VIDEO SHOWS: SOUNDBITES FROM MANAGERS OF ARGENTINA, FRANCE, UZBEKISTAN, PORTUGAL, PANAMA, CURACAO, SAUDI ARABIA, JAPAN AFTER FIFA WORLD CUP DRAW RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT SHOWS: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (DECEMBER 5, 2025) (FIFA – Editorial use only, no resale, no monetisation) 1. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARGENTINA HEAD COACH, LIONEL SCALONI, SAYING: "Well, they are tough opponents. Austria have had a great qualifying campaign, and we think they’re a very strong side. Algeria as well; I know their coach and I know the way they play, and they’re definitely an opponent we need to watch out for. Jordan have also had an excellent campaign, and we believe every match has to be played on the pitch and then we’ll see how things go." 2. WHITE FLASH 3. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRANCE HEAD COACH, DIDIER DESCHAMPS, SAYING: "It’s a difficult group with Senegal and Norway. We’ll find out who the third team is after the play-offs. Ultimately, there are always really good teams in the (FIFA) World Cup – our group is difficult, of course. We’ve now received extra information today, about our opponents and where we’re going to be playing, and which stadiums, even if we don’t have the schedule yet. But we’re going to have to be very good because this (FIFA) World Cup is going to be even more difficult than previous ones. There are more teams and the temperatures are going to be high as well. So, we’re going to take all that into account in order to choose our base camp, but we know that from the start of this competition, we’re going to have to perform well from the outset." 4. WHITE FLASH 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UZBEKISTAN HEAD COACH, FABIO CANNAVARO, SAYING: "Wow, really tough group because we face Portugal, we face Colombia – top teams, top players. It will be really tough for us but what I said to my players, to be in a World Cup is a privilege and to be here for us is something that we need. We are here [to] learn. So, enjoy the World Cup, enjoy the games, and we will see what happens." 6. WHITE FLASH 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PORTUGAL HEAD COACH, ROBERTO MARTINEZ, SAYING: "Well, obviously, for us, the draw is the moment that you can start preparing, and then, we are very happy to be in the group where we are, which allows us to play the first game on 17 June, which I think sets the preparation in a very clear direction. And then, the uncertainty – we (will) play against a team that is in the play-offs, so we don’t know yet who’s going to be the other team that we’re going to play. But we’re very respectful of Colombia and Uzbekistan. They are teams that are going to be ready for the World Cup, and I think the group is going to be challenging. But we’re happy with being able to start the first game on the 17th." 8. WHITE FLASH 9. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PANAMA HEAD COACH, THOMAS CHRISTIANSEN, SAYING: "I believe that we’ve been developing for quite some time. I’ve been with the Panama national team for five years now, and there has been real progress, both in our football and in our results. We’ve had strong performances in the (Concacaf) Gold Cup, the (Concacaf) Nations League and the (CONMEBOL) Copa America, and now it’s all come together with our qualification for the World Cup. I think everything has moved forward as it should." 10. WHITE FLASH 11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CURACAO HEAD COACH, DICK ADVOCAAT, SAYING: "Yeah, I mean, what we did was something incredible, so, every game, it doesn’t matter which team we play, it will be difficult. But it is exciting to play a World Cup. It’s good for the island and it’s good for the players, so we’d really like to play there." 12. WHITE FLASH 13. (SOUNDBITE) (French) SAUDI ARABIA HEAD COACH, HERVE RENARD, SAYING: "We have the best team in the world, ranked first in the FIFA rankings, Spain, which is a very difficult team to play against. But on the bright side, we have the chance to play the best team in the world right now. So, it’s my turn to enjoy it, and then, we have a spanner in the works with Uruguay, who are also really difficult to play against. Then, there’s Cabo Verde, who have qualified for the World Cup for the first time. I know Cabo Verde well. I spent a lot of time in Africa – I played there. So, it’s not an easy team to take on, but then we always say the same thing. We’re wary of everyone, and it’s up to us to be better than our opponents." 14. (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) JAPAN HEAD COACH, HAJIME MORIYASU, SAYING: "Every group is so tough. Oh, I meant ‘team’. Every team is tough. I’m sure the team that’s yet to be (known via the play-offs) will be a tough one as well. This will be a difficult group. I want to enjoy every match though." STORY: The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw on Friday (December 5) sparked mixed reactions from managers, with Argentina and France highlighting tough groups, Uzbekistan embracing the challenge as a learning experience, and teams like Panama, Curacao, and Saudi Arabia celebrating the opportunity to showcase their progress on the world stage. The 2026 World Cup will kick off on June 11 with joint-hosts Mexico playing South Africa at the Azteca Stadium – iconic venue of the 1970 and 1986 finals. The United States and Canada, co-hosts alongside Mexico, will take part in the largest-ever World Cup the day after Mexico's opening match. The U.S., courtesy of their top seeding, got a dream draw and will play Paraguay, Australia and a playoff winner. Defending champions Argentina were grouped with Algeria, Austria and debutants Jordan, while five-times winners Brazil will play Morocco – semi-finalists in 2022 – Haiti and Scotland. France's first game will be versus Senegal in a repeat of one of the biggest tournament upsets, when the Africans stunned the then-holders in their first game of the 2002 tournament. Norway and one of the playoff winners complete their group. France, runners-up in 2022, might like the look of their group but, if results go to form, once they reach the last 16 they can expect a potential run of Germany, the Netherlands and Spain to reach the final. The Netherlands are with Japan, Tunisia and a playoff winner, Belgium have Egypt, Iran and New Zealand, while Portugal face debutants Uzbekistan, Colombia and a playoff winner. Debutants Curacao, with a population of 150,000 making them by far the smallest country ever to reach the finals, face Germany, Ecuador and the Ivory Coast. World number-one-ranked Spain have a dream draw alongside first-timers Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay. (Production: Suramya Kaushik)
(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)
