2022 World Cup draw: US and Iran coaches vow to put animosity aside, France and England on course to meet in quarter-finals
- The geopolitical rivals have been drawn together in Group B, along with England and winner of European play-off
- Other early clashes in Qatar will include Spain and Germany in Group F, alongside Japan and either New Zealand or Costa Rica
Former winners Germany and Spain will clash early in the World Cup finals in Qatar after being placed in the same group, while the coaches of bitter geopolitical rivals United States and Iran vowed to put animosity aside when their sides meet.
The glitzy draw in Doha on Friday also set reigning champions France on a potential collision course with England in the quarter-finals, if they win their relatively kind groups.
But the world’s top-ranked team Brazil face a tougher task in the first stage.
Four-time winners Germany were in the second category of teams, making them the obvious country to avoid for the top seeds.
The match with Spain will revive unhappy memories for the Germans who were thrashed 6-0 in a Nations League match in 2020, but Germany have improved fast since Hansi Flick replaced Joachim Loew as coach.
“We have negative memories, but something like that doesn’t happen to us twice,” Manuel Neuer, Germany’s captain, said.
The European heavyweights were joined by Japan in Group E, which will be completed by the winner of an intercontinental play-off between Costa Rica and New Zealand.