World Cup Guide: everything you need to know about Group A | OneFootball

The World Cup is just around the corner! With the countdown edging ever closer to zero, Playmaker is stepping up to introduce the 48 participating national teams through 12 articles - one for each group in the competition.

Find out more about each nation, including their likely starting XI and some of the biggest names.

We start, as expected, with Group A in the group stage. Realistically, it isn’t a group overflowing with genuine title contenders - that list is still fairly short and largely limited to the eight former winners - but it still offers plenty of intrigue, with three nations who know exactly what it takes to host a World Cup.

Mexico is one of them, also acting as one of the co-hosts for this edition alongside the United States and Canada. They’re well accustomed to staging major tournaments, having previously done so in 1970 and 1986. South Africa also fall into that category, having famously captured the imagination of football fans when they hosted in 2010. Interestingly, those two sides meet on Thursday in what becomes the first repeat fixture of a tournament opener.

Elsewhere in the group, South Korea bring growing tournament experience and, as co-hosts in 2002, famously enjoyed a remarkable run to the semi-finals. Completing Group A are Czechia, back at the World Cup after a 20-year absence, but with a strong pedigree that includes reaching two World Cup finals in their history.

Mexico

Appearances: 18

Best result: quarter-finals

It’s one of the most familiar sights at the World Cup, although that familiarity has rarely translated into real success. In fact, Mexico’s group-stage exit in 2022 - after seven consecutive runs to the round of 16 (only bettered in the years they hosted) — fuelled talk that they were a team in decline. That, however, doesn’t really tell the full story.

The Mexican national team is actually enjoying a rather encouraging period. With debate still ongoing over whether the Gold Cup or the Nations League holds more weight in CONCACAF football, it barely matters - because Mexico lifted both last year. They’ve managed that while blending experienced heads, such as the ever-present Guillermo Ochoa (who will again be at the World Cup), with a crop of promising young players coming through.

Perhaps their biggest strength, though, is home advantage. Portugal’s 0-0 draw at the Azteca in March simply added to a long unbeaten run on Mexican soil. In fact, their last defeat at home came eight years ago against Chile (0-1). It’s exactly the sort of record that will give belief to a nation of over 130 million dreaming of a deep run.

The coach - Javier Aguirre

Does the name sound familiar? It might be because he was recently in La Liga with Mallorca, or more likely due to his previous spells in charge of the Mexican national team. This is, in fact, his third stint in the job, having first led the side between 2001 and 2002, and again from 2009 to 2010 - and this latest chapter may well be the most intriguing of all.

So far, it has already brought two trophies and a clear identity, with a strong focus placed on defensive organisation, particularly as they head into the World Cup.

The star - Raúl Jiménez

The forward, a 125-time senior international, is no longer at his peak - that arguably came to an end after the skull fracture he suffered a few years ago - but he has reinvented himself and remains a major figure for Mexico and in the Premier League, where he plays for Fulham.

He will not be expected to play 90 minutes every match - and at 35, that would hardly be realistic anyway - but he will still have an important role to play.

One to watch - Gilberto Mora

The name generating the most excitement in Mexico right now is Gilberto Mora. The creative midfielder from Club Tijuana is still only 17, yet he already knows what it feels like to make an impact at international level, having featured in Mexico’s Gold Cup triumph.

He did have a few injury and fitness issues over the course of the season, but he is now back on the pitch and fully involved again. There is a strong expectation that he will see minutes at the World Cup, and if he does, a move to Europe would feel like the natural next step in his development.

Other key players: Edson Álvarez (Fenerbahçe), Johan Vásquez (Genoa), Julián Quiñones (Al-Qadsiah), Alexis Vega (Toluca) and Obed Vargas (Atlético Madrid)

South Africa

Appearances: four

Best result: group stage

Let the vuvuzelas make noise, because South Africa are back at the World Cup! It has been a 16-year wait, with a fair bit of frustration along the way. After a controversial “phantom” penalty against Ghana knocked them out of the previous tournament cycle, they also suffered a setback this time around when a fielding of an ineligible player led to a three-point deduction in qualifying. That sparked alarm at the time, but Bafana Bafana still managed to finish ahead of a strong Nigeria side in their group.

Like Mexico, South Africa benefit from a well-established domestic league, which means there is a broad pool of players available for selection. The flip side, though, is that many South African players do not move abroad, and as a result, do not always reach the same competitive level as those tested in Europe’s top leagues.

That relative lack of experience can count against them, as can their absence from recent tournaments. However, there are positives. This is a confident, technically-minded side capable of playing attractive football, and they could produce a few surprises on the big stage. On top of that, a number of players in the squad already have experience at the Club World Cup, which should help them cope with the occasion.

The coach - Hugo Broos

Known for having coached some of Belgium’s biggest clubs over the course of two decades in his home country, as well as guiding the Cameroon national team to an AFCON title, Hugo Broos has been in charge of South Africa since 2021 and is currently enjoying his strongest spell since arriving.

He has already confirmed that this World Cup will be his final experience in football management.

The star - Lyle Foster

He may not be the most eye-catching of the stars representing their respective nations at this World Cup, but he is unquestionably the standout current player for this footballing nation. Lyle Foster didn’t manage to find the net early in his career in Europe, but since then he has carved out a solid path that took him to the Premier League, where he featured for Burnley.

At international level, much of South Africa’s attacking play flows through him, with his presence and link-up play central to how they build forward.

One to watch - Mbekezeli Mbokazi

A 177cm centre-back - on paper, the left-footed defender’s physical profile might have been seen as a barrier to reaching the very top level, but that has not been the case since his breakthrough around a year ago.

Since then, he has earned a move to Chicago Fire for around €2.5 million, making his MLS debut in some style with two goal-line clearances. He has also stood out for his unusually refined technical ability for a defender, along with a surprising knack for scoring the occasional spectacular goal.

Other key players: Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns), Bongokuhle Hlongwane (Minnesotta United), Teboho Mokoena (Mamelodi Sundowns), Samukelo Kabini (Molde) and Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns)

South Korea

Appearances: 12

Best result: semi-finals

Unlike what we have said about the other teams in this group, South Korea are not heading into this summer’s World Cup at their highest possible confidence level.

On paper, they have a stronger squad than many of the nations involved, including players who feature for clubs such as PSG and Bayern Munich. However, that strength doesn’t always translate into performances on the pitch or consistent recent results. Qualification itself was relatively straightforward, in a group where Jordan finished as the second-strongest side, but friendlies against tougher opposition have highlighted a few underlying issues.

Even so, the group is a manageable one, and South Korea’s ambitions remain firmly focused on reaching the knockout stage. Their standout names - the players who bring real quality to the side, even if they are not always backed by a deep pool of recognisable teammates - could still be enough to push them towards matching their best World Cup finish since hosting the tournament: the round of 16.

The coach - Hong Myung-bo

A 136-time senior international, Hong has had a career that, much like Son’s, even took him to Los Angeles. Now 57, he is the national team coach.

This is his second spell in charge, 12 years after he previously led the side at the Brazil World Cup, where they recorded a draw and two defeats. In the intervening years, he has built up his coaching experience across the Chinese league and the K-League.

The star - Son Heung-min

We have made the mistake before of looking at football stars and assuming they are about to play their last World Cup. In Son’s case, that doesn’t feel like too much of a stretch. At nearly 33, the forward no longer carries his national team on his own in most matches, but he remains their standout figure and has been delivering solid numbers since his move to Los Angeles FC in the MLS.

One to watch - Lee Kang-in

He is not a new face on the international football scene, but the reality is that youth is in short supply in the current South Korea squad, so there is little more intriguing than watching the PSG player’s potential shift from a supporting role into the spotlight. At 25, he has ten goals in 46 caps.

Other key players: Kim Min-jae (Bayern München), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton), Oh Hyun-gyu (Besiktas) and Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord)

Czechia

Appearances: ten (two as Czechia; eight as Czechoslovakia)

Best result: final

However much historical weight it carries in international football - at least in terms of its inherited legacy - the reality is that this side has only reached the World Cup stage four times since 1970. This is their first appearance since 2006, which naturally brings a lack of experience with it: none of the current squad have played at a World Cup before.

The battle for qualification was tight and particularly compelling in its closing stages. The Czechs finished second in Group L, much closer to third-placed Faroe Islands than to group winners Croatia, before having to go through the play-offs. There, home advantage proved crucial as they edged past the Republic of Ireland and then Denmark, with both ties decided on penalties.

The coach - Miroslav Koubek

This 74-year-old coach took charge after Ivan Hašek was dismissed in December. The drama of the World Cup qualifying play-offs, mentioned above, marked his first real experience in charge of the national side.

He has spent the majority of his career working in the Czech league, so this tournament will represent the peak of his professional journey.

The star - Patrik Schick

The inexperience is really only at World Cup level, as Schick has already been through plenty in his career so far. The Bayer Leverkusen striker is a classic number nine, combining physical strength with serious shot power, and he has already made his mark on the international stage across two European Championships (six goals in seven matches).

Much of the Czech Republic’s attacking play will revolve around him.

One to watch - Ladislav Krejci

Once again, a role that is often given to a young prospect will instead go to a more experienced player. Krejci is 27, but he is still not a widely recognised name on the international stage - not yet, at least.

His rise has been swift, and the Wolverhampton centre-back, who can also operate in midfield, was named national team captain this year. He underlined that promotion with two standout performances in the play-off matches that secured World Cup qualification.

Other key players: Tomas Soucek (West Ham), Martín Vitík (Bologna), Pavel Sulc (Lyon), Matej Kovar (PSV) and Vladimír Coufal (Hoffenheim)

Group A of the World Cup