The World Cup is finally upon us, with 48 teams set to take centre stage in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The tournament could be a tournament of the golden oldies, with veterans like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Luka Modric, and Manuel Neuer, but it won’t just be about them. There are also some exciting young stars ready to take centre stage, including 18-year-old Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal and England’s Nico O’Reilly and Paris Saint-Germain’s Desire Doue.
After what feels like a lifetime of waiting, the World Cup is finally upon us. Forty-eight teams are set to take centre stage in the United States , Canada , and Mexico - from the tiny Caribbean island of Curacao, with a population of 158,000, to five-time world champions Brazil.
It could be a tournament of the golden oldies, among them 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo and 38-year-old Lionel Messi, as well as Croatia's timeless midfielder Luka Modric (40) and German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer (40). But it won’t just be about the veterans - there are also some exciting young stars ready to take centre stage. Chief among them is 18-year-old Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal, who has taken the world by storm.
The latest extraordinary talent to emerge from Barca’s esteemed La Masia academy, Yamal has already amassed 25 caps for Spain, played more than 150 club matches, and won three Spanish league titles. Alongside Yamal are the likes of England’s Manchester City prospect Nico O’Reilly (21) and Paris Saint-Germain’s recent Champions League winner Desire Doue (21).
Over 39 days, prepare for a celebrity invasion, a slew of scandal, and some unmissable narratives - which Daily Mail Sport will pull out all the stops to cover. With bases in New York, London, and Sydney, we’ll keep you across all the biggest stories at all hours of the day, culminating in the final showpiece at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on July 19.
And we appreciate that not all of you may be as clued up on the ins and outs of this summer’s tournament, so we have created this handy guide to bring you up to date on everything you may have missed ahead of tonight’s curtain-raiser in Mexico City..
Please follow us on Google to support us World Cup 48 Teams United States Canada Mexico Cristiano Ronaldo Lionel Messi Luka Modric Manuel Neuer Barcelona Spain England Manchester City Paris Saint-Germain Champions League Spain Spanish League Titles Barcelona La Masia Academy Nico O’Reilly Desire Doue New York London Sydney Metlife Stadium July 19 Curated Content Guide
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