This year’s World Cup will give Egypt the opportunity to do something it has never done before, which is to go through the group stage. Although this country has won many times in African football, it has never stood out in the World Cup.
This year it will start in Group G where it has been drawn with Belgium, Iran and New Zealand. Although Belgium is expected to come out on top in this group due to being ranked in the best place in the world, the other three teams seem to have an equal chance of advancing to the knockout round.
EGYPT
Nickname: The Pharaohs
Coach: Hossam Hassan
Ukaputeni: Mohamed Salah
Egypt will be playing in the World Cup for the fourth time as it was in 1934, 1990 and 2018. It secured a place by topping its group through Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia and Djibouti.
This country has produced a number of players who have played a role in becoming African champions seven times including Mahmoud El Khatib, Mohamed Aboutrika, and Hossam Hassan who is now their coach. Apart from captain Salah, other players expected to enter the playoffs for the first time are Trezeguet and Omar Marmoush.
BELGIUM
Isiteketiso: The Red Devils
Coach: Rudi Garcia
Captain: Youri Tielemans
Belgium has played 14 times in the World Cup and is one of the best football countries in Europe and around the world. In the World Cup held in Russia, this country finished in third place and is now among the teams with a chance to win the tournament.
It entered the tournament by winning its group in the European qualifiers, where it was drawn against Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein. Veterans from this country include Paul Van Himst, Jan Ceulemans and Vincent Kompany. The current team led by Youri Tielemans includes experienced players like Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Jeremy Doku, Leandro Trossard and others.
IRAN
Isiteketiso: Melli
Coach: Amir Ghalenoei
Captain: Ehsan Hajsafi
Iran will be playing in the World Cup for the seventh time and has entered the competition four times in a row, which shows that it is one of the strongest countries in Asian football. However, this country still has the challenge of entering the knockout round for the first time.
The most famous player in the history of football from this country is Ali Daei, who scored 108 goals for the national team, a record surpassed only by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for men. The trusted players at the moment include Mehdi Taremi, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Mohammad Mohemi and others.
NEW ZEALAND
Isiteketiso: All Whites
Coach: Darren Bazeley
Captain: Chris Wood
New Zealand will return to the World Cup for the first time since the last one held in South Africa in 2010. Before that, it had last played in this tournament in 1982, when it was held in Spain. Entered this year by coming out on top in the Oceania region by defeating New Caledonia in the finals of the qualifiers.
Although this country does not have much history in football, the players who have participated in the World Cup are still remembered, including Wynton Rufer, Ryan Nelsen, Shane Smeltz and others. Captain Chris Wood is the leading goalscorer for the All Whites and the England Nottingham Forest forward is the one who will be carrying his country’s hopes in this year’s World Cup. In this team there is also a stopper who once played for SuperSport United, Michael Boxall.