FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
FIFA's newly expanded format of 48 national teams for the 2026 World Cup promised absolute chaos and the group stages are already paying off.
If you look at the currently projected routes, two of the biggest teams in world football, Germany and France, are facing a massive clash that will define the tournament much earlier than expected.
While the image above shows Germany and France lined up for a thrilling round of 16 battle on July 4, that bracket is strictly an "as is" projection.
For this to happen in reality, both teams must finish exactly in first place in their respective groups.
Looking at the current group standings, Germany is in an unassailable position. Even if Germany loses its final match against Ecuador and Ivory Coast beats Curaçao to equal Germany on 6 points, the head-to-head rule comes into play.
Since Germany had already defeated Ivory Coast 2-1 on Saturday, Germany has the tie in hand and holds on to first place no matter what.
But France is locked in a high-stakes battle where everything is still completely open.
If the groups end with Germany and France at the top, their matches in the round of 16 present a very high probability of success:
Germany vs. Scotland: Germany would be overwhelming favorites against a Scottish team that has struggled for consistency.
France vs. Sweden: While Sweden is always a physical test, Kylian Mbappe and a French team that is playing with big ball have too many world-class players to be heavily favored.
If the "heavy" teams make it through the group stage and successfully pass the round of 16, the football world will receive the best gift of July 4th: a Germany-France match in the round of 16 that is worth comparing to the final.
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