World Cup preview: Group C – Neymar’s last dance & Steve Clarke’s Scotland | OneFootball

The World Cup is almost upon us. From June 11 til July 19, 48 countries will fight to become World Champions in the tournament held in the USA, Mexico and Canada.

The teams in the tournament have already been drawn into 12 separate groups. Group C contains Brazil, Scotland, Morocco and Haiti in what looks like a tasty quartet.

Here’s a preview of the teams hoping to make it out of the group.

Brazil

Brazil truly need no introduction when it comes to World Cup pedigree. They are the only nation to have appeared in every single World Cup since the tournament was created in 1930.

They are also the record holders for most World Cup trophies, with five. They are perhaps the only nation whose fans genuinely expect them to win the competition every time.

Having said that though, they have not won it since 2002, and now have Carlo Ancelotti, the first ever foreign manager to lead Brazil at a World Cup.

Player to watch: Neymar. It will be his last dance with Brazil and despite being their top scorer of all time with 79 goals, he has never taken them to the trophy. He is currently nursing an injury but should be fit to play most of the tournament.

Stage of elimination prediction: Semi-final

Scotland

Scotland will be making their ninth World Cup appearance this summer, and have not qualified for one since 1998. This will be the first of taste of the global competition for a generation of Scottish fans.

They have never gotten out of the group stages of a World Cup, but should fancy their chances this year given eight third-placed teams will go through.

Player to watch: Scott McTominay. The midfielder scored a spectacular overhead kick in the qualifier against Denmark and has established himself as one of the best midfielders in the world since joining Napoli in 2024.

Stage of elimination prediction: Round of 16

Morocco

Morocco have taken part in six World Cups and will no doubt still be riding the high of the Qatar 2022 edition.

They made history as the first-ever African and Arab nation to reach a World Cup semi-final. They will also be looking to give a good account of themselves ahead of the 2030 World Cup, which they will be co-hosting alongside Spain and Portugal.

Morocco are also the current AFCON winners, after beating Senegal in a highly controversial final in January.

Player to watch: Achraf Hakimi. PSG’s right-back is a three-time Champions League winner and a bonafide superstar. He is the best right-back on the planet and was vital in the UCL final against Arsenal this season, playing all 120 minutes as well as taking and scoring a penalty.

Stage of elimination prediction: Quarter-final

Haiti

This will be Haiti’s second ever appearance at a World Cup. Their last was in 1974. They went out in the group stage that year, and will be hoping for more this time around, but it will be a tough ask.

They are in a very difficult group and are undoubtedly the weakest of the four teams. But they will be buoyed by their route into the World Cup.

Their qualification was nothing short of miraculous. Due to severe political unrest and safety concerns in the country, they have been banned from playing matches on home soil since 2021, and instead play them in Curacao.

Their French manager, Sébastien Migné, has famously never set foot in Haiti since taking the job 18 months ago, managing the entire qualification campaign remotely via telephone and video.

Player to watch: Duckens Nazon. Haiti’s striker plays for Esteghlal in Iran, and is Haiti’s record scorer with 44 goals in 76 appearances. He actually played for Scottish side St Mirren in 2019, and will want to beat the nation he once called home.

Stage of elimination prediction: Group stage