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

The upcoming global tournament is finally beginning to seem tangible. Although fans are now able to begin marking their calendars, Friday's draw in Washington DC was not short of significant headlines.

Long before the iconic group performed with YMCA, we were left picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a showdown between two of the world's best forwards and a knockout stage promising a truly mouthwatering encounter between legends of the game.

The Draw That Felt Like It May Never End

Many people tuned in eager to discover their national side's group stage opponents. But, even though supporters are accustomed to these draws being lengthy, this one set a new standard.

After performances by Robbie Williams and a former Pussycat Doll, speeches from dignitaries and football's governing body, plus numerous video packages and discussions, it finally seemed to begin almost 60 minutes later. Or so we thought.

Cue further commentary and entertainment, before the actual draw eventually began around 90 minutes after the star-studded show initially started. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to finish.

Moving On to the Football Itself...

Next summer's World Cup will be the largest in history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a new round of 32. However, this expansion has perhaps led to the initial phase being somewhat weakened in quality.

There are hardly any fixtures between the major nations. The Three Lions' game against their 2018 semi-final opponents is the most significant on paper. That is the sole opening-round game with two teams inside the world's elite.

Brazil versus Morocco is the next best. The Dutch have the most difficult draw by official standings, while Germany—drawn against Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. But, interesting matches still await.

Two Goal Machines Face Off

Phenomenal striker Erling Haaland will make his debut in his first major tournament in the upcoming finals. The Manchester City forward scored 16 times in qualifying matches to single-handedly carry his nation to their first appearance since 1998.

Hardly any have been able to come close to the 25-year-old's ridiculous scoring records—but someone who has is set to come up against him in the final round of the group stage. Along with Senegal, Norway have been paired with the French superstar's Les Bleus.

This means the top marksmen in the Premier League and Spain's division will clash for the first time in on the global stage. Anticipate net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.

We Meet Again

El Tri will face South Africa in the first game—repeating history. The two teams also kicked off the 2010 edition. That game, which finished 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous goal.

Another eye-catching fixture will see the French again come up against the Senegalese, who shocked the then-world champions back in 2002. On that opening night, a then-unknown player outshone France's galaxy of stars to score the winning goal.

Dream Ties for the First-Timers

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have taken advantage of the expanded World Cup to reach the finals for the first occasion. However, awaiting them 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 resident count of around half a million, will face Euro winners and former champions La Roja.

Jordan, after decades of trying, will face defending champions Argentina and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be led by a former champion against Cristiano Ronaldo's Selecao das Quinas.

What About the Playoff Rounds?

If all the top teams make it safely through their groups, fans may not wait long for the heavyweights to collide. The last 16 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a possible matchup between past winners Germany and France.

On the other side of the bracket, eyes will be drawn to the last eight, where old rivals Messi and Ronaldo are lined up for a possible showdown. It would require both Argentina and Portugal finishing top and navigating the initial playoffs.

For England, a game against co-hosts Mexico seems the probable first knockout game. Should the Scots are able to get through, Samurai Blue or the Netherlands could await in what would be their historic World Cup knockout fixture.