BVB stars at World Cup: Sabitzer, Bensebaini eye Messi clash | OneFootball

Yesterday’s draw for the groups of the 2026 World Cup in Mexico, Canada, and the USA is also relevant for several players from Borussia Dortmund’s squad. Relevant for all those who qualified for the finals overseas with their national teams. And with a squad like BVB’s, that’s quite a few.

Marcel Sabitzer has already participated in three European Championships with Austria and can now represent his country at a World Cup with his teammates under coach Ralf Rangnick. Austria qualified for the first time since 1998 and will immediately face the reigning world champions, Argentina. Superstar Lionel Messi has not yet decided whether he will participate once more. In any case, Marcel Sabitzer will be up against a lot of quality. The other two opponents are Algeria and World Cup newcomer Jordan.

In his group, Marcel Sabitzer will also face Ramy Bensebaini, who is likely to be part of Algeria’s squad and will thus have the same other opponents ahead of him: Argentina and Jordan.

Julian Ryerson will likely travel to America with Norway, having recently been a regular starter for the Norwegian national team. Norway is now considered a dark horse at the World Cup, and not just because of the many goals scored by former Dortmund player Erling Haaland. The center-forward scored an incredible sixteen goals in just eight matches. But the rest of the squad is also of a high standard. Julian Ryerson and company will face runners-up France, Senegal, and a team from the still open FIFA playoffs in the group stage. Norway, too, has qualified for the first time since 1998.

Photo: IMAGO

High expectations for Norway with Ryerson and Haaland

Gregor Kobel guards the goal for Switzerland. He already participated in the 2022 World Cup, where he was used in one match. The Swiss once again qualified fairly easily, now for the sixth time in a row. Kobel will definitely experience a match in Canada, as co-host Canada is one of Switzerland’s three group opponents. In addition to Qatar, they will face one of the European playoff participants. One of the four countries—Wales, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, or Northern Ireland—will complete Switzerland’s Group B.

Daniel Svensson is still fighting with Sweden for a ticket to the World Cup. In Path B of the playoffs, they will first face Ukraine. If they are victorious there, a final against Poland or Albania awaits. Should they succeed again, they would face one of the stronger groups of this 2026 World Cup, with Japan, the Netherlands, and Tunisia.

Salih Özcan and Turkey also have to go through the UEFA playoffs. Their first opponent is Romania. After that, they will face the winner of the match between Slovakia and Kosovo. The overall winner will then join Group D, where co-host USA, Paraguay, and Australia await.

Yan Couto has so far made four appearances for the Selecao, but it will be difficult for him to make Brazil’s World Cup squad. Should he succeed, his opponents at the 2026 World Cup would be Morocco, Haiti, and Scotland. And if Carney Chukwuemeka or Jobe Bellingham make it into England’s squad, for which they are at least youth internationals, they would face Croatia, Ghana, and Panama.

The many German national players at Borussia Dortmund, of course, also learned their three group opponents yesterday. For Nagelsmann’s team, it will be against Ecuador, Curacao, and Ivory Coast.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.