Haaland vs Mbappe, Fantasy Fixtures and The Village People: Key Moments from the World Cup Draw

The upcoming global tournament is at last beginning to seem very real. While fans are now able to begin planning their schedules, the recent ceremony in the US capital was full of major talking points.

Well before the Village People took to the stage with their classic hit, we were left analyzing a group stage that includes a showdown between two of the world's best strikers and a playoff bracket promising a highly anticipated meeting between two greats of the sport.

The Draw That Felt Like It Would Go On Forever

Many people logged on eager to discover their national side's initial fixtures. But, even though supporters are used to these draws taking some time, this was extraordinary.

Following performances by Robbie Williams and a former Pussycat Doll, addresses from political leaders and Fifa officials, plus numerous video packages and interviews, it finally seemed to get going almost 60 minutes later. Or so we thought.

This led to further commentary and entertainment, before the real selection process eventually began nearly an hour and a half after the glitzy event first kicked off. The selection then took 59 minutes to complete.

On to the Football Itself...

The upcoming tournament will be the largest in the competition's history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a first-ever additional knockout round. Yet, this expansion has maybe resulted in the group stage being slightly diluted in overall strength.

There are very few matches between the traditional powerhouses. England's match with Croatia is the most significant on paper. That is the sole opening-round game featuring two teams ranked in the top 10.

The Selecao versus Morocco is the second most intriguing. The Dutch have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Germany—grouped with Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the easiest on paper. Nevertheless, interesting matches remain.

A Pair of Prolific Scorers Face Off

Phenomenal striker Erling Haaland will make his debut in his first major tournament in the upcoming finals. The Premier League forward scored 16 times in eight matches to single-handedly carry his nation to their first appearance since 1998.

Few have managed to rival the 25-year-old's incredible scoring records—except for one player is scheduled to face him in the last match of group games. Together with Senegal, Norway have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's Les Bleus.

This means the leading scorers in the Premier League and Spain's division will clash for the initial occasion in international football. Expect net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.

A Familiar Foe

Mexico will take on Bafana Bafana in the first game—and not for the first time. The sides also opened the 2010 edition. That match, which finished 1-1, is best remembered for a rasping second-half strike.

Another notable fixture will see France once more face the Senegalese, who stunned the reigning title-holders back in the 2002 World Cup. On that first day, a then-unknown player upstaged France's galaxy of stars to score the decisive goal.

Dream Ties for the Debutants

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have taken advantage of the larger World Cup to qualify for the finals for the first occasion. But, awaiting them are past winners, continental title-holders and Copa America winners.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the least populous country to ever play at a World Cup, will take on multiple winners Die Mannschaft. The island nation, with a population of around 600,000, will face European champions and former champions Spain.

Jordan, after decades of trying, will face defending champions La Albiceleste and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be led by a former champion against the Portuguese icon's Selecao das Quinas.

And Then Comes the Knockout Stage?

Assuming all the favorites progress from their groups, fans may not wait long for the heavyweights to collide. The last 16 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a potential tie between former champions the Germans and France.

On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be drawn to the last eight, where old rivals the Argentine and the Portuguese are set for a potential clash. It would depend on both Argentina and Ronaldo's side winning their groups and squeezing through the initial playoffs.

Regarding the Three Lions, a match with co-hosts Mexico seems the probable last-32 tie. Should the Scots progress, Samurai Blue or the Netherlands could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup knockout fixture.