Spoiler alert: I’m not a fan of a 48-nation World Cup 2026.
Yet in a competition which is saturated with group games, needless mismatches and encounters which will struggle to find a spark, some of the contests in Group C do actually pose a genuine excitement.
I mean, what’s not to like about football which involves the five-time World Champions Brazil as the South American giants look to end, by their standards, what has been a spell in the doldrums.
Then there is Morocco, 2022 World Cup semi-finalists and the top representatives from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The Atlas Lions were, in many ways, the team of the tournament in Qatar as they finished in fourth place and delighted followers around the world with both their football and their spirit (apart from the teams they shocked, of course).
If that was special three and a half years ago, the qualifying escapades of Scotland last November were not too far behind.
Some 10,011 days after defeat in a group stage match against Morocco at the 1998 World Cup, the Scots once more reached the biggest international stage of all and few can begrudge them their place.
In their key qualifier versus Denmark, there was the opener from Scott McTominay, an outrageous overhead kick which even a goalkeeper as superb as Kasper Schmeichel could only acknowledge.
That was followed by a spectacular effort from Kieran Tierney before Kenny McLean found the net from his own half on a night few Scots will ever forget.
The quirk of the draw means they have been paired with Morocco again and, assuming Brazil are favourites to the top the group and that Haiti (returning to the World Cup finals for the first time since 1974) are the minnows, it may well come to down to their meeting to determine who reaches the last 32.
For me, McTominay is the one to watch for Scotland and the player who will make them tick if they are to reach the knockout stages for the first time in their history.
The 29 year-old midfielder led Napoli to the Italian title last season, becoming the first Scottish player to be crowned Serie A Footballer of the Year in the process, and will be a focal point for the Tartan Army.
The ex-Manchester United man has shone under Steve Clarke, winning 62 of his 69 caps under the current manager and scoring 14 goals in that time.
The fact he also netted seven times in eight Euro 2024 qualifiers, including a brace against Spain, shows why he will likely be Scotland’s talisman in North America.
Another man tipped for possible World Cup 2026 highlights is Morocco attacker Brahim Díaz.
The Real Madrid man scored five times at the Africa Cup of Nations at the start of the year, finishing as the top scorer of the tournament. Despite starting only 17 times for Los Blancos this season, the winger has registered ten goal contributions too.
Díaz played for the Spanish youth national team before committing to Morocco and is a rising star who former manager Walid Regragui said could be ‘the best player in the world.’
He wasn’t part of Morocco’s 2022 World Cup squad and will want to play his own part in their latest adventure.
I certainly won’t be writing them off on embarking on another run to the latter stages.
In Qatar, plenty of pundits and fans suspected Morocco had reached their high watermark with a group-stage victory over Belgium.
Yet they continued to raise the bar, squeezing the life out of Spain before progressing from the last 16 on penalties and they were similarly obdurate and dangerous on the counter-attack when winning their quarter-final against Portugal.
Their finest hour was, of course, the historic achievement when Regragui’s men became the first African team to the reach the semi-finals with victory over 2016 European champions Portugal.
If Diaz is my second one to watch, I am spoilt for my options by my third and final choice.
I have always thought Carlo Ancelotti and Brazil can be the dream ticket and this summer is the first chance to show why.
The Italian is a multiple winner in multiple countries to the extent that silverware is almost guaranteed when he’s around – from the Premier League to La Liga.
In fact, since Sir Alex Ferguson called it a day in 2013, I am in no doubt he has been the best manager in the world.
In a statement announcing his appointment, the Brazilian FA hailed the “landmark moment of the coming together of two icons”, highlighting their unrivalled five World Cup wins and Ancelotti’s historic record in European football.
This is Ancelotti’s first international role, but he has taken over as one of the most decorated managers in club football.
The player I think could light up their World Cup most of all is Raphinha, the Barcelona attacking midfielder who is approaching his peak aged 29.
The lone Brazilian to earn a Ballon d’Or nomination last year, his ability to also play on the wing should keep opponents on their toes and, if he can overcome his recent injury setbacks, could be their man to watch.
With more than 130 goal contributions in over 170 appearances for Barcelona over the past four years, no wonder the SBOTOP World Cup 2026 betting odds back Brazil to do well again Stateside.
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