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

The upcoming global tournament is finally beginning to seem tangible. While supporters can finally start planning their schedules, Friday's ceremony in the US capital was not short of significant headlines.

Well before the Village People performed with YMCA, observers were picking the bones out of a group stage that includes a showdown between football's top strikers and a playoff bracket that could produce a truly mouthwatering meeting between legends of the sport.

The Draw That Seemed Like It Would Go On Forever

Many people tuned in eager to discover their national side's group stage fixtures. However, even though fans are accustomed to such ceremonies taking some time, this one set a new standard.

Following acts by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, speeches from dignitaries and football's governing body, plus numerous montages and discussions, it finally seemed to get going nearly an hour later. That was an illusion.

This led to further commentary and performances, before the actual draw eventually began around 90 minutes after the glitzy event initially started. The draw itself then required almost an hour to finish.

Moving On to the Actual Football...

The upcoming World Cup will be the largest in history, with a record 48 teams and a new round of 32. Yet, this increase in size has maybe resulted in the initial phase being slightly diluted in overall strength.

There are very few fixtures between the traditional powerhouses. England's match with their 2018 semi-final opponents is the biggest theoretically. That is the sole opening-round game with two teams ranked in the top 10.

Brazil versus Morocco is the second most intriguing. The Dutch have the toughest group by official standings, while Germany—drawn against Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. But, interesting matches still await.

Two Goal Machines Go Head-to-Head

Generational goalgetter Erling Haaland will get a crack at his first major tournament next summer. The Manchester City striker netted 16 goals in qualifying matches to single-handedly carry his country to their first appearance since 1998.

Few have been able to come close to the 25-year-old's incredible scoring records—but someone who has is set to come up against him in the final round of group games. Along with The Lions of Teranga, Norway have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's Les Bleus.

This means the leading scorers in the English top flight and La Liga will clash for the initial occasion in international football. Anticipate net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.

We Meet Again

El Tri will take on South Africa in the opening match—repeating history. The sides also opened the tournament in South Africa. That game, which finished 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous goal.

Another notable group game will see the French once more face Senegal, who shocked the reigning title-holders back in 2002. On that first day, a future Fulham midfielder upstaged France's galaxy of stars to score the decisive goal.

Dream Ties for the Debutants

Four new nations have taken advantage of the larger World Cup to reach the tournament for the first time. But, standing in their way are past winners, continental title-holders and Copa America winners.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the smallest nation to ever feature in a World Cup, will meet four-time winners Germany. The island nation, with a population of around half a million, will face Euro winners and former champions La Roja.

The Middle Eastern side, after decades of trying, will face defending champions La Albiceleste and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be led by a former champion against Cristiano Ronaldo's Selecao das Quinas.

And Then Comes the Knockout Stage?

Assuming all the top teams progress from their groups, fans may not wait long for the heavyweights to collide. The round of 32 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a potential tie between past winners the Germans and the French.

On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be fixed on the quarter-final stage, where old rivals Messi and Ronaldo are lined up for a possible showdown. It would require both Argentina and Portugal winning their groups and squeezing through the early knockout rounds.

Regarding the Three Lions, a game against co-hosts Mexico seems the most likely last-32 tie. Should Scotland are able to get through, Samurai Blue or the Netherlands could await in what would be their historic World Cup knockout fixture.