Manager: Rudi Garcia.

World Cup history: 15th appearance. Best result – third place 2018.

The golden generation’s last dance. Thibaut Courtois, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku were entering their prime at the 2018 World Cup in Russia only to lose against France in the semi-final. Eight years on, there is more emphasis on Jérémy Doku and Aston Villa duo Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemans to produce the goods, with a quarter-final showdown against Spain in Los Angeles well within their reach.

Star man: Jérémy Doku. The ageing-team narrative could be flipped on its head by the electric Manchester City winger, who has just turned 24.

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Manager: Hossam Hassan.

World Cup history: Fourth appearance. Best result – last 16 1934.

Egypt scrambled into the Afcon semi-final in January before Senegal’s Sadio Mané settled the battle of Liverpool legends. Mohamed Salah returned to Anfield to finish his career on Merseyside, scoring only three more goals in the Premier League having hit four in five starts for Egypt. The opening match against Belgium in Seattle should decide who tops the group.

Star man: Mohamed Salah. Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush is arguably more important to the cause, but Egypt will need Salah to roll back the years, one last time, if they are to make that LA quarter-final against Spain.

Manager: Amir Ghalenoei.

World Cup history: Seventh appearance. Best result – group stage 1978, 1998, 2006, 2014, 2018 and 2022.

Fifa moved Iran’s training camp from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana after the Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum revealed that the US government refused to house them during the World Cup. It shouldn’t prove too much of an issue for Amir Ghalenoei’s team as they play New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles and Egypt in Seattle. They are due to arrive in Mexico in the early hours of Sunday morning with US visas expected to be issued this weekend for players, staff and officials not connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Star man: Mehdi Taremi. The Olympiacos centre forward should be entering his third World Cup alongside Sardar Azmoun but the former Bayer Leverkusen striker was omitted from the squad for posting a picture with the UAE ruler Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Manager: Darren Bazeley.

World Cup history: Third appearance. Best result – group stage 1982 and 2010.

The All Whites, wearing all black, suggested in a recent 4-0 defeat to Haiti that a tough few weeks lie ahead at their third World Cup.

Star man: Chris Wood. Knee surgery prevented the powerful centre forward from adding to his two outstanding seasons in the Premier League for Nottingham Forest, during which he amassed 34 goals, but he returned in April to score against Aston Villa in the Europa League semi-final.

Source: The Irish Times