Stadium feel as close as possible to the Maracanã.The players and the CBF are staying well out of politics for this World Cup but Brazil and the US had a disagreement in March when president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said he had “forbidden” one of Donald Trump’s advisers from visiting the South American country. That was in retaliation for his health minister being denied a US visa. The two met recently at the White House and, while Trump said discussions had been “very good”, the two governments do not agree on key issues such as crime and trade.

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Coach Tony Popovic will take a final look at players on the selection fringe with Australia’s 26-man squad to be named after the warm-up gameThe World Cup might have snuck up on many Australians, but the reality of the men’s football showpiece will leap out on Sunday, take hold of the nation and not let go for a month. The Socceroos play co-hosts Mexico in Los Angeles’ historic Rose Bowl in one of the marquee warm-up matches ahead of a tournament shared across North America that is now bursting with 48 teams.The Mexico showdown serves as a challenge for Australia against elite, motivated opposition. But for a handful of Socceroos, this weekend is also a test to see whether or not they will be allowed to stay in the US. It won’t be visa issues that send them home, rather it will be coach Tony Popovic telling them they haven’t made his final cut.Twenty-nine players have been in camp for the past week in Florida, vying for 26 places in the World Cup squad to be named immediately after the clash against Mexico. But the belated arrival of Cristian Volpato – who has switched allegiance from Italy and will join his new squad mates on Saturday – has added a new layer of intrigue to Popovic’s selection. It has also exposed another squad member who might have thought they were safely in the 26 to the disappointment of being cut so close to realising a career dream. There is no guarantee, however, those fringe players will even get the chance to take the field against Mexico. With barely two weeks before the Socceroos’ opening World Cup match against Turkey at 2pm AEST on 14 June, Popovic is likely to use this opportunity to build the connections between the players he will be relying on during the group stage.The coach said his selection decisions have largely been made. “The Mexico game can help in terms of seeing what we want to see,” he told ESPN this week. “We may have an idea about a player that we want to give some minutes to in that game, to see what he can do, and that might confirm something. But we’re very close as it is now.”Take the situation in goal. There are four goalkeepers currently in camp, but handing playing time against Mexico to any of Patrick Beach, Joe Gauci or Paul Izzo will rob clear No 1 Mat Ryan of the chance to familiarise himself with conditions and combinations with his backline.The situation with outfielders is more fluid. With the addition of Volpato to the train-on squad, three will be cut and at least one of those will be a defender. Milos Degenek, Kye Rowles, Kai Trewin and Jason Geria are options who can play both centrally and on the right. None, however, are likely to start against Turkey, leaving them vulnerable to Popovic’s axe. Minutes against Mexico will be their last chance to prove they deserve to stay.Similarly, in midfield and attack, the likes of A-Leagues duo Brandon Borello and Nishan Velupillay, and even fringe players such as Cameron Devlin and Awer Mabil won’t be sleeping comfortably yet. A Socceroos staff member has indicated Volpato – who can play as an attacking midfielder or winger – is unlikely to play against Mexico, further complicating the selection picture.“We have players that are very versatile, who can play in different positions,” Popovic said. “We need to make a good decision based on versatility and also the player that’s a specialist in his role, to see that the balance is right.”Tete Yengi, the powerful target man brought into camp without having played a game for the Socceroos, offers something different, and suddenly looms as an important plan B in the squad. “This whole puzzle is about getting the right balance and profiles for players and different scenarios in games,” Popovic said.Mabil said the dynamic hasn’t affected the players’ enthusiasm. “It’s a healthy competition, everybody is doing their very best to represent their country,” he said. “Every player is ready, no matter who, is ready to play and do their very best for the nation.”Yet rhetoric about squad deadlines does not offer the full picture. Although 26 names must be submitted to Fifa on 1 June, Popovic can make changes due to outfielder injury up until the day before their first match against Turkey. If any of the three selected goalkeepers is ruled out at any stage during the tournament, the fourth-choice can be parachuted into the squad.Perhaps more urgent than confirmation of the squad is how Popovic can get the best out of his major contributors. There are question marks over how the team will line up against Turkey, including whether Mo Toure and Nestory Irankunda will start, and who fits into the hole created by the injury to midfielder Riley McGree.Players such as Ajdin Hrustic, Martin Boyle, Mathew Leckie and Connor Metcalfe had been bumped up in the Popovic pecking order, and a good performance this weekend – as well next weekend’s final warm-up friendly against Switzerland – is likely to go a long way to securing them a key role for the tournament. But with the sudden emergence of Volpato, a former Italy youth international, nobody can be considered a certainty.While Socceroos fans will look closely at the team sheet around lunchtime on Sunday, the entire nation can tune in and feel, for the first time, the World Cup is close.

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El Tri reached the quarter-finals the last time they hosted the tournament. They’re hoping old methods can revive the team after a disastrous outing in 2022It was January 1986 and the temperature at the peak of La Malinche, one of Mexico’s tallest mountains, had plummeted to a bone-chilling cold. A group of soccer players training for that year’s World Cup ran through a dense fog to the summit 14,600ft above sea level gasping in the thin air. Their Serbian coach, Bora Milutinović, had pushed his players to the limit, seeking not only to test their physical endurance but also hoping for a psychological breakthrough. Up there, the Mexico players suffered, shivered and cursed. But through hardship they became a family. That fabled image of survival on the mountain became the foundation for Mexico’s best-ever World Cup performance, the last time they played on home soil and one of only two times El Tri reached the tournament’s quarter-finals.Forty years later, the myth of La Malinche hangs over Mexico’s preparation for this summer’s tournament, which once again will be played on home turf. The team’s coach, Javier Aguirre, was one of Milutinović’s players at the 1986 World Cup and he has seemingly been inspired by the old belief that isolation and shared struggle can work miracles. At Aguirre’s urging, the Mexican Football Federation – just as it had in 1986 – took the controversial step of removing national team players from their clubs during the most decisive phase of the Liga MX playoffs. By the time the World Cup kicks off on 11 June, the players will have been sequestered together for 30 days.The departure of 12 players from Liga MX – first for a period of forced rest and then for training at Mexico City’s High-Performance Center – generated considerable discontent among the fans of clubs competing in the playoffs. The result: the tournament, which is supposed to be the highlight of the year, has become a lackluster affair.Chivas de Guadalajara, who traditionally only field Mexican players, lost five teammates to the national squad. Missing half of their starting lineup, the Red and Whites lost in the semi-finals to Cruz Azul, who only gave up one player, Érik Lira, to international duty. Cruz Azul went on to beat Pumas in a low-quality final.Former Mexico goalkeeper Félix Fernández, now an analyst for ClaroSports, voiced concerns that are shared by many fans in the country about Aguirre’s decision.“I think there’s no better way for a national team player to reach the World Cup than after playing in the [playoffs], because those are the most intense, most demanding matches,” Fernández says. “Yes, of course, there’s a risk of injury, but injuries can also happen in training.”But there are reasons why Aguirre and his staff made their decision. In 1985, Milutinović took the players away from their clubs for a full year. They toured the world, playing more than 20 friendlies in Asia, Africa, Europe and South America.Decades later, Milutinović still believes the decision was correct.“In my time, the only way we could accomplish anything was to be together,” the 81-year-old says over the phone from China, where he is travelling. “Thanks to that time spent together, we created a suitable environment where we were mentally prepared, and it was so effective that we played a very, very successful World Cup in ’86.”He says the team spent two weeks on La Malinche, climbing up and down the dormant volcano many times, including at night. Players in later interviews talked about being terrified of heights and crawling on all fours. A couple of players wandered off and got lost and the team had to rally together to find them. “That lesson we learned helped us create a positive atmosphere and have confidence in ourselves,” Milutinović says.He says that in 2026, a player spending a year away from a club is “impossible … times are different”. But he warns that “a month is nothing”.Part of Milutinović’s plan in 1986 was for Mexico to gain a wealth of experience on the global stage, something this year’s team won’t have time for.“Before the World Cup, we played 56, we had won [29] of them. There was confidence and everything … You play the game the way you train,” he says. “Every training session is a competition, a desire to be better, to compete, and above all, to enjoy it. Enjoy the game.”Critics such as Fernández worry the current players aren’t capable of absorbing a message of unity and joy similar to the one Milutinović preached back then.“Nowadays, the amounts of money [players] earn can easily detach them from reality,” Fernández says. “The camaraderie has been greatly diminished. Today’s footballer is constantly on his cell phone, watching TV series and movies. It’s not like before when you’d get together in a room with four or six of you to talk. This lack of interaction ends up affecting them on the field.”Mexico have played six times this year, but only half of those have come with their full-strength squad. Their Europe-based players were missing for their most recent match, last week’s 2-0 win over Ghana. But Ghana fielded a weakened team too, and their coach, Carlos Queiroz, didn’t even attend the game.Fernández and others also believe there are deeper problems that can’t be fixed with a month of extra training sessions. The roots of these deficiencies lie in top-level decisions made since the team’s failure at Qatar 2022, when El Tri crashed out in the group stage, their worst finish at a World Cup in four decades. The insularity of Mexican soccer means young players often stay at home rather than gain valuable experience in the top European leagues. The decision to end promotion and relegation in Liga MX also means a lack of jeopardy that can sharpen players’ edges.“The Mexican national team today doesn’t have the level to be among the top 17 in the world,” Fernández says. “Terrible decisions have been made, and nothing has been done. It never crossed their minds that Mexico was hitting rock bottom.”With the exception of the team’s two best players – Genoa captain Johan Vásquez and Fulham’s Raúl Jiménez – the squad is either in poor form or lacking match fitness. Milan’s Santiago Giménez is coming off a series of injuries and his scoring has dried up. Edson Álvarez (Fenerbahçe), Luis Chávez (Dynamo Moscow) and the inconsistent rookie Obed Vargas (Atlético Madrid) have all missed time at their respective clubs.Fernández says the lack of stars in their prime has led to an unusual phenomenon. Billboards on Mexico’s streets show the faces of former stars such as Rafael Márquez, now an assistant coach for El Tri, instead of members of the current squad.Milutinović, ever an optimist, believes Mexico’s passionate fans will ignite pride in the players. He saw how the country pulled together in the aftermath of Mexico’s devastating earthquake in 1985. “The fans and everything else had a huge influence on Mexico achieving that result in ’86,” he says.Milutinović also believes Mexico’s preparations for this World Cup could benefit some Liga MX teams. For example, the five Chivas players who missed the playoffs to join up with El Tri will come back with invaluable World Cup experience and make their club team even stronger.“For me, Chivas is the champion,” he says. “Working with young players is key. It leaves behind a squad with a future, in a World Cup environment that will serve them well.”For now, on the training pitches in Mexico City, the players are racing against time, under the guidance of Aguirre, to find the rhythm and mental strength they need to face their biggest challenge. Thirty days in a bubble to try to fix years of systemic problems. The outcome is uncertain, but if history is a guide, maybe coming together for an intense period will give the team the boost they need.Milutinović says he never told his players they had to win. He just told them they had to give everything of themselves and look out for each other. Before every game at the 1986 World Cup he repeated a mantra: “La Malinche, La Malinche, La Malinche”, evoking the mountain in front of them they needed to conquer. We will find out if this year’s team are up to a similar challenge in the coming weeks.

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22-year-old to join up with Socceroos training squad in Los AngelesAttacker turned down offer four years ago to play for country of birthThe Socceroos have been handed a huge boost on the eve of the World Cup with young attacker Cristian Volpato to join up with the training squad before a friendly against Mexico in Los Angeles.The 22-year will make a shock switch of allegiance from Italy to Australia four years after turning down the opportunity to represent the country of his birth at the tournament in Qatar.FA has lodged all requisite paperwork to Fifa and is now waiting for the governing body to ratify Volpato’s decision to switch allegiance to Australia after representing Italy at the youth level.Volpato was born and raised in Sydney and played his junior football at Sydney United 58, Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers, before moving to Italy. He represented Italy at the Under-19, Under-20 and Under-21 levels from 2022 with a last appearance in a friendly in March 2025.He snubbed multiple previous attempts to lure him from Italy and across to the Socceroos, including when then head coach Graham Arnold invited him to join up with the squad ahead of the 2022 World Cup.Australia’s persistence appears to have paid off, with Volpato not included in a youthful Italy squad named for friendlies against Luxembourg and Greece in June, while the four-time winners missed out on qualifying for a third successive World Cup.Popovic has said in the past that he would never “sell the shirt” but Volpato is unlikely to make the trip to Los Angeles without being in line for a late call-up to the Socceroos squad for the World Cup, especially with first-choice attacker Riley McGree ruled out this week due to a hamstring injury.The attacker joined the youth set up at Roma in 2020 and rose through the ranks to make a senior debut under José Mourinho during the 2021-22 Serie A season. He made 14 appearances and scored two goals across all competitions for I Giallorossi before moving to Sassuolo in 2023.Volpato has played 72 times and scored seven goals, with 11 assists, across all competitions for Sassuolo, and helped the club immediately return to Serie A after being relegated to the second tier at the end of the 2024-25 campaign. He scored twice, and added four assists, in 24 appearances during the current Serie A season.The Socceroos now have 30 players included in their train-on unit, with Popovic needing to reduce the number to 26 before a World Cup squad is named by 1 June.Volpato will not be part of the Socceroos side that faces World Cup co-hosts Mexico at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles California on 31 May (AEST), but is in the frame to be considered for their first game of the tournament against Turkey on 14 June.

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Fans of Qatar cheer during the 2026 World Cup qualifier against the United Arab Emirates. Photograph: Noushad Thekkayil/NurPhoto/Getty ImagesUnimpressive in qualification and with preparation disrupted, at least the squad will not be burdened with the pressure of hosting this timeThis article is part of the Guardian’s 2026 World Cup Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 48 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from three countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 11 June.The 2022 hosts’ preparations for the tournament were disrupted as the US-Iran war caused the cancellation of valuable friendlies against Serbia and champions Argentina in March. The coach, Julen Lopetegui, had wanted as many minutes as possible with his players, having only been appointed in May 2025. Worryingly, they had won only one out of 11 games under the former Spain and Real Madrid manager before the World Cup warm-up games.Lopetegui did what he had to do though, making sure Qatar reached the World Cup finals, but it was a close call. The Maroons finished fourth out of six teams in the main qualifying group before – aided by home advantage and a favourable schedule – drawing 0-0 with Oman and beating UAE 2-1 to ensure qualification.The Spanish coach, the latest of several Iberian appointments (Félix Sánchez, Bruno Pinheiro, Carlos Queiroz, Tintín Márquez and Luis García) has tried out several different formations but is likely to go with a 4-2-3-1 when the tournament starts.The lessons from the last World Cup have been debated at length. Then, it was over pretty much before it had started as the hosts, perhaps burdened by a buildup that lasted 12 years, went 2-0 down within 31 minutes of their opening game to Ecuador, and it could have been even more.Expect a more solid set-up this time around; a focus on keeping things tight and looking to hit group opponents Canada, Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina on the counter. There is work to be done as the team were all over the place defensively in qualifying, finishing the main round with a goal difference of minus seven after conceding 24 times in 10 games. Lopetegui has been trying to get to grips with that particular problem and we will soon see how successful he has been in that respect.Going forward there will be special attention to set pieces, where Qatar feel they can hurt their opponents. “We are aware of the magnitude of the responsibility placed upon us,” Lopetegui says. “We will spare no effort and will give everything we have to make the fans who stand behind us and support us happy and proud.”Julen Lopetegui has plenty of experience with Spain and Real Madrid before moving to England to lead Wolves and West Ham. His reputation is perhaps not quite what it was but Qatar offered something different. “Life owed me a World Cup,” he said upon qualifying. “We’ve been working for this moment for months and everything has turned out well. It’s a historic moment for the country, something that’s never been achieved before. The atmosphere has been extraordinary.” He will hope that this tournament goes better than when he travelled to Russia for the 2018 World Cup as Spain manager: as news of his deal to take over at Real Madrid after the tournament came out, he was promptly dismissed and replaced by Fernando Hierro.Akram Afif has been one of the stars of Asian football since the 2019 Asian Cup, when he recorded 10 assists as Qatar triumphed. Four years later, in the same tournament, he scored eight and made headlines around the world by scoring a hat-trick in the final, picking out a playing card from his socks every time he did so. He tried his luck in Europe in Belgium (KAS Eupen) and Spain (Villarreal and Sporting Gijón) but it did not quite work out. He has been back in Qatar since 2020. He has always had the talent but did not manage to show it at the 2022 World Cup, so this is his chance.Mohamed Al-Mannai. The Tunisian-born star adds a physical presence in midfield, where he can play pretty much anywhere, from a holding role to further up the pitch and, at 22, there seems to be much more to come. Made his debut for the famed Al-Sadd as a teenager before being loaned out to Al-Shamal. It was the right move and he contributed to the club having a successful season with five goals, earning the Under-23 Player of the Season award in the process. Lopetegui seems to be a fan too.Boualem Khoukhi will be 36 during the tournament so this is the last chance for the Algerian-born defender to make international headlines. Has played more than 100 times for his adopted national team and in a variety of positions, netting 21 goals at the time of writing. Most of his goals for the national team came as he was playing further forward – and he can still fill in wherever Lopetegui needs him. His confidence, reliability and experience has been valued by a succession of coaches at international level with many seeing him as the ultimate professional.With one of the smallest populations of any World Cup nation, Qatari fans are not going to travel in any significant numbers. Also, unlike some other Asian teams, there isn’t really any community to speak of in North America to get behind the Maroons. The Qatari folk song Shoomilah has become associated with the national team and became something of an unofficial anthem during the 2022 World Cup and is the most likely to be heard in San Francisco, Vancouver and Seattle.Qatar is a key US ally with strong diplomatic, economic and military ties, and there is an American airbase in the country. The country has tried to stay close to Trump and gave the president a $400m plane – dubbed Palace in the Sky – last year. But the war in Iran has been an issue with the US attacks leading to retaliation from Tehran on Qatar, which has damaged infrastructure and the country’s image.

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Uncertainty has clouded the All Whites and Team Melli’s group stage opener to be held in Los Angeles on 15 JuneNew Zealand will play their first World Cup game in 16 years with much of the planet watching what is surely the biggest event of the group stage. But little attention will be on whether New Zealand can record their first World Cup win with Iran their opposition on 15 June. As well as all the headlines and anticipation, the global spotlight adds an extra layer to the challenge for New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley and his team.Ever since the US and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February, there has been uncertainty surrounding this World Cup fixture in Los Angeles.There were conflicting signals whether the Islamic Republic of Iran would allow the national football team to travel to the home of its attacker, and whether the US would welcome Team Melli. With kick-off now weeks away, it appears the game will go ahead as planned. Still, there is the possibility of protests by the large local Iranian population in “Tehrangeles”, many of whom fled the 1979 revolution, and acts of defiance by players. It’s more than a football story.New Zealand, who also face Egypt and Belgium in their group, are very much the supporting cast in this drama. It is an unusual situation for any team to be in but that has been the case for the past three months with Bazeley never quite sure who the opposition would be for New Zealand’s biggest game since 2010.“Right now we’re still continuing as though we’re playing Iran,” Bazeley said in March. “They’re the team that qualified and we got drawn against them. That’s still the fixture and until we get told otherwise, we’ll ‌continue ⁠with that preparation. Obviously, if things change, then we’ll deal with that.”Nothing has changed yet despite Iran’s request that the game be switched to a different country, leading to the prospect of New Zealand having to play in Mexico before heading to Vancouver for their final two group games. Fifa did not agree to that but have given the go ahead for Iran to switch their training camp from Arizona to the Mexican border city of Tijuana.So, as it stands, it is Iran in LA. If that question is almost answered, then it now remains to be seen what kind of mental and physical condition Iran is in. There has been no domestic league action since the war in Iran started. Team Melli played two games in March behind closed doors – a 2-1 loss to Nigeria and then a 5-0 victory over Costa Rica. The players sang the national anthem with varying degrees of enthusiasm. There is little doubt that they are under considerable pressure.Amid all this uncertainty, the All Whites (official nickname of the New Zealand team) have a game to prepare for but their World Cup opener may not be as difficult as some think, according to Jahanyar Mohebbi, former assistant at Persian Gulf Pro League team Foolad FC.“Coach Amir Ghalenoei and his [Iran] staff will not change a lot, there will not be surprises,” Mohebbi, now with Chinese champions Shanghai Port, told the Guardian. “Iran are not an easy nation to play against … Iranian players are absolutely physical, always play direct. New Zealand will face a team that will be set in a low block and will try to get behind you on the counterattack.”Mohebbi has seen how Uzbekistan, who have developed quite a rivalry with Iran on the pitch in recent years, have learned to deal with the threat. In the last six meetings, Team Melli have failed to defeat the central Asians. “Look at how Uzbekistan play against Iran and deal with the long balls and set pieces,” he said. “It will be similar.”There are other issues for Iran. Many of the players haven’t played a competitive game for months. “New Zealand have players in Europe at a high level and if they can put Iran under pressure, if there is intensity and pressing, the Iranian team can struggle,” said Mohebbi.And then there is the politics. Sardar Azmoun was left out of the squad after posting social media messages that did not go down well in Tehran. Other members of the team have reportedly been pushing for the inclusion of the former Roma and Bayer Leverkusen striker but as things stand, Azmoun remains on the outer. It all adds to the chaos. “There are a lot of things going on that are not under the control of the coaching staff,” said Mohebbi.New Zealand will share the pitch and some of the global spotlight in Los Angeles in what should be an unforgettable occasion no matter the final score.

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Tim Payne identified as least-known player by Argentinian influencerCampaign launched to make defender a ‘hero’ before tournamentNew Zealand defender Tim Payne has become an unlikely star after an influencer from Argentina called on his followers to unite and make the little-known 32-year-old a “hero” of the upcoming World Cup.El Scarso, a football influencer also known as Valen Scarsini, identified Payne as the least-known player at the World Cup in Canada, the United States and Mexico based on his small social media following.Payne had around 4,700 followers on Instagram earlier this week. After being singled out by El Scarso that number has risen at a rate of almost 1,000 per minute to more than a million by Friday.Payne’s following is now six times greater than New Zealand’s captain and best-known player, Nottingham Forest forward Chris Wood.“There are only a few days left before the World Cup starts and we are all waiting to cheer for our national team, but what if there was a player who united us all, a footballer we all support regardless of their nationality?” Scarsini said.“I searched through all the national teams playing in the World Cup for the least known one and after analysing them one by one I found him. In group G, in New Zealand, there is Tim Payne. He really is the least known. He doesn’t even have 5,000 followers.”Scarsini, who has more than 500,000 followers, implored his base to “start mentioning Tim Payne everywhere.”“We have to start making videos feeding the legend of Tim Payne. If you have the World Cup [sticker] album, upload a photo with his sticker. The goal is to see how many people know Tim Payne before the World Cup starts.”Now there is even a song supporting Payne, who recently made his 50th appearance for New Zealand after making his debut at 18.The chorus, in Spanish, says “I’ve got his back. I cheer him on. I’ve been rooting for him from the beginning. Tim Payne, from cradle to grave. You’re a crack. I cheer you on, every step.” It continues, “no Payne, no gain.”Payne, who plays his club football for Wellington Phoenix in the A-League Men, responded Friday to his new-found social media fandom.“Was wondering why my socials were blowing up and found your post, man,” he said. “Appreciate the love! Gracias, hermano.“I just want to say a massive thank you first to you Valen. It’s been a pretty crazy 48 hours to say the least. I just wanted to also express that I’m very grateful to be representing my country and I appreciate all the love from all around the world.”New Zealand are playing at the World Cup for the third time after qualifying in 1982 and 2010. They have yet to win a match. The national team, known as the All Whites, is in Group G with Belgium, Iran and Egypt.

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Switzerland have never reached the semi-finals of the World Cup. Photograph: Laurent Gilliéron/EPAGranit Xhaka and his teammates enter with high expectations after a smooth route through qualifyingThis article is part of the Guardian’s 2026 World Cup Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 48 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from three countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 11 June.This is the sixth time in a row Switzerland have qualified for the World Cup and they will fly out to the US west coast on Tuesday with high expectations, setting up base in San Diego. “We want to play the best World Cup seen from a Swiss team,” the coach, Murat Yakin, told Blick. “The feeling that we could have reached the final of the last Euros [they lost on penalties to England in the quarter-finals] gives us something to dream about.”Switzerland have never got past the quarter-finals at the World Cup, last reaching that stage on home soil in 1954. Since then, their adventures have typically ended in the last 16, as was the case in 2022 in Doha when they lost 6-1 to Portugal.However, there are many reasons why Swiss fans can approach the tournament with hope and anticipation. The team were very comfortable in qualifying, finishing top of their group ahead of Kosovo, Slovenia and Sweden, winning four games and drawing two.There is a good mix in the squad between the elder statesmen – such as Granit Xhaka, Manuel Akanji and Ricardo Rodriguez – and a younger generation represented by Dan Ndoye, Fabian Rieder and Johan Manzambi among others. Moreover, the Nati have so far avoided injuries with the Burnley striker Zeki Amdouni seemingly winning his battle to get back after an anterior cruciate ligament injury.Noah Okafor is back too, having been sidelined after a poor Euro 2024, where he responded badly to not playing before launching a public dig at Yakin when left out from subsequent squads. The Leeds forward has apologised to the coach and the rest of the squad and is in the form of his life. “We’ve both done the right thing. His development has been very positive; he could be a key player at the World Cup,” Yakin said.Yakin’s preferred system is a 4-2-3-1, though he has recently been flirting with 3-4-3 and Denis Zakaria at right wing-back. It was this formation that took them to the last eight at the Euros.Murat Yakin. His standing has never been higher and the defender Rodriguez is one of those impressed. “Murat is doing a really good job,” he said. “Over the years, he’s become even more open and communicative with us. He talks to us a lot, asks for our opinions from time to time and listens to us. He’s really brilliant at that.”Yakin’s appointment as Vladimir Petkovic’s successor, in August 2021, came as a surprise given he was in charge of second-tier FC Schaffhausen at the time and there have been sticky periods, such as the loss to Portugal and weak performances in the buildup to Euro 2024, when he was publicly criticised by Xhaka. After the positive tournament, however, he extended his contract to 2028.The captain, Granit Xhaka, remains the team’s most important player at the age of 33. He is the linchpin of Switzerland’s buildup play, dictating the tempo and ensuring a balance between defence and attack. This will probably be the last World Cup for Switzerland’s record appearance-maker, but he could well continue his international career after the tournament. He has followed up two outstanding years at Bayer Leverkusen with an equally impressive one for Sunderland, the Premier League newcomers who secured Europa League football on the last day of the season. Xhaka, as he says, is like a good red wine: the older, the better.Johan Manzambi. The Geneva-born midfielder’s impressive season at Freiburg has not gone unnoticed with Europe’s top clubs monitoring the all-rounder. Hardly a week goes by without a new rumour surfacing about where Switzerland’s biggest talent will play next. He could become the most expensive Swiss transfer after the World Cup, beating the €45m Arsenal paid Borussia Mönchengladbach for Xhaka in 2016. His versatility helps as he is able to play as a No 6, No 8, No 10 or even up front. For the national team he is not yet a regular starter, but is often brought on in a wide position. Yakin has said Manzambi can be a “secret weapon” in North America, adding: “His development is really impressive. When he was first called up to the national team last summer we realised straight away the incredible potential he has.”Remo Freuler. The Zurich native had to work hard to get to the top, having once been told he was not good enough for Grasshoppers, which led to a move to second-tier Winterthur. His move from Luzern to Serie A and Atalanta in 2016 took many by surprise, but he settled in Italy and became increasingly important for the national team as well. Having fought his way into the starting lineup after the 2018 World Cup he is now indispensable and perfectly complements the playmaker Xhaka in midfield. The 34-year-old excels through his running capacity, his strength in one-on-one situations and his footballing intelligence – and even scores the odd important goal from time to time.Swiss supporters usually turn out in droves for major tournaments and the fan marches at Euro 2024 in Germany are still fresh in memory. Then, more than 10,000 turned the cities red and white. That, sadly, will not happen this time. Only about 500 have tickets for the group games through the Swiss FA and about 2,000 for the knockout stages. As was the case four years ago in Qatar, the political situation is stopping some from making the trip and it is compounded by the high costs of flights, accommodation and travel. Their favourite song is “Schwiizer Nati, olé olé” and the fans have come up with a chant for striker Breel Embolo to the tune of The Lion Sleeps Tonight.Do not expect any player to comment on the US president or the political situation. The Swiss FA president, Peter Knäbel, said at the end of 2025: “We will ensure again this year that the team can and will focus 100% on the sport. If an issue directly affects our values as an association, we will – as we have done in the past – take a clear stand.” The US and Switzerland have been involved in tense trade discussions in recent months with Donald Trump hitting out in April. “Switzerland presents itself as a ‘small and brilliant’ country,” he told CNBC. “They’re brilliant because they pay us almost nothing. Now they pay a little bit. They should pay much more.”Written by Christian Finkbeiner for Blick