Hello, this is international football commentator Derek Ray, and you're listening to the Ranks

FC podcast. Hello, Rank's Squad. Hello, Rank Squad. The World Cup is upon us and it's about time we start to dig into the previews for it.

So this is the first of four episodes here on Rank's FC. We're going to work through the groups from the World Cup, three groups in each episode. Today, we're going to start with groups A to C. My name is Jack Collins and I'll be your host day. And joining me, it's the one and only Mr. Doogie Critchley. Hey, dear mate. Hello, Jack. I am good. Thank you. Thanks for having me on. Yeah, I'm actually off this week from Sky,

but I'm around about doing some content of my own and playing some golf and going to the

physio just now as well, just a general MOT, just one of those like, you're over 30 now,

you're a bit creaky, so get a massage. And it was very nice indeed. But I'm excited for the

World Cup. I've just kind of switched mentally from the club game into the international game, which I'm sure you've had to do too, too. Although your brain never goes too far away from international football. You're a purist in that sense. Yeah, I do love international football. And like, it gets to World Cup and I'm like, everyone else is on board now. This is nice. You can talk talk about it like me yapping away about the Nations League where no one absolutely no one cares a shot and so

it's nice to be able to dig into this stuff and to dig into it alongside you and there is plenty

for us to get through so I think we're just get straight into it going to do group A in part one group

B in part two and then group C in part three and we're going to start Group A in Part 1, Group B in Part 2, and then Group C in Part 3.

And we're going to start with this first while, Mexico, one of the three hosts top the billing,

shall we say, for Group A. They're joined in there by South Africa, South Korea and the Czech Republic.

We'll talk a little bit about each of them individually, Doogie. But first and foremost, I'm intrigued by this group because I think it's one of the more open ones.

There's a couple here that feel like, you know, anyone can necessarily take the biscuit.

I think of all the groups in the entire tournament, this one is arguably the hardest to call because it feels like four teams who are, one, going to approach this in different ways.

And two, I don't completely trust any of them.

And I think that that makes for a fun place for this World Cup to kick off.

Yeah, absolutely.

I mean, I was speaking to a South Korean fan a couple of weeks ago.

And I thought, and we'll touch on some of their key individuals, but I thought they'd be feeling quite confident in this group. But he wasn't feeling confident whatsoever. And then sort of historically, Czech Republic had been much better at the Euros than at the World Cup. I think it's fair to say. Mexico are just the ultimate last 16 team that always in the last 16, always getting knocked out at that stage. Didn't happen last time. And then this South African squad is really struggling going into this tournament and feels a little bit all over the place and I've had even some visa issues which delayed their takeoff as well. So some unfortunate shenanigans going on for the South African players to get their heads around as they approach this massive tournament.

But I agree with you. I think between Mexico, South Korea and Czech Republic, you can make a pretty good claim for any of them to top the group.

Yeah, no, I agree. I agree. I mean, let's start with the hosts. It feels only right to begin with Mexico.

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