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  • 11 minutes ago
The group stage is almost over, and the knockout picture is taking shape. If the FIFA World Cup ended today, these would be the Round of 32 matchups, the biggest blockbuster clashes, the toughest paths to the trophy, and the surprises that nobody expected.

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00:00If the group stage ended today, the 2026 World Cup would give us some of the most
00:05unexpected matchups of the tournament. Germany versus Scotland, Norway versus Sweden,
00:10South Korea against Switzerland, the Netherlands against Morocco.
00:14And that's only one side of the bracket. Because on the other side, the matchups become even more
00:20intriguing. Brazil against Japan, France against Ivory Coast, Mexico against Cape Verde, and
00:26England against Portugal. Yes, England against Portugal in the first knockout round.
00:32But perhaps the biggest matchup would be another one. Argentina against Uruguay,
00:37a South American classic, with Messi chasing another World Cup, and Uruguay trying to eliminate
00:42the defending champions. Australia against Iran, Canada against Belgium, and Colombia against
00:49Paraguay. On paper, it's a matchup that looks favorable for Colombia. But in this World Cup,
00:55we've already seen the favorites struggle far more than expected. The most interesting part
01:00isn't who's on top. It's how everything changes with just one result. Because there are still
01:05matches left to play. One win, one draw, or even one goal can move entire teams to a different side
01:12of the bracket. That's why these probably won't be the final matchups. But if the group stage ended
01:18today, this would be the road to the World Cup.
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