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

The upcoming global tournament is at last beginning to seem very real. Although supporters can finally start marking their calendars, the recent draw in the US capital was full of major talking points.

Long before the iconic group performed with YMCA, we were left picking the bones out of a opening round that includes a showdown between football's top forwards and a playoff bracket that could produce a highly anticipated meeting between legends of the game.

The Ceremony That Seemed Like It May Never End

Numerous viewers logged on keen to find out their national side's group stage opponents. However, even though fans are used to such ceremonies being lengthy, this was extraordinary.

Following performances by a pop star and a former Pussycat Doll, speeches from dignitaries and Fifa officials, plus countless montages and discussions, it finally seemed to get going almost 60 minutes later. Or so we thought.

This led to more interviews and performances, before the actual draw eventually began around 90 minutes after the star-studded show first kicked off. The selection then required almost an hour to finish.

Moving On to the Football Itself...

The upcoming World Cup will be the largest in history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a first-ever additional knockout round. Yet, this expansion has perhaps led to the group stage being slightly diluted in quality.

There are very few matches between the major nations. England's match with their 2018 semi-final opponents is the most significant theoretically. That is the sole opening-round game featuring two teams ranked in the top 10.

The Selecao versus Morocco is the next best. The Dutch have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Die Mannschaft—grouped with Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. Nevertheless, compelling contests remain.

A Pair of Goal Machines Face Off

Phenomenal striker Erling Haaland will make his debut in his major international competition next summer. The Premier League forward netted 16 goals in qualifying matches to single-handedly carry his country to their initial berth since 1998.

Hardly any have been able to rival the youngster's ridiculous scoring records—except for one player is scheduled to come up against him in the final round of group games. Together with Senegal, Norway have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's France.

This means the top marksmen in the Premier League and La Liga will go head-to-head for the first time in international football. Anticipate net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.

A Familiar Foe

Mexico will take on Bafana Bafana in the first game—and not for the first time. The two teams also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That game, ending 1-1, is most famous for a thunderous second-half strike.

Another eye-catching fixture will see the French once more face Senegal, who shocked the reigning title-holders back in 2002. On that first day, a then-unknown player upstaged France's cast of star names to score the winning goal.

Dream Ties for the Debutants

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have benefited from the expanded World Cup to reach the finals for the first occasion. But, standing in their way are past winners, European champions and Copa America winners.

In one group, Curacao, the least populous country to ever play at a World Cup, will meet multiple winners Die Mannschaft. The island nation, with a population of around 600,000, will face European champions and 2010 World Cup winners La Roja.

The Middle Eastern side, after 40 years of trying, will face title-holders La Albiceleste and Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be guided by a 2006 World Cup winner against Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.

What About the Playoff Rounds?

If all the favorites progress from their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the big hitters to meet. The round of 32 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a possible matchup between past winners the Germans and the French.

On the other side of the draw, eyes will be drawn to the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries Messi and the Portuguese are lined up for a potential showdown. It would depend on both Argentina and Ronaldo's side finishing top and squeezing through the initial playoffs.

For England, a game against tournament hosts seems the most likely last-32 tie. And, if the Scots are able to get through, Samurai Blue or the Netherlands could be waiting in what would be their first ever World Cup playoff match.