Mbappe vs Haaland, Dream Match-ups and YMCA: The Highlights from the World Cup Draw

The upcoming World Cup is at last beginning to seem very real. While fans can finally start marking their calendars, the recent ceremony in Washington DC was not short of major talking points.

Well before the Village People took to the stage with YMCA, we were left picking the bones out of a group stage that includes a showdown between two of the world's best strikers and a playoff bracket that could produce a highly anticipated meeting between two greats of the sport.

The Ceremony That Seemed Like It May Never End

Numerous viewers logged on eager to find out their national side's initial fixtures. However, even though supporters are used to these draws taking some time, this one set a new standard.

After acts by a pop star and a former Pussycat Doll, speeches from dignitaries and football's governing body, plus numerous video packages and interviews, it eventually appeared to get going almost 60 minutes later. That was an illusion.

Cue further commentary and performances, before the actual draw eventually began nearly an hour and a half after the glitzy event initially started. The selection then took 59 minutes to complete.

Moving On to the Actual Football...

Next summer's World Cup will be the largest in history, with a record 48 teams and a new round of 32. However, this expansion has maybe resulted in the group stage being slightly diluted in overall strength.

There are very few fixtures between the major nations. England's game against their 2018 semi-final opponents is the most significant on paper. That is the sole opening-round game with two teams ranked in the top 10.

The Selecao versus Morocco is the second most intriguing. The Netherlands have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Germany—grouped with less-fancied opponents—have the weakest. But, interesting matches still await.

A Pair of Goal Machines Face Off

Generational goalgetter Norway's star will get a crack at his first major tournament in the upcoming finals. The Manchester City striker netted 16 goals in qualifying matches to drag his country to their initial berth since 1998.

Few have managed to rival the 25-year-old's ridiculous scoring records—but someone who has is scheduled to face him in the final round of group games. Together with Senegal, Norway have been paired with the French superstar's Les Bleus.

This means the leading scorers in the Premier League and La Liga will go head-to-head for the initial occasion in on the global stage. Expect goals. Lots of goals.

A Familiar Foe

Mexico will take on South Africa in the opening match—repeating history. The sides also kicked off the tournament in South Africa. That match, ending 1-1, is best remembered for a thunderous second-half strike.

Another notable fixture will see France again come up against the Senegalese, who shocked the then-world champions back in 2002. On that first day, a then-unknown player upstaged France's cast of star names to score the winning goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the First-Timers

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have taken advantage of the expanded World Cup to reach the tournament for the first time. However, standing in their way are past winners, continental title-holders and Copa America winners.

In one group, Curacao, the least populous country to ever play at a World Cup, will take on multiple winners Germany. Cape Verde, with a resident count of around 600,000, will face Euro winners and 2010 World Cup winners La Roja.

Jordan, after 40 years of trying, will face defending champions Argentina and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will be guided by a 2006 World Cup winner against Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.

And Then Comes the Knockout Stage?

If all the favorites make it safely through their groups, we shouldn't have to wait for the big hitters to meet. The round of 32 is where things could get extremely interesting, most notably with a potential tie between former champions Germany and France.

On the opposite half of the draw, eyes will be fixed on the quarter-final stage, where old rivals Messi and the Portuguese are set for a potential showdown. It would depend on both Messi's team and Portugal finishing top and squeezing through the initial playoffs.

For England, a match with co-hosts Mexico seems the probable last-32 tie. Should Scotland are able to get through, Japan or the Netherlands could await in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.