No one wants her in their group

It would be disingenuous to say that the United States and its capital were affected by the World Cup soccer atmosphere, which the world’s leading power shares with Mexico and Canada. The country is now entering the decisive era of its king sport, the other football, American football, in which the foot is hardly used. They are at the end of the NFL regular season and about to begin the “playoffs” for the college competition. And that’s pretty much all you see on DC T-shirts and on TVs in bars.

Americans are looking elsewhere at the moment. But this Friday, the world will set its eyes on the drums that will determine the fortunes of the 48 countries – a more expanded version than ever before – in this World Cup. Delegations, senior officials, former football players and journalists from around the world traveled to Washington to experience the draw.

will happen in Kennedy CenterThe great cultural scene in the American capital. Here, on the banks of the Potomac River, there is a country that is heard more than any other when discussing who can win the World Cup: Spain.

“I’m not telling you this because you’re from Spain,” warns Michael Lewis, a football historian who has been involved in World Cup finals since Mexico 1986 over four decades. “but Spain has a combination of quality and competitive experience that is difficult to beat», he says when trying to analyze the most prominent candidates to lift the cup.

The trophy, which is in the same room as he speaks to this newspaper, sparkles in the spotlight. Luis saw how Iker Casillas lifted him in South Africa in 2010 and confirmed that he had similar feelings to the ones he had for Luis de la Fuente’s team in this edition.

“Spain always comes up in my mind,” said Marcelo Balboa, a local football legend, when asked who was the favorite to win the final on July 19. He was a mainstay for the United States in another World Cup final in 1994, which marked the start of soccer in the country. He is now participating with other former players in a committee organized by FIFA. Next to him is Dunga, the captain of the Brazilian national team in that World Cup, who lifted the trophy. With Amarilla’s usual superiority, he has no doubt that his favorite candidate to win now is Brazil.

But Atiba Hutchinson, the Canadian soccer icon, is also thinking about La Roja. He stressed: “Brazil is always there, but Spain is a very, very good team.” And he talks about it Its young star is Lamine Yamalto justify your choice. He believes he will be the big star in the World Cup. “He is the chosen one, he is created for moments like these, and he loves the pressure of big stages. “He has all the quality and is surrounded by a great team.”

Another named player, also from the organizing country, the Mexican Luis “El Matador” Hernandez, who scored four goals in France 1998, did not mention Spain: “The most important were always Brazil, Argentina, France and England,” he says with questionable knowledge of football history (England has not reached a final since the World Cup, which it won in 1966, and has never won the European Championship).

“He must have forgotten Spain,” Jesús Padilla, a Mexican journalist based in Dallas, muttered with a laugh. “Spain is the most feared country.”

The fear is that you will be drawn in your group draw and this will complicate the process of qualifying for the final rounds. Although moving to a group will be cheaper than ever. The new format of the World Cup – more teams, more matches, more TV channels, more media, more money – divides the 48 participating nations into 12 groups. For the first time, there will be a round of 32, in which the best two teams from each group and the best eight third-place teams will qualify.

Drawing mechanics

The 48 teams will be divided into Four drums, each with twelve teams. Groups will be formed with one drum from each drum. In the first stage, there will be the three organizing countries – the USA, Mexico and Canada – and the nine teams with the best FIFA rankings. The first is Spain. Then there are other candidates like Argentina, France, Brazil or Portugal, which are also receiving a lot of buzz in Washington as a potential winner.

And in the rest of the pots, the rest of the teams, also according to the FIFA ranking. In the fourth round, six qualifying teams remain to be determined (Among them is Italy, the country in pot four that no one wants in their group.)

In the second pot, there are teams that some believe are capable of causing a surprise in the World Cup. Most, Morocco. But also other countries, like Colombia. For them, it is important which country is the first drum to fall on their lot.

“Spain, Spain, we want to avoid Spain,” says Octavio Moura, the Colombian journalist, without a moment’s hesitation. “Is there a need for reasons? Just look at the rankings. But you also have to see how they played in the European Cup, Lamine Yamal, and the rest of the players…”

Lottery also imposes other The restrictions are so that the top candidates do not cross each other soon in the final draw. For example, if Spain and Argentina finish first in the group, they will not meet until the final. In the case of France or England, they will only meet in the semi-finals.