Dec 5 (Reuters) – Reaction to the 2026 World Cup draw that was conducted in Washington DC on Friday.
GROUP A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, European Playoff D
JAVIER AGUIRRE, MEXICO HEAD COACH
“There are no small opponents, we mustn’t get complacent, we have to work hard. We’ll have to wait to find out who our European opponent will be. We’ll be repeating our opening match (against South Africa) from 15 years ago and we’ll have to be ready.”
GROUP B: Canada, European Playoff A, Qatar, Switzerland
JESSE MARSCH, CANADA HEAD COACH
“I believe it’s a group we can win and I would have said that no matter who was in the group because I believe in our team, I believe in the strength of our team, I believe in the confidence in our team and playing at home will be a big advantage.
“We’re not going to (be) overconfident, we’re going to be very realistic, we’re going to stay focused, we’re going to go about it in machine-like performances day in and day out like we have the whole time we have been together.”
GROUP C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
CARLO ANCELOTTI, BRAZIL HEAD COACH
“We have strong rivals in the group and we have to work hard for the first game against Morocco. A draw is a draw. It could have been an easier draw, but it was a little more difficult. We have a clear goal of finishing first in the group.”
STEVE CLARKE, SCOTLAND HEAD COACH
“One of the big things in my head was no European teams so we’re playing three top sides from three different continents and that’s what the World Cup is all about. So I think it’s a really good draw.”
WALID REGRAGUI, MOROCCO HEAD COACH
“Playing against Brazil is a dream for everyone. It is an honour for us; Brazil is the country of football, and for Moroccans, it is an example. We have great respect for the Selecao, but let’s be honest, it will be a great game. May the best team win.”
GROUP D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, European Playoff C
MAURICIO POCHETTINO, U.S. HEAD COACH
“My message to the players is Paraguay, Australia and the other team (playoff winner) is going to be difficult. We need to prepare like each game is the final of the World Cup. Thinking we should win before we play the games is the wrong mindset.
ALEXI LALAS, AMERICAN SOCCER GREAT
“If you believe in the soccer gods, you should be thanking them. This is not just a good group, this is a great group, and this is a group that you should expect this United States team, under Mauricio Pochettino, to win and go through. I don’t want to say it’s an easy group, but we also have to be realistic with what we got here.”
GROUP E: Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
DICK ADVOCAAT, CURACAO HEAD COACH
“It is a fantastic draw for Curacao. To play the opening match against a major football nation like Germany is of course wonderful. It is already so special to be on this stage with Curacao, and now we face three countries from different continents. All three teams are difficult opponents. We will see what it will bring us with Curacao. We will take it as it comes, but this draw is very good.”
GROUP H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
LUIS DE LA FUENTE, SPAIN HEAD COACH
“The fact that we are seen as favourites is a recognition of the level of Spanish football. Let’s appreciate that. But that doesn’t guarantee anything, and the praise won’t weaken us. Quite the contrary. We have a great responsibility, we want to do something important in this World Cup. And that means doing well in the group stage and continuing to move forward, because the matches will become increasingly difficult.”
GROUP I: France, Senegal, FIFA Playoff 2, Norway
ADRIEN RABIOT, FRANCE MIDFIELDER
“A fairly strong group, but as we know it’s a World Cup — the teams that are there deserve to be there, and we’ll have to fight to reach the next stage. We’ll need to be in good shape after a very long season, because the teams that will perform best will be those who are physically strongest.”
STALE SOLBAKKEN, NORWAY HEAD COACH
“We got a tough draw. France and Spain are the two best European teams, and Senegal, they have a good generation now. Of course, we can beat Senegal, and we can beat Bolivia, and we can on our maximum, maximum day take points from France. That’s the attitude we need to have when we go into this here.”
PAPE THIAW, SENEGAL HEAD COACH
“It’s always a pleasure to play against France. It’s a country we know well — for me, it’s my second home. Twenty-four years later, we face them again. In 2002, it went well for us. This will not be an easy match. We will be well prepared.”
GROUP J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
LIONEL SCALONI, ARGENTINA HEAD COACH
“We’re going to give it our all and try to do what we did in the last World Cup, which is to give everything we can, not give up on any ball. That’s what this team has been doing.”
GROUP L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
THOMAS TUCHEL, ENGLAND HEAD COACH
“It’s a difficult group and a difficult opening match against Croatia, they were the top seeds in pot two and Ghana from pot four is a regular in the World Cups and they have some of the best players like (Antoine) Semenyo and (Mohammed) Kudus playing in the Premier League with a lot of quality.”
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Additional reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City Julien Pretot in Paris, Martyn Herman, Philip O’Connor, Tommy Lund and Fernando Kallas; Editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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