The USMNT is in Group B of the World Cup. (1:31) The draw for the World Cup is over. Three places remain up for grabs through the playoffs, which include Wales, Scotland, and Costa Rica. Let's use numbers to break down some of the most intriguing opponents of the tournament, courtesy of the information from the website. The Americans and Three Lions have not lost to England in two previous meetings, with the Americans and Three Lions facing Iran and the winner of the Wales vs. the rearranged semifinal between Scotland and Ukraine. In the group stage of the 2010 World Cup, the U.S. and England played to a1–1 draw. The Americans have a history with Iran. The U.S. fell in the only tournament meeting between the two teams, midway through a 1998 group stage in which the USMNT would lose all three games. The last time the U.S. met a group-stage opponent from the Asian Football Confederation was 2002, when they battled for a draw with South Korea. The World Cup schedule in 2022.
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Italy, Spain, and Germany all went out in the group stage in the past three years, meaning that France have a lot of work to do. There is a lot of optimism for Les Bleus.
In the two World Cups that France have won, they were drawn into the same group as the Danes. The only other group-stage matches that have happened more often are Serbia vs. Yugoslavia and Argentina vs. Nigeria.
The odds seem to be stacked against Mexico. El Tri have lost all four of their World Cup matches against their group-stage opponents: three to Argentina and one to Poland.
If Mexico are unable to break their duck against Argentina, only six teams will have played more times against them than against them. Lionel Messi has three goals in five games against El Tri.
There is a silver lining for Mexico. France, Brazil and France won the World Cup in Group C. They have advanced to the knockout round every time they have faced a South American team.
The opening match of the World Cup will be played on Nov. 21 at Al Bayt Stadium. The first two World Cup tournaments were played by Italy in 1934 and 1930. The first-ever tournaments for both men and women in the 20th century, and the first World Cup for both men and women in the 21st century, did not make any host nations.
Argentina are on a 31 game winning streak, the longest active streak by any national team, and six shy of the world record set by Italy in 2021. They will have to beat the Azzurri in the Finalissima to get to take on Mexico, Poland and Saudi Arabia.
Group G has Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon. In World Cup play, the Selecao have not won against the Swiss. Brazil, Switzerland and Serbia were lumped together in the same group at Russia.
In the past, they have faced all of their group-stage opponents in the knockout rounds, including a win over South Korea in the round of 16 in 2010 and a controversial win over Ghana in the quarterfinals.
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