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The upcoming global tournament is finally starting to feel very real. Although supporters are now able to begin marking their calendars, the recent draw in Washington DC was not short of major talking points.

Well before the Village People performed with their classic hit, observers were analyzing a opening round featuring a clash between football's top forwards and a knockout stage that could produce a highly anticipated encounter between legends of the game.

The Draw That Seemed Like It May Never End

Numerous viewers logged on eager to discover their team's group stage opponents. But, even though supporters are used to these draws being lengthy, this was extraordinary.

After acts by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, speeches from dignitaries and football's governing body, plus numerous montages and interviews, it eventually appeared to get going nearly an hour later. That was an illusion.

Cue more interviews and entertainment, before the real selection process finally commenced around 90 minutes after the glitzy event initially started. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to finish.

On to the Football Itself...

Next summer's tournament will be the largest in history, with a record 48 teams and a first-ever additional knockout round. Yet, this increase in size has maybe resulted in the group stage being somewhat weakened in overall strength.

There are very few fixtures between the major nations. England's match with Croatia is the biggest theoretically. That is the sole opening-round game featuring two teams ranked in the top 10.

The Selecao versus The Atlas Lions is the second most intriguing. The Netherlands have the most difficult draw by Fifa world rankings, while Germany—grouped with Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao—have the weakest. But, interesting matches still await.

A Pair of Prolific Scorers Go Head-to-Head

Phenomenal striker Norway's star will make his debut in his first major tournament next summer. The Manchester City striker scored 16 times in qualifying matches to drag his nation to their initial berth since 1998.

Few have been able to rival the 25-year-old's ridiculous goalscoring feats—but someone who has is set to come up against him in the last match of group games. Along with The Lions of Teranga, Norway have been drawn against Kylian Mbappe's France.

This means the leading scorers in the Premier League and La Liga will clash for the initial occasion in international football. Anticipate goals. Lots of goals.

We Meet Again

Mexico will face South Africa in the opening match—and not for the first time. The two teams also opened the tournament in South Africa. That match, ending 1-1, is best remembered for a rasping goal.

Another eye-catching fixture will see France again come up against Senegal, who shocked the then-world champions back in the 2002 World Cup. On that opening night, a future Fulham midfielder outshone France's galaxy of stars to score the decisive goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the Debutants

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have taken advantage of the expanded World Cup to qualify for the tournament for the first occasion. But, standing in their way are former world champions, European champions and Copa America winners.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the smallest nation to ever feature in a World Cup, will meet multiple winners Germany. Cape Verde, with a population of around half a million, will face European champions and 2010 World Cup winners Spain.

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

And Then Comes the Knockout Stage?

Assuming all the favorites make it safely through their groups, fans may not wait long for the big hitters to collide. The last 16 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a possible matchup between past winners Germany and the French.

On the other side of the draw, eyes will be fixed on the quarter-final stage, where historic adversaries the Argentine and Ronaldo are set for a potential clash. It would depend on both Messi's team and Portugal finishing top and navigating the early knockout rounds.

For England, a match with tournament hosts seems the probable 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.