Martin's Picks (3 Live)
Paraguay were really disappointing in their 4-1 defeat to the USA on Matchday 1. They arrived at this tournament with a reputation for defensive solidity, but they were torn apart in Los Angeles. That defeat could knock their confidence as they prepare to face Türkiye. The Turks suffered a shock 2-0 defeat to Australia in their opener, but they dominated the game - 63% of the possession, 28 shots on goal, seven shots on target. If they play like that against Paraguay, and they sharpen up their finishing a bit, they should easily win this game.
Morocco were a little unfortunate to only draw 1-1 with a star-studded Brazil team on Matchday 1. The Atlas Lions were vastly superior in the opening stages of that game, and they led 1-0, only for Vinícius Júnior to equalize with a piece of individual brilliance. The game then fizzled out in the second half, but Morocco earned a creditable point. Scotland secured a tense 1-0 win against Haiti in their opener, but Morocco represent a massive step up in quality, and the African champions should win this game.
The USMNT produced a superb performance to beat Paraguay 4-1 in their opener. Striker Folarin Balogun scored twice, and fellow stars Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie also looked lively. They should extend their winning streak when they face Australia. The Socceroos pulled off a shock 2-0 victory over Türkiye on Matchday 1, but they were outplayed for large parts of that game, and they could struggle against this fired-up USA team, which will benefit from home advantage in Seattle.
South Africa were comprehensively outplayed in their 2-0 defeat to Mexico on Matchday 1. Yaya Sithole and Thema Zwane were both sent off in that game, so they'll now be suspended for this crucial match against Czechia. The Czechs also lost 2-1 to South Korea in their opener, but they were far more competitive than South Africa, and they have a strong chance of winning this game if they can create chances for star forward Patrik Schick.
England should make a winning start to their World Cup campaign when they face an ageing Croatia team. The Croats were runners-up at the 2018 World Cup, and they finished third in 2022, but they’ve regressed in recent years. Captain Luka Modrić is now 40, and several other key players have retired. They lost 3-1 to Brazil and 2-0 to Belgium in their last two games, which suggests that they could struggle to contain an England attack featuring the likes of Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka.
Portugal will have a golden opportunity to make a winning start to their World Cup campaign when they face DR Congo. They have arguably the best midfield in the world, with Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Vitinha, and João Neves creating chances for Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese also have a great deal of quality on the flanks, so they should absolutely dominate DR Congo, who have qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1976. It could be a lopsided game.
Norway’s forwards could run riot against Iraq in this game. Erling Haaland is a goal machine, Martin Ødegaard is a superb playmaker, and the likes of Alexander Sørloth and Antonio Nusa provide extra firepower. The Norwegians scored 37 goals and conceded just five times in their qualifying campaign, which included a 3-0 win and a 4-1 win against Italy. They need to win this game, as Iraq is the weakest team in their group, which also features France and Senegal, so they should secure a pretty comfortable victory.
This should be an entertaining game between two talented teams. France boasts the best attack in world soccer, featuring Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, and Michael Olise, so Les Bleus should score at least two goals in this game. Senegal’s forwards are also very dangerous – especially Sadio Mané and Ismaïla Sarr – so we should see plenty of goals in this match.
Iran moved up to No. 20 in the FIFA world rankings after sweeping their opponents aside in the Asian World Cup qualifying campaign. They’re unlikely to go deep into this tournament, but they have dangerous forwards like Mehdi Taremi, Mehdi Ghayedi, Mohammad Mohebi, Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh, and Dennis Eckert in their ranks. That should leave them with enough firepower to beat this limited New Zealand team. The Kiwis are No. 85 in the world rankings, which highlights the gulf in quality between these teams.
Spain should cruise to victory over Cape Verde in their World Cup opener. The reigning European champions are on a 34-game unbeaten streak, and they’re the outright favorites to win this tournament with most sportsbooks. They have a world-class midfield, featuring the likes of Rodri and Pedri, so they should dominate possession in this game. Manager Luis de la Fuente says that star forwards Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams should also be fit for this game, so La Roja should have far too much firepower for Cape Verde to handle.
Turkey will have a great opportunity to make a winning start to their World Cup campaign when they face Australia. The Turks have elite players like Arda Güler, Kenan Yildiz, and Hakan Çalhanoğlu in their ranks. They look vastly superior to the Socceroos, who lack quality in every department. Australia will fight for every ball, but Turkey look much more technically astute in possession, and they could outclass their opponents.
Switzerland should outclass Qatar when the teams clash in California. The Swiss are unbeaten since November 2024 in competitive matches, and they cruised through their qualifying campaign. By contrast, the Qataris have recently lost to Palestine, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, and the Republic of Ireland, so they could struggle against elite players like Granit Xhaka, Gregor Kobel, and Johan Manzambi.
This promises to be a low-scoring game between two teams that will be desperate to avoid defeat. Paraguay's games averaged just 1.33 goals during their qualifying campaign. Nine of their 12 matches saw under 2.5 goals, including three 0-0 draws. The Paraguayans are happy to sit back, soak up pressure, and try to grind out results. The USMNT are more of an attacking team, but it could take a while for them to break down this Paraguay defense, so under 2.5 goals looks appealing.
This promises to be an entertaining game between two well-drilled teams, but South Korea's superior quality should ultimately shine through. The midfield battle looks pretty even, and both teams have solid defenders, but South Korea has more firepower. Son Heung-min, Hwang Hee-chan, and Lee Kang-in are dangerous in attack, and they could swing this game in South Korea's favor.
This is a must-win game for Mexico. El Tri have landed in a fiercely competitive group, along with South Korea, South Africa, and the Czech Republic. South Africa look like the weakest team in the group, so Mexico can't afford to drop points in this match. They will benefit from passionate home support in Mexico City, and they have stronger players than South Africa in every department, so they should win by at least one goal. Backing Mexico -1 means you profit if El Tri win by at least two goals, and you get your money back if they only win by a single goal, and that looks like a great bet.