Scotland

Scotland are at their second consecutive World Cup, which sounds unremarkable until you remember they qualified for none between 1998 and 2022 — this is genuinely a new era for Scottish football.

They're in Group C with Brazil, Morocco and Haiti — which is brutal, and realistic expectations involve getting through by finishing third rather than topping the group.

Steve Clarke has been the manager since 2019 and has overseen the most successful period in Scottish football for a generation — the fans adore him, which is a fairly unusual experience for a Scotland manager.

Scotland's players are largely Premier League quality — they're not a small nation with amateur players, they're a well-organised side that punches close to their weight — the problem is their weight doesn't include beating Brazil.

The Scots will be the most vocal fanbase of any team at the tournament — they travel in enormous numbers, make friends with everyone, and are universally beloved abroad in a way that slightly baffles people back home.