Hosts Ian Ladyman, Mark Clattenburg and Gordon Smart share their boldest predictions for this summer's World Cup, discussing potential winners, players to watch and how England will cope with the unique conditions of the tournament.
On a special World Cup preview episode of the Daily Mail's Whistleblowers podcast, hosts Ian Ladyman, Mark Clattenburg and Gordon Smart share their boldest predictions for this summer's tournament.
The World Cup begins on Thursday when Mexico kick off against South Africa at the Estadio Azteca, with matches then split across three host nations, the United States, Canada and Mexico, for the first time in the tournament's near century long history. This summer's competition is also the largest the World Cup has ever seen, with 16 more nations competing than at Qatar 2022.
Ladyman, Clattenburg and Smart discuss potential winners, pick out the players to watch and give their verdicts on how England will cope with the brutal heat and intense travel of a unique tournament. Ladyman, running his results through the Daily Mail's World Cup predictor, came out with Spain as winners, with France, Germany and Argentina joining them in the semi-finals.
England, he believes, will bow out in the round of 16, potentially against Mexico at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, unable to cope with the conditions of playing a host nation on home soil. Despite a difficult debut season at Liverpool, Ladyman tipped German playmaker Florian Wirtz as a player to watch.
'This competition will have a slower pace of play, so he will have more time on the ball. I think that could see him come right back to the top,' he said. Mark Clattenburg, Former referee turned pundit, was slightly more bullish on England's chances, believing Tuchel will thrive on the low expectations surrounding his squad. He was the only one of the three hosts not to rule out England reaching a semi-final.
Tuchel received a mixed reaction to his 26-man squad announcement, having left out key players from Gareth Southgate's successful England sides including Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Luke Shaw. The former referee said Turkey were his 'dark horses', naming 21-year-old attacking midfielder Arda Guler as his player to watch. He said: 'I think Turkey will do well. They won't win it, but they will do well.
'Arda Guler is a player. I also think Elliot Anderson could have a big tournament. He has conducted himself remarkably well this season.
' Gordon Smart, Scottish broadcaster, tipped both Switzerland and Ghana to have good tournaments. Smart said he expects Manchester City winger Antoine Semenyo to have a standout World Cup, potentially guiding the African nation to the knockouts. On England, Smart said he was unimpressed with Tuchel's squad, saying it was unlikely the German would guide the country to the semis.
'I just don't see it', he said. 'Something about this England team, I don't see it.
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