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Kylian Mbappé against Erling Haaland in what will be a clash of strikers at the summit; Jude Bellingham against Luka Modric, former teammates at Real Madrid and rivals for a day with their national teams; and Mohamed Salah against the ghosts of Thibaut Courtois will be the star duels of the group stage of the 2026 United States, Mexico, and Canada World Cup.
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The draw held at the Kennedy Center in Washington this Friday did not only pair 48 teams into 12 groups. It also crossed paths with world-class players who, on the pitch, will encounter old stories, current disputes, and not-so-distant nostalgia.
La venganza de Salah
In the first case, the protagonists will be Courtois and Salah. Belgium and Egypt are grouped in Group G, and two old acquaintances from the Champions League will face each other again. Salah will seek revenge for the two finals he lost against Real Madrid in the top continental competition.
In 2018 and 2022, Liverpool fell to the white side. Salah lamented a couple of defeats then, which he alleviated when he lifted the 'Big Ears' trophy in 2019 after overcoming Tottenham in the final.
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However, the clashes between both are marked by different actions. One, in the form of an injury, which caused Salah's premature exit in the 2018 final after a tackle in which Sergio Ramos injured the Egyptian. He left the pitch crying and could not redeem himself four years later when both clubs played the final again.
On that occasion, the great protagonist was Courtois, who signed an excellent game to bring Real Madrid's fourteenth Champions League into its trophy cabinet. He was chosen as the MVP of the final after delivering a recital of saves, including a one-on-one by Salah against the Belgian in the 83rd minute that despaired the Egyptian and gave Real Madrid the title. Now, in a new four-year cycle, Salah will have the opportunity to redeem himself in the most important tournament on the planet.
Haaland y Mbappé, voracidad y goles en 90 minutos
In Group I, the two most important strikers in the world will cross paths in the duel between France and Norway. Erling Haaland, in his first World Cup, and Kylian Mbappé, in his third, will put on the table the voracity they bring out every weekend with Manchester City and Real Madrid. The season of both is light-years ahead of the rest of the players on the planet.
The figures at this point in the season are frightening. Mbappé is pushing hard toward Cristiano Ronaldo's record for goals in a single calendar year, who managed to score 59 goals in 2013. He already has 55 in all competitions and this season has added 25 in just 20 games. More than one goal per game, an impressive statistic he hopes to maintain until June, when the World Cup begins.
Haaland is not far behind in the fight. He has scored 20 goals in the 19 official matches he has played this season. His numbers are somewhat lower, but everything can change in the coming months. And when he faces France in the World Cup, he will be well supported by a team with players of proven quality like Martin Odegaard, Alexander Sorloth, Julian Ryerson, or Patrick Berg.
So far, both players have only crossed paths on three occasions. In the round of 16 of the 2019/20 Champions League and in the group stage of the 2024/25 season. In the first case, Haaland, who then played for Borussia Dortmund, faced the Mbappé of Paris Saint-Germain. He won the personal duel with two goals in the first leg, but his team was eliminated.
Mbappé could not take revenge in the duel he played last season against the English team. Although Real Madrid won 2-3 against City, Haaland won the personal duel against the Frenchman again. He scored a brace while the Real Madrid attacker celebrated one goal. The personal duel, for now, belongs to the Norwegian. He wins 4-1. That said, he has always been eliminated by Mbappé's teams. The World Cup will shine a new chapter.
Modric-Bellingham, amigos en el Real Madrid y enemigos en el Mundial
The third great duel of the group stage will star Luka Modric and Jude Bellingham. Croatia and England, grouped in Group L, have in their ranks two midfielders who are old acquaintances and friends at Real Madrid but enemies for a day in a clash where they will defend their national teams' badges without respite.
Bellingham and Modric shared a dressing room for two seasons. The arrival of Bellingham in the 2023/24 season completed a dream midfield that was finalized by Toni Kroos in his last campaign with the white shirt. The British midfielder adapted perfectly to Real Madrid and was one of the great protagonists of a team that season that won the Champions League, La Liga, and the Spanish Super Cup.
Modric was one of Bellingham's teachers, who closed his best year so far. It will be difficult for him to repeat the 23 goals and 13 assists with which he gifted his fans. However, Kroos' departure left a huge hole, and the following season Real Madrid foundered, Bellingham lowered his level, and Modric ended a glorious stage at the club chaired by Florentino Pérez. He did not renew and went to Milan.
The 'Croatian magician,' approaching 41 years old, will play in what will be his last World Cup. In Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, he was left on the verge of success with a runner-up finish and a third-place finish.
In his 'last dance,' he will take his final steps alongside Bellingham, who will try not to be left in the shadow of a midfielder who has already said almost everything in the world of football. The English player will fight against an old acquaintance to follow in his footsteps and make history in a World Cup.
[Publicidad]