🇪🇬 Egypt vs 🇮🇷 Iran

Egypt are back at the World Cup after missing 2022, and their entire campaign essentially rests on one man: Mohamed Salah. He's 34, this is probably his last World Cup, and he's arguably the best player never to have won it. That is a genuinely compelling narrative.

Salah is Egypt's top scorer, best player and main reason anyone's interested in their group games. He can single-handedly change matches. If he has a good tournament, people will be watching. If he doesn't, Egypt will probably go out quietly and he'll be described as 'unable to do it at international level', which isn't entirely fair.

Egypt are in Group G with Belgium, Iran and New Zealand — a difficult group where they're unlikely to progress, but any match Salah plays is worth watching on its own merits.

Beyond Salah, Egypt's squad lacks the depth to consistently challenge Europe's top sides. They rely heavily on him creating and scoring. When he has an off day the alternatives are limited. This is worth knowing so you're not surprised.

Egypt have won the Africa Cup of Nations a record seven times — they are a football powerhouse continentally, even if World Cups haven't worked out. Seven continental titles is a fact worth deploying.

Iran are at their fourth consecutive World Cup — a remarkable run of qualification for a nation that went decades without appearing at the tournament. Four in a row is genuine progress, not luck.

They beat Wales 2–0 at the 2022 World Cup, coming from behind with two late goals. That's a result against a European side that deserves more recognition than it got. Iran turning up and scoring late goals is now established tournament behaviour.

Sardar Azmoun is their most dangerous forward — plays in Europe, is technically gifted, and is the focal point of an attack capable of scoring against quality opposition on the right day.

Iran are in Group G with Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand. Belgium are strong favourites. But the group is competitive, and Iran reaching the knockout stage is not impossible given what we've seen from them recently.

Iranian football is deeply political in ways that are impossible to ignore — the team carries the hopes of millions of fans who see the national side as something separate from the political situation. For any given match, they're just footballers. Worth keeping that framing in mind.