Haaland vs Mbappe, Dream Match-ups and The Village People: The Highlights from the World Cup Draw

The upcoming World Cup is finally starting to feel very real. While fans can finally start marking their calendars, the recent draw in Washington DC was full of major talking points.

Well before the Village People performed with their classic hit, observers were picking the bones out of a group stage that includes a showdown between two of the world's best strikers and a knockout stage that could produce a truly mouthwatering meeting between two greats of the game.

The Ceremony That Felt Like It May Never End

Numerous viewers logged on eager to discover their national side's initial opponents. However, even though supporters are accustomed to such ceremonies being lengthy, this was extraordinary.

Following performances by a pop star and Nicole Scherzinger, addresses from dignitaries and Fifa officials, plus numerous video packages and interviews, it eventually appeared to get going nearly an hour later. Or so we thought.

Cue more interviews and entertainment, before the actual draw eventually began around 90 minutes after the glitzy event initially started. The selection then took 59 minutes to complete.

Moving On to the Football Itself...

The upcoming tournament will be the biggest in history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a new round of 32. Yet, this expansion has maybe resulted in the group stage being slightly diluted in quality.

There are hardly any matches between the traditional powerhouses. England's match with Croatia is the biggest on paper. That is the sole opening-round game with two teams inside the world's elite.

Brazil versus Morocco is the next best. The Netherlands have the most difficult draw by Fifa world rankings, while Die Mannschaft—grouped with Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the easiest on paper. But, compelling contests remain.

A Pair of Goal Machines Go Head-to-Head

Phenomenal striker Norway's star will make his debut in his first major tournament in the upcoming finals. The Premier League forward scored 16 times in qualifying matches to single-handedly carry his nation to their initial berth since 1998.

Few have been able to come close to the youngster's ridiculous scoring records—except for one player is set to face him in the last match of group games. Together with Senegal, The Nordic side have been paired with the French superstar's France.

This means the top marksmen in the English top flight and La Liga will clash for the first time in international football. Anticipate net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.

We Meet Again

Mexico will face South Africa in the opening match—and not for the first time. The sides also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That game, ending 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous second-half strike.

Another notable fixture will see the French once more face Senegal, who shocked the reigning title-holders back in 2002. On that opening night, a then-unknown player outshone France's galaxy of stars to score the decisive goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the First-Timers

Four new nations have benefited from the expanded World Cup to reach the finals for the first time. But, awaiting them are former world champions, European champions and South American champions.

In one group, Curacao, the least populous country to ever play at a World Cup, will take on four-time winners Die Mannschaft. Cape Verde, with a population of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and former champions Spain.

The Middle Eastern side, after 40 years of trying, meets 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 Portugal.

And Then Comes the Knockout Stage?

If all the top teams make it safely through their groups, fans may not wait long for the big hitters to collide. The last 16 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a possible matchup between past winners Germany and France.

On the other side of the draw, eyes will be fixed on the last eight, where historic adversaries Messi and Ronaldo are set for a possible clash. It would require both Argentina and Portugal finishing top and squeezing through the early knockout rounds.

Regarding the Three Lions, a match with co-hosts Mexico seems the probable last-32 tie. Should the Scots are able to get through, Japan or the Netherlands could be waiting in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.