Three-time runners-up
Netherlands
Manager: Ronald Koeman · FIFA rank: 7 · Route: UEFA Group G winners · Last World Cup: 2022 · Best result: Runners-up (1974, 1978, 2010)
The Dutch arrive as one of the best-stocked sides at the tournament. Van Dijk and Ake at the back, Frenkie de Jong and Reijnders running midfield, Gakpo and Memphis leading the front. Three previous final defeats is the historical weight Koeman’s side carry — the question is whether this generation has the depth to break that pattern.
Key man: Cody Gakpo (Liverpool) — the most decisive forward in the Dutch squad.
Betting angle: Netherlands short for group winner. Outright price reasonable around 12/1; Gakpo and Memphis Depay anytime goalscorer in every group match looks heavily backed.
Netherlands full squad
GK: Bart Verbruggen, Mark Flekken, Robin Roefs.
DF: Virgil van Dijk, Jan Paul van Hecke, Nathan Ake, Micky van de Ven, Denzel Dumfries, Jorrel Hato, Jurrien Timber.
MF: Frenkie de Jong, Tijjani Reijnders, Justin Kluivert, Quinten Timber, Teun Koopmeiners, Ryan Gravenberch, Marten de Roon, Guus Til, Mats Weiffer.
FW: Cody Gakpo, Donyell Malen, Brian Brobbey, Noa Lang, Memphis Depay, Wout Weghorst, Crysencio Summerville.
Asian seed
Japan
Manager: Hajime Moriyasu · FIFA rank: 18 · Route: AFC Group C winners · Last World Cup: 2022 · Best result: Round of 16 (2002, 2010, 2018, 2022)
Japan have reached the Round of 16 in four of their last five World Cups — the most consistent record outside the top seeds. Moriyasu’s side presses aggressively and counters quickly. Kubo, Doan and Maeda carry the attack; Endo anchors the midfield; Tomiyasu leads at the back. Tournament-tested and dangerous.
Key man: Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad) — the creative spark.
Betting angle: Japan to qualify is short and sensible; Japan as second seed is the value play given their tournament record.
Japan full squad
GK: Tomoki Hayakawa, Keisuke Osako, Zion Suzuki.
DF: Yuto Nagatomo, Shogo Taniguchi, Ko Itakura, Tsuyoshi Watanabe, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Hiroki Ito, Ayumu Seko, Yukinari Sugawara, Junosuke Suzuki.
MF: Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Daichi Kamada, Koki Ogawa, Daizen Maeda, Ritsu Doan, Ao Tanaka, Kaishu Sano, Takefusa Kubo.
FW: Ayase Ueda, Keito Nakamura, Ito Suzuki, Kento Shiode, Keisuke Goto.
European play-off winner
Sweden
Manager: Graham Potter · FIFA rank: 38 · Route: UEFA play-offs winners · Last World Cup: 2018 · Best result: Runners-up (1958)
Sweden’s first World Cup in eight years, and Graham Potter’s first major tournament as a national-team coach. The attacking pairing is elite: Alexander Isak at Liverpool, Viktor Gyökeres at Arsenal — arguably the most-feared striker partnership in the tournament. Lindelof, Bergvall, Elanga around them provide the support. Potter’s build-up patterns make Sweden a different proposition from the long-ball Sweden of old.
Key man: Alexander Isak (Liverpool) — the most-watched striker at the tournament.
Betting angle: Sweden top scorer odds within Group F are short. Isak to win the Golden Boot is a popular outright pick.
Sweden full squad
GK: Viktor Johansson, Kristoffer Nordfeldt, Jacob Widell Zetterstrom.
DF: Hjalmar Ekdal, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Isak Hien, Emil Holm, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Victor Lindelof, Erik Smith, Carl Starfelt, Elliot Stroud, Daniel Svensson.
MF: Taha Ali, Yasin Ayari, Lucas Bergvall, Jesper Karlstrom, Ken Sema, Mattias Svanberg, Besfort Zeneli.
FW: Alexander Bernhardsson, Anthony Elanga, Viktor Gyökeres, Alexander Isak, Gustaf Nilsson, Benjamin Nygren.
African qualifier
Tunisia
Manager: Sabri Lamouchi · FIFA rank: 45 · Route: CAF Group H winners · Last World Cup: 2022 · Best result: Group stage (six previous appearances)
Tunisia’s seventh World Cup, still chasing a first knockout-round appearance. Lamouchi has built a side around organised defending and European-based experience — Hannibal Mejbri at Burnley, Skhiri at Eintracht, Khalil Ayari coming through at PSG. The pattern of every Tunisian World Cup has been the same: hard to beat, struggle to score.
Key man: Hannibal Mejbri (Burnley) — the midfield engine.
Betting angle: Under 2.5 goals in every Tunisia match is sensible; qualification is for outsider backers only.
Tunisia full squad
GK: Sabri Ben Hessen, Abdelmouhib Chamakh, Aymen Dahman.
DF: Ali Abdi, Adem Arous, Mohamed Amine Ben Hamida, Dylan Bronn, Raed Chikhaoui, Moutaz Neffati, Omar Rekik, Montassar Talbi, Yan Valery.
MF: Mortadha Ben Ouanes, Anis Ben Slimane, Ismael Gharbi, Rani Khedira, Mohamed Hadj Mahmoud, Hannibal Mejbri, Ellyes Skhiri.
FW: Elias Achouri, Khalil Ayari, Firas Chaouat, Rayan Elloumi, Hazem Mastouri, Elias Saad, Sebastian Tounekti.
