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Countryball World Cup

[edit]
Countryball World Cup
Organising bodyCBFA
Founded1992; 32 years ago (1992)
RegionInternational
Number of teams16
Current champions Argentina (3rd title)
(2024)
Most successful team(s) Argentina (3 titles)
Tournaments

The Countryball World Cup, often abbreviated as CWC is an international association football tournament held every four years since 1992.

The competition begins with the qualification phase, which typically starts two years before the actual tournament. As of the 2023, 16 national teams play in the tournament. Similar to the FIFA World Cup, the host nation, usually chosen six years before the tournament, automatically qualifies.

As of the 2024 Countryball World Cup, a total of 29 nations have competed in this tournament, with five of those having won the competition at least once. Argentina have won three, Italy and Mexico have each won two titles, and Japan and Spain have each won one title.

History

[edit]

The First Countryball World Cup

[edit]

The competition had its debut in 1992, founded to increase the frequency of international association football tournaments. The United States was chosen to be the host nation. Only 8 select nations competed in the first tournament, which were the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, North Korea, South Korea, and Japan. This was a single-elimination tournament, with Italy becoming champions and Russia becoming runners-up. Because of the lack of a prior qualification phase, many disregard this tournament as an actual competition. However, it is still officially recognized as the very first Countryball World Cup.

Expansion to 16 Teams

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In 1994, it was announced that the 1996 Countryball World Cup would have 16 teams playing in a single-elimination tournament. The qualification process for the 1996 tournament began in early 1994, with nations from all around the world competing for a spot in this competition. This 16 team format would stick around until after the 2016 Countryball World Cup.

Addition of the Group Stage

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In 2019, it was announced that the 2020 Countryball World Cup would have a group stage, where each of the 16 qualified teams would be split into four groups of four and play one another in a round robin format. The top two teams in each group would advance to the single-elimination knockout stage. There have been recent proposals to expand the number of teams to 32, though this idea has been rejected by organizers of the CWC.

Results

[edit]
Edition Year Host Final Third-place play-off
Champion Score Runner-up Third Score Fourth
1 1992  United States
Italy 		4–1
Russia
France 		2–2
(3–1 p)
South Korea
2 1996  Spain
Mexico 		5–2
Iran
Austria 		5–2
Netherlands
3 2000  England
Japan 		6–1
South Korea
Austria 		5–4
Italy
4 2004  South Korea
Argentina 		4–0
Japan
Germany 		5–2
Brazil
5 2008  Austria
Italy 		5–2
South Korea
Germany 		1–1
(3–2 p)
Russia
6 2012  Japan
Mexico 		3–2
Brazil
Japan 		7–4
Chile
7 2016  Chile
Spain 		6–1
Brazil
Italy 		4–2
Uruguay
8 2020  Italy
Argentina 		4–3
Netherlands
Switzerland 		5–2
Spain
9 2024  Mexico
Argentina 		2–0
England
Spain 		2–0
Uruguay
10 2028  Argentina

Teams reaching the top four

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Teams reaching the top four
Team Titles Runners-up Third place Fourth place Top 4
total
 Argentina 3 (2004, 2020, 2024) 3
 Italy 2 (1992, 2008) 1 (2016) 1 (2000) 4
 Mexico 2 (1996, 2012) 2
 Japan 1 (2000) 1 (2004) 1 (2012*) 3
 Spain 1 (2016) 1 (2024) 1 (2020) 3
 South Korea 2 (2000, 2008) 1 (1992) 3
 Brazil 2 (2012, 2016) 1 (2004) 3
 Russia 1 (1992) 1 (2008) 2
 Netherlands 1 (2020) 1 (1996) 2
 Iran 1 (1996) 1
 England 1 (2024) 1
 Austria 2 (1996, 2000) 2
 Germany 2 (2004, 2008) 2
 France 1 (1992) 1
  Switzerland 1 (2020) 1
 Uruguay 2 (2016, 2024) 2
 Chile 1 (2012) 1
* hosts

2020 Countryball World Cup

[edit]
2020 Countryball World Cup
Tournament details
Host countryItaly
Dates7 June – 4 July
Teams16 (from 5 confederations)
Final positions
Champions Argentina (2nd title)
Runners-up Netherlands
Third place  Switzerland
Fourth place Spain
Tournament statistics
Matches played32
Goals scored173 (5.41 per match)
Top scorer(s)Switzerland Granit Xhaka (7 goals)
← 2016
2024 →

The 2020 Countryball World Cup, often abbreviated as the 2020 CWC, was an international association football tournament, held in Italy from 7 June 2020 to 4 July 2020 after the country won the hosting rights in 2014. This was the 8th and most recent edition of the Countryball World Cup.

This tournament was the first of its kind to have a group stage, with 4 teams of four. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were talks in March 2020 to postpone the event to the following year. However, the change was never made, meaning the entire tournament would be held behind closed doors. This sparked a lot of controversy among fans, with protests breaking out all over Italy and in other countries. To accommodate for this, many streaming services allowed viewers to watch each match live for free.

Argentina were declared winners of the tournament after defeating the Netherlands 4–3. It was Argentina's second CWC title after last winning the tournament in 2004. Many football fans used this victory as further proof of the "victorious nation pattern", which states that the winners of the Countryball World Cup repeats (Italy, Mexico, random nation, Argentina).

Overview

[edit]

The Countryball World Cup is an international association football tournament held every four years since 1992, which was held in the United States. The tournament was contested by 16 teams, who first played in four groups of four using a round-robin style competition followed by a knockout round for 8 teams. Spain were the defending champions after defeating Brazil 6–1 in the 2016 Countryball World Cup final.

Host Selection

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The bidding procedure to host the 2020 Countryball World Cup was held on 2 February 2014. Because Chile was given the right to host the 2016 Countryball World Cup 4 years prior, members of CONMEBOL were no longer allowed to host the 2020 edition. Therefore, the bid was only contested between France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, and Spain. The final votes are shown below.

2020 CWC bidding
Bidders Final Vote
Italy 22
Spain 12
Germany 8
Mexico 6
France 2

Teams

[edit]

Qualification

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All national teams were eligible to enter the qualification round of the 2020 Countryball World Cup, though only 47 decided to enter. The qualification process began in February 2018. Italy, as hosts of the competition, automatically qualified.

Of the 16 qualified nations, 13 played in the 2016 competition. Morocco was the only nation to make their debut at the 2020 CWC. They were also the first CAF member to qualify for the tournament since Senegal in 2000. South Korea and Portugal returned to the tournament after missing the 2016 edition.

The qualified teams, separated by confederation, are shown below:

Draw

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After qualifications closed on 1 February 2020, the draw to decide the group stages of the tournament were held on 2 February 2020. The 16 teams would be split into 4 groups of 4, with the host nation automatically being placed into the first group, and the three best national teams decided by the organizers of the Countryball World Cup being placed into the other three randomly. Ultimately, Italy were placed into Group A, Brazil into Group B, Germany into Group C, and Mexico into Group D.

The remaining 12 teams were placed into a pot and randomly drawn one at a time, with a spinner deciding which group the selected nation would be placed into. Similar to FIFA's drawing process, teams from the same confederation were not allowed to be in the same group as one another. The only exception to this rule is UEFA, as 9 members meant that at least 2 nations from this confederation were guaranteed to be in any group, with one having 3. To still ensure diversity in each group, no single group was allowed to have 4 UEFA members.

Group stage

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The group stage took place from 7 June 2020 to 19 June 2020. The 16 competing nations were split into four groups of four (Group A to Group D). Teams played each other in a round-robin format, and the top two teams from each group advanced to the knockout stage.

Group A

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The opening match of the tournament was contested between Italy and the Netherlands, with the Netherlands defeating the hosts 3–2. Many cited this loss as evidence of the "host nation curse". The other group match was played between Uruguay and Morocco, which saw Morocco score their first ever goal in the Countryball World Cup. However, it was not enough for the team to beat Uruguay. The second round of matches saw the Netherlands take on Morocco and Italy take on Uruguay. The Netherlands won their game 3–0, almost guaranteeing their spot in the knockout stage. On the other hand, Morocco's chances of making to the next stage was diminished to almost nothing. The match between Italy and Uruguay was fierce as qualification to the knockout stage was on the line. Ultimately, Italy were able to defeat Uruguay with a 2–1 victory. The final round saw Uruguay take on the Netherlands and Morocco take on Italy. Both matches kicked off at the same time. Uruguay took an early lead, and so did Italy, meaning that both teams had a chance to make it to the knockout stage. However, the Italian team began falling apart during the second half, allowing Morocco to score 3 goals, 2 of which in quick succession, to draw against Italy. Uruguay were able to maintain their lead, defeating the Netherlands 3–1, and topping the group as head-to-head results were first taken into account than goals scored. Italy's failure to make it out of the group stage was cited by some as further proof of the "host nation curse".

Pos Team W D L GF GA GD Points Qualification
1  Uruguay 2 0 1 6 4 +2 6 Advanced to knockout stage
2  Netherlands 2 0 1 7 5 +2 6
3  Italy (H) 1 1 1 7 7 0 4
4  Morocco 0 1 2 4 8 -4 1
Group Stage
 Italy2–3Netherlands 
Chiesa 14'
Bastoni 37'		 Berghuis 21'
Gakpo 60'
Depay 69'
Group Stage
 Uruguay2–1Morocco 
De la Cruz 40'
Gómez 54'		 Bencharki 81'
Group Stage
 Netherlands3–0Morocco 
De Jong 29'
Wijnaldum 36'
Dumfries 71'
Group Stage
 Italy2–1Uruguay 
Bernardeschi 11'
Immobile 36'		 Suárez 18'
Group Stage
 Uruguay3–1Netherlands 
Cavani 39', 47'
De Arrascaeta 88'		 Promes 84'
Group Stage
 Morocco3–3Italy 
Ziyech 48'
En-Nesyri 80'
Boufal 83'		 Belotti 15'
Berardi 37'
Jorginho 70'

Group B

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The first match of Group B was played between Brazil and Croatia. The match was a huge upset as Brazil, who were runners-up in the 2012 and 2016 Countryball World Cup and one of the favorites to win the competition, were humiliated in a 5–1 loss. The other group match was between Portugal and Switzerland, which Portugal ultimately won. The second round of matches paired Croatia against Switzerland and Brazil against Portugal. Switzerland and Brazil won their respective matches with a score line of 2–1. These results meant that each team in Group B were level with points as each had one win and one loss so far. This also meant that the winners of the last two group matches would advance to the knockout round. Portugal and Croatia were set to play one another while Switzerland and Brazil were set to play one another. Croatia secured their spot in the next round and topped the group after winning 3–2, and Switzerland won their spot after winning 3–1.

Pos Team W D L GF GA GD Points Qualification
1  Croatia 2 0 1 9 5 +4 6 Advanced to knockout stage
2   Switzerland 2 0 1 8 7 +1 6
3  Portugal 1 0 2 8 8 0 3
4  Brazil 1 0 2 4 9 -5 3
Group Stage
 Brazil1–5Croatia 
Casemiro 74' Kramarić 28', 34'⠀
Modrić 61'
Kovačić 81'
Vlašić 87'
Group Stage
 Portugal5–3Switzerland 
Ronaldo 9', 38' (pen.)
Neves 24'
B. Silva 30'
Félix 77'		 Xhaka 14', 47'
Embolo 80' ⠀
Group Stage
 Croatia1–2Switzerland 
Brozović 57' Seferovic 65'
Zuber 78' ⠀
Group Stage
 Brazil2–1Portugal 
Paquetá 36'
Neymar 55'		 Fernandes 73'
Group Stage
 Portugal2–3Croatia 
Jota 20'
A. Silva 86'		 Petković 43'
Kramarić 62'
Perišić 70'
Group Stage
  Switzerland3–1Brazil 
Xhaka 3'
Gavranović 24'
Shaqiri 69'		 Firmino 39'

Group C

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The first Group C match was played between Germany and Argentina, which concluded in a 4–4 draw. England faced Japan in the other match, in which Japan took a surprising win over England. The second round of matches saw Argentina narrowly defeating Japan after making a huge comeback and Germany drawing another match in their game against England. Because of these results, England's chances of progressing to the knockout round was significantly lowered. In the final round of matches, Argentina defeated England to secure their spot in the next stage. Meanwhile, the game between Germany and Japan was heated as whichever team won this match would progress to the next round. Ultimately, Germany won and secured their spot.

Pos Team W D L GF GA GD Points Qualification
1  Argentina 2 1 0 11 9 +2 7 Advanced to knockout stage
2  Germany 1 2 0 12 10 +2 5
3  Japan 1 0 2 11 11 0 3
4  England 0 1 2 5 9 -4 1
Group Stage
 Germany4–4Argentina 
Werner 30' (pen.)
Gündoğan 66'
Müller 76'
Havertz 88'		 Agüero 13'
Di María 18', 50'
Messi 83'
Group Stage
 England1–4Japan 
Rashford 70' Minamino 39'
Haraguchi 61', 82'
Yoshida 87'
Group Stage
 Argentina5–4Japan 
Dybala 22'
Messi 28', 59'
Agüero 65'
Paredes 74'		 Shibasaki 3', 11'
Osako 5'
Dōan 43' ⠀
Group Stage
 Germany3–3England 
Gnabry 20'
Havertz 57'
Goretzka 80'		 Kane 28', 71'
Rashford 36'
Group Stage
 England1–2Argentina 
Sterling 18' Agüero 32'
Lo Celso 55'
Group Stage
 Japan3–5Germany 
Haraguchi 62'
Inui 67'
Makino 76'		 Gündoğan 6'
Müller 14'
Makino 32' (o.g.)
Werner 58'
Havertz 85'

Group D

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Mexico and defending champions Spain faced each other in the first match round of Group D while France took on South Korea. Spain took a comfortable win against Mexico while France took a surprising loss against South Korea after just winning the FIFA World Cup 2 years earlier. The second round of matches saw Spain play against South Korea and Mexico take on France. South Korea pulled off another unbelievable performance again after managing to draw against Spain. Meanwhile, France successfully took down Mexico in a close 4–3 victory, which eliminated Mexico's chances of advancing to the knockout stage. In the final round of matches, France was up against Spain while South Korea was up against Mexico, the third time in Countryball World Cup history where the two nations faced each other in the first round of the competition. Spain secured their spot in the knockout stage after defeating France 3–0 while Mexico were able to defeat South Korea 4–1, their first victory over South Korea. However, South Korea still progressed to the next stage with 4 points, the lowest out of all teams who advanced to the knockout stage. Spain earned the distinction of being the only team in the tournament to have a positive goal difference in their group, at +7.

Pos Team W D L GF GA GD Points Qualification
1  Spain 2 1 0 11 4 +7 7 Advanced to knockout stage
2  South Korea 1 1 1 6 8 -2 4
3  Mexico 1 0 2 8 10 -2 3
4  France 1 0 2 5 8 -3 3
Group Stage
 Mexico1–5Spain 
Herrera 12' Moreno 8', 76'
Olmo 19'
Torres 36'
Morata 61'
Group Stage
 France1–2South Korea 
Mbappé 20' Hwang Ui-jo 70'
Son Heung-Min 84'
Group Stage
 Spain3–3South Korea 
Morata 10'
Torres 28'
Rodri 66'		 Kim Young-Gwon 48'
Ji Dong-won 78'
Lee Jae-Sung 87' ⠀
Group Stage
 Mexico3–4France 
Lozano 15'
Pulido 42'
Corona 84'		 Coman 34'
Benzema 48' (pen.)
Mbappé 62'
Griezmann 67'
Group Stage
 France0–3Spain 
Morata 33'
Koke 53'
Oyarzabal 59'
Group Stage
 South Korea1–4Mexico 
Ji Dong-Won 45' Pizarro 8', 80'
Pulido 25'
Lozano 66'

Knockout stage

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The knockout stage took place from 22 June 2020 to 4 July 2020, including a third place match. The matches were single-elimination.

Bracket

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Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
22 June
 
 
 Uruguay3
 
27 June
 
  Switzerland9
 
  Switzerland1
 
23 June
 
 Argentina4
 
 Argentina5
 
4 July
 
 South Korea0
 
 Argentina4
 
22 June
 
 Netherlands3
 
 Netherlands4
 
27 June
 
 Croatia0
 
 Netherlands3
 
23 June
 
 Spain2 Third place play-off
 
 Germany2
 
30 June
 
 Spain4
 
  Switzerland5
 
 
 Spain2
 


Quarter-finals

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The quarterfinals took place on 22 and 23 June. The first match of this stage took place between Uruguay and Switzerland. This game saw a total of 12 goals scored, which was tied for the highest number of goals scored in a Countryball World Cup game with Italy's 7–5 win against Spain in 2008. The game also saw 9 goals scored by one team, Switzerland, which broke the record of the most goals scored by one team in one game. The previous record holders were Spain after their 8–1 win against Mexico in 2004 and Italy after their 8–1 win against Germany in 2008. In the second and third match of the quarterfinals, both Argentina and the Netherlands won their respective games without conceding a single goal. The score line was 5–0 and 4–0 respectively. In the final match of the quarterfinals, Spain defeated Germany 4–2 and became the second defending champions in Countryball World Cup history to make it to the semifinals after Japan in 2004.

Quarterfinals
 Uruguay3–9Switzerland 
Bentancur 34'
Cavani 43'
Suárez 52'		 Gavranović 4'
Shaqiri 14', 25'
Xhaka 46', 82' (pen.)
Embolo 55'
Seferovic 58', 88'
Schär 63'
Quarterfinals
 Netherlands4–0Croatia 
Berghuis 4'
Van Dijk 37'
Depay 41'
Klaassen 56'		 ⠀
Quarterfinals
 Argentina5–0South Korea 
Di María 19', 34', 53'
Martínez 32'
Pezzella 43'
Quarterfinals
 Germany2–4Spain 
Kroos 64'
Werner 78'		 Torres 7'
Moreno 34'
Thiago 42'
Olmo 80'

Semi-finals

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The semifinals of the 2020 Countryball World Cup were played on 27 June. The first match saw Argentina defeating Switzerland 4–1, bringing Argentina to their first Countryball World Cup final since 2004. The second match was played between the Netherlands and Spain. The Netherlands scored the first three goals of the match, putting them ahead of Spain 3–0. Spain would go on to score 2 goals, though the Netherlands were able to maintain their lead and advance to the finals, their first in the nation's history.

Semifinals
  Switzerland1–4Argentina 
Zakaria 41' Messi 3'
Dybala 13'
De Paul 38'
Agüero 67'
Semifinals
 Netherlands3–2Spain 
De Jong 5'
Depay 19', 64'		 Torres 67'
Fabián 71'

Third place play-off

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The third place match was played on 30 June between Switzerland and Spain. This match was known for its large amount of goals in a short amount of time, with all 7 goals being scored in a span of just 30 minutes. The final result was a 5–2 win for Switzerland. Their third place finish was their best ever performance in the Countryball World Cup.

Third Place Match
  Switzerland5–2Spain 
Mehmedi 9'
Xhaka 14', 28' (pen.)
Zuber 19'
Seferovic 22'		 Moreno 11'
Morata 39'

Final

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The final of the 2020 Countryball World Cup was played on 4 July between Argentina and the Netherlands. Paulo Dybala scored the first goal of the match at the 27th minute, though Georginio Wijnaldum was able to equalize 7 minutes later. Argentine Lautaro Martínez then gave Argentina a one-goal lead in the 39th minute. However, an equalizer by Daley Blind in the 43rd minute meant the score was 2–2 at half time. Denzel Dumfries scored the first goal of the second half, putting the Netherlands ahead for the first time during the match. Eleven minutes later, however, Argentine captain Lionel Messi, equalizing the score yet again. In the 85th minute, an assist from Giovani Lo Celso to Ángel Di María secured the win for Argentina. The final scoreline was 4–3. This was Argentina's second Countryball World Cup title after last winning it in 2004. Many football fans saw this victory as proof of the "victorious nation pattern".

Final
 Argentina4–3Netherlands 
Dybala 27'
Martínez 39'
Messi 67'
Di María 85'		 Wijnaldum 34'
Blind 43'
Dumfries 56'

Statistics

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Goalscorers

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There were 173 goals scored in 32 matches, meaning that an average of 5.41 goals were scored per match.

7 goals

6 goals

5 goals

4 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal and 1 own goal

1 goal

2024 Countryball World Cup

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2024 Countryball World Cup
Tournament details
Host countryMexico
Dates20 July – 13 August
Teams16 (from 4 confederations)
Final positions
Champions Argentina (3rd title)
Runners-up England
Third place Spain
Fourth place Uruguay
Tournament statistics
Matches played32
Goals scored99 (3.09 per match)
Top scorer(s)Argentina Lautaro Martínez
England Harry Kane
(5 goals each)
Best player(s)Argentina Lautaro Martínez
Best young playerSpain Lamine Yamal
Best goalkeeperArgentina Emiliano Martínez
← 2020
2028 →

The 2024 Countryball World Cup, often abbreviated as the 2024 CWC, was an international association football tournament, held in Mexico from 20 July 2024 to 15 August 2024 after the country won the hosting rights in 2018. This was the 9th edition of the Countryball World Cup.

Argentina won a record third title and sixth consecutive international trophy after beating England 2–0 in the final.

This was the last edition to use the old qualification format, which did not separate teams based on confederation.

Overview

[edit]

The Countryball World Cup is an international association football tournament held every four years since 1992, which was held in the United States. The tournament will be contested by 16 teams, who will first play in four groups of four using a round-robin style competition followed by a knockout round for 8 teams. Argentina are the defending champions after defeating the Netherlands 4–3 in the 2020 Countryball World Cup final.

Host Selection

[edit]

The bidding procedure to host the 2024 Countryball World Cup was held on 3 February 2018. Because Italy was given the right to host the 2020 Countryball World Cup 4 years prior, members of UEFA were no longer allowed to host the 2024 edition. Therefore, the bid was only contested between Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, and the United States. The final votes are shown below.

2024 CWC bidding
Bidders Final Vote
Mexico 19
Australia 16
Brazil 11
United States 3
Argentina 1

Teams

[edit]

Qualification

[edit]

All national teams were eligible to enter the qualification round of the 2024 Countryball World Cup, though only 58 decided to enter. The qualification process began in February 2022. Russia, who initially entered, was banned from competing shortly after due to the country's invasion of Ukraine. Due to this, only 57 national teams participated in the qualification rounds. Mexico, as hosts of the competition, automatically qualified.

Of the 16 qualified nations, 13 played in the 2020 competition. 2 nations, Denmark and Nigeria, made their debut in the tournament. Belgium returned to the competition after missing the 2020 edition.

The qualified teams, separated by confederation, are shown below:

Qualification Table

[edit]

The top 15 teams qualify for the 2024 CWC, with the top 3 teams being seeded along with hosts Mexico during the drawing process.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  France 56 41 14 1 84 17 +67 137 Seeded along with Mexico
2  Italy 56 38 12 6 86 26 +60 126
3  Brazil 56 35 16 5 91 29 +62 121
4  England 56 34 16 6 82 35 +47 118 Qualified
5  Netherlands 56 34 13 9 76 30 +46 115
6  Croatia 56 33 15 8 88 37 +51 114
7  Portugal 56 35 7 14 75 36 +39 112
8  Argentina 56 31 17 8 90 37 +53 110
9  Spain 56 31 14 11 84 38 +46 107
10  Belgium 56 31 13 12 72 34 +38 106
11  Uruguay 56 29 16 11 76 36 +40 103
12  Denmark 56 28 16 12 89 55 +34 100
13  Germany 56 27 19 10 66 36 +30 100
14   Switzerland 56 28 13 15 63 39 +24 97
15  Nigeria 56 28 11 17 75 52 +23 95
16  Serbia 56 25 17 14 72 53 +19 92
17  Morocco 56 26 13 17 67 57 +10 91
18  Sweden 56 25 14 17 89 73 +16 89
19  Japan 56 23 19 14 73 46 +27 88
20  South Korea 56 26 10 20 87 61 +26 88
21  Poland 56 25 12 19 69 53 +16 87
22  Colombia 56 25 12 19 65 57 +8 87
23  Senegal 56 23 16 17 72 60 +12 85
24  Cameroon 56 24 11 21 81 74 +7 83
25  Ghana 56 23 14 19 72 68 +4 83
26  Ecuador 56 21 20 15 69 65 +4 83
27  Ivory Coast 56 24 11 21 65 62 +3 83
28  Turkey 56 22 12 22 72 76 −4 78
29  Slovakia 56 19 17 20 78 81 −3 74
30  Hungary 56 19 17 20 55 61 −6 74
31  Egypt 56 20 14 22 64 74 −10 74
32  Norway 56 18 19 19 68 72 −4 73
33  Czech Republic 56 18 18 20 60 59 +1 72
34  Iran 56 19 14 23 68 71 −3 71
35  Australia 56 19 14 23 69 74 −5 71
36  Chile 56 20 11 25 68 76 −8 71
37  Ukraine 56 18 17 21 57 69 −12 71
38  Slovenia 56 18 12 26 62 77 −15 66
39  Mali 56 16 15 25 43 71 −28 63
40  Algeria 56 16 13 27 56 73 −17 61
41  United States 56 16 13 27 63 82 −19 61
42  Wales 56 15 15 26 60 76 −16 60
43  Costa Rica 56 14 16 26 51 67 −16 58
44  Scotland 56 13 16 27 46 78 −32 55
45  Saudi Arabia 56 12 17 27 45 66 −21 53
46  Greece 56 14 11 31 49 75 −26 53
47  Tunisia 56 15 8 33 42 87 −45 53
48  Guinea 56 13 12 31 52 79 −27 51
49  New Zealand 56 12 10 34 38 79 −41 46
50  Qatar 56 11 13 32 38 82 −44 46
51  Paraguay 56 11 10 35 34 98 −64 43
52  Panama 56 10 9 37 20 78 −58 39
53  North Korea 56 9 8 39 17 67 −50 35
54  Jamaica 56 7 12 37 33 83 −50 33
55  Zambia 56 6 13 37 29 82 −53 31
56  Canada 56 5 14 37 31 103 −72 29
57  China 56 3 19 34 18 82 −64 28
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Draw

[edit]

After qualifications closed the 16 teams were split into 4 groups of 4, with the host nation automatically being placed into the first group, and the three best-performing national teams in the qualifiers being seeded into the other three randomly. Ultimately, Mexico were placed into Group A, Italy into Group B, France into Group C, and Brazil into Group D.

The remaining 12 teams were placed into a pot and randomly drawn one at a time while filling up the groups. Similar to FIFA's drawing process, teams from the same confederation were not allowed to be in the same group as one another. The only exception to this rule is UEFA, as 11 members meant that at least 2 nations from this confederation were guaranteed to be in any group, with three having 3. To still ensure diversity in each group, no single group was allowed to have 4 UEFA members.

Group stage

[edit]

The group stage took place from 20 July 2024 to 31 July 2024. The 16 competing nations were split into four groups of four (Group A to Group D). Teams played each other in a round-robin format, and the top two teams from each group advanced to the knockout stage.

Group A

[edit]

The opening match was played between hosts Mexico and Portugal. Goals from Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva helped give Portugal the win. Mexico's loss was seen by some fans as evidence of the "host nation curse." In the group's second match, Uruguay secured a win over Croatia, with Luis Suárez's goal confirming the victory. During the second round, early goals saw Portugal and Croatia draw. Meanwhile Uruguay's win over Mexico meant that Uruguay qualified for the knockout stage while Mexico could no longer qualify. In the last round, Croatia needed a win over Mexico and Portugal to lose to Uruguay to have a chance to advance to the knockouts. However, both matches ended in a draw, meaning Uruguay and Portugal ultimately advanced. Cristian Olivera's late goal saw Uruguay ultimately top Group A above Portugal. Mexico's failure was seen as a continuation of the "host nation curse."

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Uruguay 3 2 1 0 6 3 +3 7 Advance to knockout stage
2  Portugal 3 1 2 0 4 2 +2 5
3  Croatia 3 0 2 1 2 4 −2 2
4  Mexico (H) 3 0 1 2 1 4 −3 1
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Group Stage
 Mexico0–2Portugal 
Fernandes 13'
B. Silva 45+1'
Group Stage
 Uruguay3–1Croatia 
Núñez 15'
M. Araújo 37'
Suárez 84'		 Vlašić 82'
Group Stage
 Portugal1–1Croatia 
Ronaldo 4' Kramarić 17'
Group Stage
 Mexico1–2Uruguay 
Álvarez 32' Pellistri 12'
Núñez 36'
Group Stage
 Uruguay1–1Portugal 
Olivera 90+3' Dias 12'
Group Stage
 Croatia0–0Mexico 

Group B

[edit]

In the group's first match, two-time champions Italy shockingly drew to debutants Denmark thanks to Christian Eriksen's early goal in the first minute; the quickest in CWC history. Meanwhile defending champions Argentina faced the Netherlands, in what was a repeat of the previous CWC final, though this time the match ended in a draw. In the second round, Argentina kept a clean sheet against Denmark in a 3–0 victory while Italian Mattia Zaccagni scored a decisive late winner against the Netherlands. On the last matchday, Argentina and Italy had 4 points while the Netherlands and Denmark had 1 point, meaning all teams had the chance to move on to the knockouts. In the end, the Netherlands' win over Denmark saw them go through ahead of Italy on goal difference, who lost 3–1 against Argentina. Many claim Italy's exit as the end of the "victorious nation pattern."

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Argentina 3 2 1 0 7 2 +5 7 Advance to knockout stage
2  Netherlands 3 1 1 1 3 3 0 4
3  Italy 3 1 1 1 3 4 −1 4
4  Denmark 3 0 1 2 2 6 −4 1
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Group Stage
 Italy1–1Denmark 
Dimarco 29' Eriksen 1'
Group Stage
 Netherlands1–1Argentina 
Gakpo 44' Messi 57'
Group Stage
 Denmark0–3Argentina 
La. Martínez 12', 34'
Mac Allister 90'
Group Stage
 Italy1–0Netherlands 
Zaccagni 90+5'
Group Stage
 Netherlands2–1Denmark 
Simons 1'
Weghorst 56'		 Wind 61'
Group Stage
 Argentina3–1Italy 
Messi 14'
La. Martínez 43'
Fernández 60'		 Chiesa 3'

Group C

[edit]

The group started off with a goalless draw between France and Nigeria. Meanwhile, England initiated a comeback against Belgium to secure a draw. In the second round, Nigeria took an early lead against England, though the latter was able to complete another comeback and cement a comfortable 7–1 win. Meanwhile, France's search for a goal continued as they shockingly lost 3–0 to Belgium. Heading into the final matchday, every country had the chance to advance out of their group. However, the group standings did not ultimately change as England and Belgium advanced to the knockouts on goal difference despite losing their last matches. All nations picked up 4 points, making it the first time in CWC history where all teams in a group accumulated the same number of points.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  England 3 1 1 1 10 6 +4 4 Advance to knockout stage
2  Belgium 3 1 1 1 5 3 +2 4
3  France 3 1 1 1 3 4 −1 4
4  Nigeria 3 1 1 1 2 7 −5 4
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Group Stage
 France0–0Nigeria 
Group Stage
 Belgium2–2England 
Lukaku 25', 49' Kane 68' (pen.)
Palmer 74'
Group Stage
 Nigeria1–7England 
Osimhen 3' Bellingham 13'
Kane 18', 49'
Rice 45+3'
Foden 61'
Saka 63'
Gordon 87'
Group Stage
 France0–3Belgium 
De Bruyne 12'
Castagne 45+2'
Lukaku 87' (pen.)
Group Stage
 Belgium0–1Nigeria 
Lookman 44'
Group Stage
 England1–3France 
Walker 2' Griezmann 3'
Mbappé 7', 52'

Group D

[edit]

The group kicked off with a match between Brazil and Switzerland, who were in the same group at the 2020 CWC. Both confrontations ended up being a shock victory for Switzerland. Germany faced Spain, where Dani Olmo's goal sealed the victory for Spain. In the second round, Spain sealed a comfortable 5–1 win over Switzerland while Brazil beat Germany. Heading into the last matchday every team had the chance to advance. Although Germany beat Switzerland in their game, they finished behind Brazil on goal difference, who advanced despite losing to Spain. Spain became the only team to win 3 out of 3 games in the group stage, and Brazil became the team with the lowest amount of points that still advanced to the knockouts at three.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Spain 3 3 0 0 8 2 +6 9 Advance to knockout stage
2  Brazil 3 1 0 2 6 6 0 3
3  Germany 3 1 0 2 4 5 −1 3
4   Switzerland 3 1 0 2 3 8 −5 3
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Group Stage
 Brazil1–2Switzerland 
Neymar 90+4' Vargas 29'
Embolo 72'
Group Stage
 Germany0–1Spain 
Olmo 61'
Group Stage
  Switzerland1–5Spain 
Embolo 55' Morata 18', 65'
Schär 44' (o.g.)
Yamal 45+3'
Fabián 75'
Group Stage
 Brazil4–2Germany 
Militão 2'
Paquetá 20', 37'
Gabriel Jesus 86'		 Wirtz 32'
Füllkrug 56'
Group Stage
 Germany2–0Switzerland 
Kimmich 5'
Havertz 55'
Group Stage
 Spain2–1Brazil 
Pedri 40'
Morata 85' (pen.)		 Vinícius Júnior 79'


Knockout stage

[edit]

The knockout stage is taking place from 3 August 2024 to 13 August 2024, including a third place match. The matches are single-elimination.

Bracket

[edit]
 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
3 August
 
 
 Uruguay6
 
7 August
 
 Netherlands1
 
 Uruguay1
 
4 August
 
 England4
 
 England2
 
13 August
 
 Brazil1
 
 England0
 
3 August
 
 Argentina2
 
 Portugal2
 
8 August
 
 Argentina3
 
 Argentina2
 
4 August
 
 Spain1 Third place play-off
 
 Belgium1
 
12 August
 
 Spain2
 
 Uruguay0
 
 
 Spain2
 

Quarter-finals

[edit]

The quarterfinals took place on 3 and 4 August. In the first match, Uruguay sealed a comfortable 6–1 win against last edition's finalists, Netherlands, reaching the semi-finals for the first time since 2016. Defending champions Argentina then clenched a 3–2 win over Portugal thanks to Nicolás Otamendi's goal in extra time. In the third match, England completed a comeback against Brazil thanks to a goal from Bukayo Saka and an own goal by Danilo to send them to the semi-finals for the first time in their history. In the last game of the quarter-finals, Spain won over Belgium despite initially being one goal down thanks to goalscorers Aymeric Laporte and Nico Williams. Spain's victory saw them enter the semi-finals for the third edition in a row, being the first ever team to do so in CWC history.

Quarterfinals
 Uruguay6–1Netherlands 
Núñez 11', 68'
Pellistri 45+1'
Valverde 55'
De la Cruz 85'
Suárez 88'		 Depay 25'
Quarterfinals
 Portugal2–3 (a.e.t.)Argentina 
Ronaldo 25'
Vitinha 57'		 Álvarez 44'
La. Martínez 72'
Otamendi 105+1'
Quarterfinals
 England2–1Brazil 
Saka 61'
Danilo 69' (o.g.)		 Rodrygo 8'
Quarterfinals
 Belgium1–2Spain 
Trossard 6' Laporte 36'
Williams 62'

Semi-finals

[edit]

The semifinals took place on 7 and 8 August. In the first game, England sealed a comfortable win over Uruguay and reached the final for the first time in their history. In the second game, Argentina made a comeback against Spain to reach the final for the second edition in a row and for the third time in its history; the most of any nation.

Semifinals
 Uruguay1–4England 
De Arrascaeta 87' Kane 38' (pen.), 69'
Toney 80'
Bellingham 81'
Semifinals
 Argentina2–1Spain 
Álvarez 36'
Messi 54'		 Yamal 23'

Third place play-off

[edit]

The third place match took place on 12 August between Uruguay and Spain. This was Spain's second consecutive third place play-off match, who lost to Switzerland in 2020. However, Spain were able to claim victory this time around after scoring two goals late in the game thanks to Nico Williams and Mikel Oyarzabal.

Third Place Match
 Uruguay0–2Spain 
Williams 75'
Oyarzabal 89'

Final

[edit]

The final took place on 13 August between England and defending champions Argentina. This was England's first ever final appearance while this was Argentina's third. Argentina became the first team to reach the final as defending champions since Japan in 2004, who lost to Argentina. Argentine Lautaro Martínez scored the opening goal and fellow teammate Nahuel Molina helped seal the victory for La Albiceleste, giving Argentina a record third CWC title. Argentina also became the first team to win back-to-back titles and won a record sixth consecutive international trophy (2020 CWC, 2021 Copa América, 2022 Finalissima, 2022 FIFA World Cup, 2024 Copa América, 2024 CWC).

Final
 England0–2Argentina 
La. Martínez 45'
Molina 73'

Statistics

[edit]

Goalscorers

[edit]

There were 99 goals scored in 32 matches, meaning that an average of 3.09 goals were scored per match.

5 goals

4 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

2028 Countryball World Cup

[edit]
2028 Countryball World Cup
Tournament details
Host countryArgentina
DatesTBA
Teams16
← 2024
2032 →

The 2028 Countryball World Cup, or the 2028 CWC, will be an international association football tournament, held in Argentina after the country won the hosting rights in 2022. This will be the 10th edition of the Countryball World Cup.

Overview

[edit]

The Countryball World Cup is an international association football tournament held every four years since 1992, which was held in the United States. The tournament will be contested by 16 teams, who will first play in four groups of four using a round-robin style competition followed by a knockout round for 8 teams. This is the first edition to use a qualification format separated by confederation. Argentina are the defending champions after defeating England 2–0 in the 2024 CWC Final.

Host Selection

[edit]

The bidding procedure to host the 2028 Countryball World Cup was held on 2 February 2022. Because Mexico was given the right to host the 2024 Countryball World Cup 4 years prior, members of CONCACAF were no longer allowed to host the 2028 edition. Therefore, the bid was only contested between Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, and Uruguay. The final votes are shown below.

2028 CWC bidding
Bidders Final Vote
Argentina 18
Brazil 12
France 10
Germany 7
Uruguay 3

Teams

[edit]

Qualification

[edit]

All national teams will be eligible to enter the qualification round of the 2028 Countryball World Cup. The qualification process will begin in February 2026. Argentina, as hosts of the competition, will automatically qualify.

This will be the first edition of the tournament to utilize a qualification procedure that is separated by confederation.

The qualified teams, separated by confederation, are shown below:

First round

[edit]

In the first round of the qualification procedures, the best-performing nations from each confederation automatically qualify for the tournament (except OFC). There will be 10 countries who qualify from the first round. The best nations that finish behind them (numbers are predetermined) will move on to the second round. National teams that have so far submitted an application and have been approved to participate in the qualifying process are displayed below, separated by confederation. The first round of qualification will begin in February 2026.

Qualification Table (AFC)

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Australia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualified
2  Iran 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Progress to second round
3  Iraq 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4  Japan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5  Jordan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6  Kuwait 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7  North Korea 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8  Oman 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9  Qatar 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10  Saudi Arabia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11  South Korea 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12  Uzbekistan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Qualification Table (CAF)

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Algeria 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualified
2  Burkina Faso 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Progress to second round
3  Cameroon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4  DR Congo 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5  Egypt 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6  Ghana 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7  Guinea 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8  Ivory Coast 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9  Mali 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10  Morocco 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11  Nigeria 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12  Senegal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13  South Africa 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
14  Tunisia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
15  Zambia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
16  Zimbabwe 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Qualification Table (CONCACAF)

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Canada 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualified
2  Costa Rica 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Progress to second round
3  Honduras 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4  Jamaica 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5  Mexico 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6  Panama 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7  United States 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Qualification Table (CONMEBOL)

[edit]

CONMEBOL was originally designated to have two nations automatically qualify for the 2028 CWC. However, as Argentina will be the hosts of the tournament, the number dropped down to one.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Brazil 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualified
2  Chile 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Progress to second round
3  Colombia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4  Ecuador 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5  Paraguay 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6  Peru 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7  Uruguay 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8  Venezuela 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Qualification Table (OFC)

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Fiji 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Progress to second round
2  New Zealand 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  Papua New Guinea 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4  Solomon Islands 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5  Tahiti 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6  Vanuatu 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Qualification Table (UEFA)

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Austria 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualified
2  Belgium 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  Croatia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4  Czech Republic 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5  Denmark 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6  England 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7  France 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Progress to second round
8  Georgia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9  Germany 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10  Greece 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11  Hungary 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12  Republic of Ireland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13  Italy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
14  Netherlands 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
15  Norway 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
16  Poland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
17  Portugal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
18  Scotland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
19  Serbia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
20  Slovakia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
21  Slovenia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
22  Spain 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
23  Sweden 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
24   Switzerland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
25  Turkey 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
26  Ukraine 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
27  Wales 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Second round

[edit]

In the second round of qualification, the 20 nations that make it to this round will be separated into 5 groups of 4. Each nation will play each other twice, and the top team from each group will qualify for the tournament. These 5 countries will join the 10 countries that qualified from the first round and the host nation to make the 16 participating nations at the 2028 CWC.

4 Man Match Test

[edit]
Paris Saint-Germain France1–1Germany Bayern Munich
Penalties
 2–3
Paris Saint-Germain
Bayern Munich
GK 99 Italy Gianluigi Donnarumma
RB 2 Morocco Achraf Hakimi
CM 6 Italy Marco Verratti Yellow card 52' Yellow-red card 77'
CF 7 France Kylian Mbappé (c)
GK 1 Germany Manuel Neuer (c)
CB 3 South Korea Kim Min-Jae
LM 19 Canada Alphonso Davies
CF 9 England Harry Kane

Simulated Game

[edit]
Paris Saint-Germain France1–3Germany Bayern Munich
Paris Saint-Germain
Bayern Munich
GK 99 Italy Gianluigi Donnarumma
RB 2 Morocco Achraf Hakimi downward-facing red arrow 49'
CB 5 Brazil Marquinhos (c) downward-facing red arrow 63'
CB 4 Spain Sergio Ramos
LB 3 France Presnel Kimpembe
CM 6 Italy Marco Verratti downward-facing red arrow 86'
CM 8 Spain Fabián Ruiz
CM 28 Spain Carlos Soler Yellow card 70'
RF 30 Argentina Lionel Messi
CF 7 France Kylian Mbappé
LF 10 Brazil Neymar Red card 35'
Substitutes:
GK 1 Costa Rica Keylor Navas
DF 26 France Nordi Mukiele Yellow card 54' upward-facing green arrow 49'
DF 25 Portugal Nuno Mendes
MF 15 Portugal Danilo Pereira
MF 18 Portugal Renato Sanches upward-facing green arrow 63'
MF 17 Portugal Vitinha upward-facing green arrow 86'
MF 19 Spain Pablo Sarabia
GK 1 Germany Manuel Neuer (c)
RB 40 Morocco Noussair Mazraoui
CB 4 Netherlands Matthijs de Ligt
CB 21 France Lucas Hernández
LB 19 Canada Alphonso Davies
CM 6 Germany Joshua Kimmich
CM 8 Germany Leon Goretzka
RW 17 Senegal Sadio Mané
AM 25 Germany Thomas Müller downward-facing red arrow 78'
LW 11 France Kingsley Coman downward-facing red arrow 58'
CF 39 France Mathys Tel downward-facing red arrow 66'
Substitutes:
GK 26 Germany Sven Ulreich
DF 2 France Dayot Upamecano upward-facing green arrow 58'
MF 42 Germany Jamal Musiala
MF 18 Austria Marcel Sabitzer
MF 38 Netherlands Ryan Gravenberch
FW 7 Germany Serge Gnabry upward-facing green arrow 78'
FW 10 Germany Leroy Sané upward-facing green arrow 66'

Man of the Match:
Mathys Tel (Bayern Munich)

Match rules


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