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World Cup Q&A: ‘Are you allowed to be scared of the prospect of losing to Haiti? Of course you are!’ | Football
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Ewan Murray
Thank you for all the questions; including because you proved I am not nearly as good at thinking on my feet as I thought I was. I hope everyone enjoys the World Cup and that Scotland make a proper impact here. Enjoy the coverage …
What would Burns say?
BobbiJane15: Clarkie and wee Billy Gilmour are both from Ayrshire. Can you think of a Burns quote that would give the team a boost?
That’s a brilliant question. And with family heritage there, I should have a smart answer. Unfortunately, I will have to leave for others, besides pointing out that if the Scotland team is even nearly as “prolific” as the national bard …
How big a miss is Billy Gilmour?
whatthatguysaid asks: Is Gilmour a big miss for Scotland, or would Clarke not have used him much anyway? I’m torn between loving having a classy ball player in the team, and being worried about him playing neat little passes only to find Grant Hanley is on the receiving end.
You are quite right to point out Clarke had a tendency not to use Gilmour when others expected he would (the Germany game in the last Euros an example). I just feel really sorry for the player; his Euro 2020/21 was ruined by Covid. It’s also fine to say the team can manage without him.
Am I allowed to be scared at the prospect of Haiti?
Dumbuck asks: As one who attended the Costa Rica debacle in Genoa in 1990, am I allowed to be scared shitless by the prospect of facing Haiti in our opening game?
Of course you are! I remember that day because, as a schoolboy, I placed a can of Irn-Bru in the freezer with a plan to drink it during the second half. I forgot all about the can, which exploded. You can imagine my mother’s delight at the subsequent state of the freezer.
What will you wear to matches?
Murdomania asks: I’ve dusted off my John Collier suit of 1978 (which served me well until 1982 – jacket, not the trousers by this point). What item of clothing will you be wearing to mark WC 2026?
It’s a shorts and T-shirt World Cup. Steaming hot. Everywhere.
Who should have been in the Scotland squad?
Fran2016 asks: Is there anyone who has not been selected for the Scotland squad who you think was desperately unlucky to not make it? Or do you feel Clarke got his choices correct?
I think he called it all right. The big decision obviously came after Billy Gilnour was injured. Picking Tyler Fletcher ahead of Lennon Miller turned heads. Fletcher, to me, looks to have a really bright future and massively impressed experienced players during training sessions. I hope Miller responds to the point where Clarke cannot ignore him but, in the here and now, Fletcher to me looks the better player.
Kieron Bowie and Oli McBurnie had strong cases but I generally find it hard to grumble with the squad.
Will Morocco be tougher than Brazil?
waefall asks: How seriously should we take Morocco? They’re my wildcard to go all the way, so I fear they could be even tougher than Brazil.
Very. But there is no question of anything else happening. In previous years – Costa Rica, Peru, Iran, Zaire – there was ignorance among Scotland players/staff/media about national teams we typically saw little of. That harmed Scotland. Now, there is so much information about opposition and, in Morocco’s case, a general understanding they are very good. I just think the position of that game is problematic for Scotland; I expect Morocco will be hungry for victory after an opening game loss to Brazil.
Does Scottish football offer more hope than its politicians?
seanmcnulty asks: Do you agree with William McIlvanney about the connections between Scotland’s World Cup fiascoes and our political fiascoes, and snatching defeat from the jaws of victory becoming a national trait in the widest sense? If so, what’ll happen to us after we reach this year’s semis?
There are so many ways I could answer this … But a debate on the merits of Scottish independence isn’t something I’d rather enter into at this point. Generally I have always agreed with both McIlvanneys. I also think the current crop of Scottish international football players operate at a far more impressive level than Scotland’s current crop of politicians.
How much is Shankland worth to Rangers?
CogitoErgoSumAnxius asks: How much can Rangers expect to get for Lawrence Shankland once the slow-motion maestro finishes top scorer of the group stage having made a fool of Marquinhos?
This made me laugh. More intriguing to me is whether Rangers would have bought him. He was a no-brainer on a free transfer but would they have paid even £1m for him? I’m not so sure. But perhaps I am being sour …
His current form and mood will be a huge asset to Scotland. Suddenly it looks like Steve Clarke has a reliable goalscorer, who partners exceptionally well with Che Adams.
What should we call Scotland v Haiti?
PeteTheBeat asks: In one office I worked in, we would make up tabloid names for certain games: England-Uruguay was for “The Fray Bentos Trophy” or Ireland Mexico being the Tricolour Derby.
What would we call Scotland v Haiti ?
Group C, both teams back at a World Cup after decades away. The Boston C Party? Sorry.
Who will be the surprise package?
Chrisquinze asks: Which team is your true “dark horse”. ie not Turkey, Norway, Japan etc that keep getting mentioned?
You are robbing me of my Japanese obsession. Fair enough. Côte d’Ivoire.
Will anyone be taking the knee?
JuiceSpritz asks: Will any team “take the knee” during the competition?
I genuinely haven’t heard that being talked about. So my sense is, no. But clearly we will have to wait and see.
Which players will come out of nowhere?
bowboysammy asks: Do you have a pick for a player coming out of nowhere who amazes us?
It is very difficult for a player to come out of nowhere now. Touching on answer below, I really enjoy watching Japan and think they have a batch of attackers who are really exciting. My bet is one or more of them achieve big transfers on the back of this World Cup.
How difficult was it to get into the US?
ayjaym asks: How far back in cleaning your social media profile did you have to go to get into the US?
I didn’t! Which is either the result of me coming to the US all the time to cover golf or a lack of interest in the corridors of power about my rantings towards Scottish referees.
How badly have Fifa fouled up?
RHConnon asks: Are you as disappointed (though not surprised) by the utter spinelessness of Fifa regarding, well, everything to do with this tournament as I am?
What is obvious is that their marketing budget was either too small or not appropriately used. If you look closely in the US, you will know the World Cup is happening. But you have to look closely. I’d suggest a key aim of a World Cup is to grab the attention of the host nation. That really doesn’t seem to have happened here. Yet, anyway.
Who will be the group stage entertainers?
OttoMaddox asks: What are the most promising group-stage games in terms of it actually being an entertaining game for the neutrals? Do any stick out?
I really enjoy watching Japan. That group has potential to be really entertaining, especially with the Dutch also involved. That also appears a pretty level/even section. A lot of the others have one or two noticeably weaker teams (in relative terms).
What are the chances of a Iran v US match?
KTwoDJF asks: I know that there is technically a path to it, but what are the chances USA will be knocked out of the tournament by Iran ?
I have the USA being knocked out by Belgium. But I also have the USA winning their section; the mood in this country does not seem to suggest much confidence at all in that happening.
Shout out for Shankland
Mauberley asks: As a fellow Hearts fan, will you join me in saying well done to Lawrence Shankland for his big move.
The line is breaking up here, I can’t hear your question. Apologies.
Scotland’s nemesis: Haiti or Brazil?
richardinmadrid asks: Being a Scot, aged 69, and a football fan all my life, I really think Scotland will play awful against Haiti and play a great match against Brazil. What do you think of my premonition?
Yes, this isn’t a wild theory at all. I disagree though; I think Scotland have been wounded by failures in the last two finals. They have players a) with a point to prove over that and b) aware this will either be their best or last World Cup opportunity. So I actually believe they will seize the day against Haiti.
The Brazil fixture is dependent on whether they are comfortably through already or have incentive to damage Scotland. If there is nothing on it for Brazil, and knowing how the big nations manage their way through tournaments, I wouldn’t at all rule out Scotland taking a point.
Bracketology predictions
3chordgenius asks: According to my Bracketology predictions Scotland will need to beat Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Argentina to win the trophy, assuming they qualify as one of the best 3rd placers. How much do you recommend I invest in this outcome?
You could invest £20 to lose £20. My own predictions on the same Guardian page had Scotland losing to Mexico in the last 32. And my scenario added England plus Brazil to the possible opponents.
Will Scotland make it past Group C?
Lambchops asks: It’s a well known fact that Scotland’s group opponents never end up meeting their expectations in the World Cup? Having faced Ronaldo’s convulsive fits in France 98 what misfortunes may befall Brazil this time? Will the “curse” be lifted if Scotland make it out of the groups this time? And speaking of curses, should we actually just try and get WWE wrestler Danhausen to curse our opponents as he seems to be having some success with US sports teams?
Not a “curse” I have previously contemplated. The Netherlands did reach the final in 1978 … The historical comparisons for Scotland are fair but of course skewed. This team will generally be regarded as the greatest of all time should they emerge from group C, which a 2-0 win over Haiti and nothing else might be enough to secure. The Scotland team of 1974 didn’t reach the group phase but also didn’t lose a game. A glance at that squad and suggesting this team might be superior feels silly.
My wrestling interest ended in the days of Big Boss Man but I will take your word for it re: Danhausen.
What’s become of Max Johnston?
Fearandloathingpart2 asks: Three right backs in the squad but no Max Johnston. Is he injured again, does he have the wrong attitude for Clarke, or does Clarke genuinely just rate Ralston higher?
I thought Johnston had a very difficult time when he came on in Copenhagen at the start of the World Cup campaign. Clarke is of course fiercely loyal and emphasises the club feel within this squad but I think the reality is he does rate Ralston higher. Hickey is by far and away the outstanding right back. Patterson needs a transfer from Everton to reignite his career and, like Johnston, is far better on the attacking elements from right back then he is defending.
A flutter on Scotland reaching the semis?
misterbadexample asks: Well, I’ve put £50 on us at 28-1 to reach the semifinals, and I never gamble. Do you think the excitement at qualifying may have overexcited the nation?
That has ebbed and flowed. People were hugely excited at qualification. That mood dampened a little but noticeably in the following months. Yet the comeback to win against Curaçao and the 4-0 victory over Bolivia on Saturday has, I sense, boosted the mood again. You will lose your £50 but I think the last-32 is a legitimate, proper target.
Will Norway-Scotland friction escalate?
DeJongandtherestless asks: Ewan, do you anticipate that the issue between Norway and Scotland will develop into a full-scale war at some point?
A wonderful story, largely because it is so utterly trivial. Norway are right to be irked about the late cancellation of a training game and the Scotland explanation doesn’t exactly tally. After all, Billy Gilmour was injured a week before they postponed the bounce game. However, the existence of the fixture wasn’t known publicly at all until the Norwegians made it that way. I also fail to see how it can significantly impact their build up.
There may be lingering Norwegian animosity of course. Scotland stole a late win in Oslo, which was key to qualification for the last Euros.
What do Scotland need to progess?
stooze asks: What do you think Scotland need to progress from the group – the minimum? I’m thinking 3 points and even a -2 GD might just scrape through.
Those who look at modelling suggest that will indeed be the borderline scenario. It’s a strange World Cup for Scotland in that it is so heavily based on game one. Without a win over Haiti – and I would argue a win by a couple of goals – the whole thing could fall flat within 90 minutes. I don’t fancy Morocco in game two after, I assume, they lose to Brazil. So I think Scotland have to win with a little to spare against Haiti then cling on for dear life.
Welcome to the Conversation
Hello, and welcome to the first Guardian World Cup Q&A
Ewan Murray is one of our newly expanded team of Guardian football correspondents scattered across North America to cover all 104 games.
Ewan is now here live from Charlotte, North Carolina where Scotland didn’t play Norway on Monday, to answer any questions you might have about the World Cup as a whole and, specifically, Scotland’s chances in group C alongside Haiti and France 98 group rivals Brazil and Morocco. Post your comments and questions below the line and Ewan will answer as many as he can.
Here’s some reading/watching/listening in the meantime:
The family of Shaun Burton, say they are “devastated” by the loss.
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Key events
In the opening half an hour against Cape Verde, Mikel Oyarzabal, the centre-forward, did not get a single touch.
Kyle Green gets in touch: “Your highlighting of Lalas and his absurdity is something that has prevented me from wanting to watch the coverage on Fox. While every channel has its pros and cons I just can’t.
“I’m 45 and probably the youngest of anyone who remembers him as a player instead of an opinionated insert insult here. As for the match this could be more competitive than it looks on paper Spain need a win the pressure is on them. Saudi Arabia could hold out for a draw and see what happens in their last match. “
News from the England camp, and it seems to be good news on Declan Rice.
“I’m ready and fit, raring to go. I was feeling a little bit of neural pain in my hamstring, which I was managing from after Christmas with Arsenal for a very long time. Obviously, not a lot of people would have known that. It was all behind-the-scenes stuff but it was a smart decision.
“In the end, that last 20 minutes is probably where you pick up the most, and it’s where you play a 70-minute match. But that last 20 is where you really feel your body going for it. And I think it was a smart decision because the last few days I felt really, really good.”
Alex Reid has penned today’s weekend special Football Daily.
Portugal v Uzbekistan on Tuesday enticingly pits the incredibly nice, incredibly 41-year-old-superstar-tolerant Roberto Martínez against Fabio Cannavaro, who’s won a Ballon d’Or as a player and the Chinese Super League as a coach. While the fixture following that game really does see the dream of Thomas Tuchel – in his first international job with England – taking on Queiroz, who is in charge of his ninth national side with Ghana.
The expected formations are 4-2-3-1 for Spain, and 5-3-2 for the Saudi Arabians.
The Saudi team features two Donis changes: Ali Lajami, a defender, and Nasser Al Dawsari, a midfielder, are preferred to Mohammed Abu Al Shamat and Mohamed Kanno. You may recall Salem Al Dawsari, the Saudi captain, as the man who scored the winner against Argentina.
An entertaining read, even for those of us who have just seen the clips.
In a conversation where his co-panelist is casually reminiscing about his days playing alongside Messi or exchanging shirts with Ronaldo Nazário at the World Cup, what exactly is Lalas going to talk about – coming on as a second-half substitute for Earnie Stewart in a friendly against Scotland in 1998? Helping the Kansas City Wizards finish last in the 1999 MLS Western Conference? Did Lalas enjoy an elite playing career? No. But does he do the background reading that could compensate for his relative lack of standing in a conversation with titans like Henry and Zlatan? Also no. But is he charming or funny or charismatic or otherwise magnetic on screen? Eh, no.
For the record, I once interviewed Alexi Lalas on the challenge of playing against Romario in the 1994 World Cup. He had this to say:
“He could kill you in so many different ways. If you remember from that World Cup, he scored so many types of goals. That ranged from solo adventures to an outside-of-the-right-foot half-volley off a corner kick. Romario was both the most difficult to play against and the best that I have faced.
“Roberto Baggio was doing his thing, but in terms of consistency and living up to the hype, he [Romario] was the best. As with all stars, there was a moment when the fans sit up in their seats, and that was a feeling I got with Romario. When it got close to him and the potential for his involvement in a play was there, everybody sat up in their seat. They knew that something spectacular would be happening.”
Saturday’s match reports here.
The Saudi Arabia coach, and Blackburn legend, Georgios Donis, spoke about the challenges facing his team: “Spain is not the same team when Yamal or Williams are on the bench.
“While they still have plenty of possession, they lack the individual one-on-one penetration when these two are missing. I’m not saying it’s a problem for Spain, but when those players are missing, they play in a different way. We saw this very clearly against Cape Verde.
“We are playing against one of the best teams in the world, and it’s very important that when you play against these kinds of teams, you should enjoy the experience and respect the opponent, but not too much.
“It is very hard for any team playing against Spain to have any time in possession. So what we must do is to be more in control of our movement and compact, and when the ball goes through the lines, be able to defend dynamically.
“It’s nice to see miracles in football, and we’ve seen favourites losing against underdogs. Of course, it’s great for Saudi football to have a great memory of the result against Argentina, but we aren’t drawing anything from that.
“I think we’ll feel more pressure in that [Cape Verde] game than we will against Spain.”
The Spain coach, Luis De La Fuente had this to say in his Saturday press conference: “This generation of footballers is highly competitive and really fired up… It’s going to be a completely different story,” he said at his pre-match press conference on Saturday. There is no drama or crisis. The bottom line is simply that we need to win tomorrow.”
Four changes for Spain: Lamine Yamal, Pedro Porro, Dani Olmo and Alex Baena also come into the side with Marcos Llorente, Fabian Ruiz, Ferran Torres and Gavi dropping out.
The teams – Lamine Yamal starts
Spain: Simon, Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella, Gonzalez, Rodri, Yamal, Olmo, Baena, Oyarzabal. Subs: Raya, Joan Garcia, Pubill, Grimaldo, Eric Garcia, Llorente, Merino, Torres, Fabian, Gavi, Pino, Williams, Zubimendi, Munoz, Iglesias.
Saudi Arabia: Al Owais, Abdulhamid, Tambakti, Lajami, Al Amri, Al Harbi, Nasser Al Dawsari, Al Khaibari, Al Juwayr, Al Buraikan, Salem Al Dawsari. Subs: Al Aqidi, Al Kassar, Majrashi, Yahya, Al Shehri, Al Boushal, Kadesh, Al Johani, Al Ghannam, Al Hajji, Al Hamdan, Mandash, Kanno, Thakri, Abu Al Shamat.
Referee: Raphael Claus (Brazil)
Perhaps one of the Saudi -players can write themselves into this high-grade selection?
Perhaps it can be their goalkeeper.
Madrid screening of Spain v Saudi Arabia cancelled due to heat
The public screening of Spain’s World Cup match against Saudi Arabia in Madrid on Sunday has been cancelled because of extreme heat forecast for the Spanish capital, officials said.
The match, due to kick off at 6pm local time on Sunday, had been scheduled to be shown on a giant screen installed by the Spanish football federation (RFEF) at a fan zone in Plaza de Colón in central Madrid.
Madrid city council and the federation decided to cancel the screening after national weather agency AEMET issued an orange heat warning – the second-highest level – for the Madrid region, with temperatures forecast to reach 40C.
“The decision has been taken with the aim of protecting the health of attendees, event staff and support services involved in the event,” Madrid city hall said in a statement, apologising for any inconvenience.
Officials urged supporters to watch the match indoors in air-conditioned spaces and avoid prolonged exposure to the heat.
Large parts of Spain are experiencing unusually high temperatures for June as a mass of hot air from North Africa moves across the Iberian Peninsula.
A total of 13 of Spain’s 17 regions are on orange alert for heat on Sunday, while the northern Basque Country bordering France is on red alert, the highest level.
Authorities advised residents and visitors to take precautions during the heatwave, including drinking water regularly, staying in cool environments, limiting outdoor physical activity during the hottest hours of the day and taking extra care of vulnerable people. AFP
Can Saudi Arabia repeat the magic of 2022?
Argentina arrived in Qatar on a 36-game unbeaten run. When Lionel Messi opened the scoring from the penalty spot after 10 minutes, a comfortable afternoon seemed in the offing. Saleh al-Shehri and Salem al-Dawsari had other ideas, Argentina had three goals disallowed for offside in the space of 13 minutes and the greatest comeback in Saudi Arabia football history was made. Argentina went on to lift the trophy, while defeats to Poland and Mexico meant the Saudis did not reach the knock-out stage.
Unai Simon over David Raya is a controversial choice for De la Fuentes. The Arsenal keeper could lay claim to being Europe’s best this season.
“Those at the Champions League final had a few more days, so I got there on the Wednesday night,” Raya says. “I arrived a bit before Fabián [Ruiz]. I was saying hello to some of the others in reception when he arrived. I went to say congratulations; that was almost the first thing I did. I couldn’t really talk [to him] after the final; I just didn’t have it in me. The next day we talked about the game properly. Just two mates chatting … I was happy for him that he could lift the trophy for a second time.”
A high pressure game for the European champions, as Sid Lowe reports.
“If we had scored one, the game would have changed,” Martín Zubimendi said. Immediately after the game, De la Fuente had offered a simple analysis: when the ball doesn’t want to go in it doesn’t want to go in, he insisted. Spain had racked up 27 shots, after all. Ferran Torres had hit the bar and seen another clear opportunity saved. Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper who stopped that, saved six more and was named the man of the match. “There’s nothing to reproach the team for,” Rodri said. “We generated chances but couldn’t put it away; the good thing is they created almost nothing.”
We wait to see what role Lamine Yamal will play today. His coach would surely like to be able to use him.
The worst mistake we could make would be to compare him to anyone. He is the midst of a process. He has exceptional footballing maturity and lives it all with total naturalness. He has great serenity and strength. We have to let him follow his path but those players who have something different are ready for that. They’re geniuses, like Dalí [who] can paint a picture, or Michelangelo. They’re different. What is exceptional to us, isn’t to them. In those extremes, they feel comfortable. Why? Because they are different. What we think is exceptional, they consider normal.
Preamble
Spain’s campaign did not get off to a flying start, and Luis de la Fuentes may wake up in the night to visions of Cape Verde’s Vozinha. He will have Georgia on his mind ever since Monday. Saudi Arabia are no pushovers and gave Uruguay a scare in their opening match. Memories of downing Argentina four years ago still abound, and so Spain might beware. They can ill afford to go into the final game with Uruguay at a disadvantage. All eyes on Lamine Yamal, whose fitness situation remains opaque, though Spain need their other forwards to come to the party.
Kick-off 5pm UK, 1pm ET, 2am AEST. Join me.
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