World Cup: There’s hope for every nation heading into Qatar in November, and yes, even England – The Warm-Up

WEDNESDAY’S BIG STORIES Hope for all come the World Cup Ad So that’s your lot, folks. Bar the most random of friendlies – Saudi Arabia playing Albania and Honduras in October – there is no international football until the unprecedented winter World Cup rolls into town.

Premier LeagueEx-Chelsea midfielder Mikel retires from football14 HOURS AGO And one thing we know for a fact is that one of these nations will win the World Cup. Qatar, Brazil, Belgium, France, Argentina, England, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Uruguay, Switzerland, United States, Croatia, Senegal, Iran, Japan, Morocco, Serbia, Poland, South Korea, Tunisia, Cameroon, Canada, Ecuador, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Wales, Costa Rica, Australia.

And what is likely, bar a Greece-style Euro 2004 shock, is that one of the following nations will win the World Cup. Gulp: Brazil, Belgium, France, Argentina, England, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Germany.

Does… that seem fair? We’ve perhaps unfairly omitted Denmark, Uruguay and Croatia from that list and would love to see Senegal go the distance too, but there you have the nine front-runners for World Cup glory, and, well, none of them are entirely perfect. Closer to home, we have seen flaws in practically all of the European contenders this year, and arguably even this month, with Spain falling to Switzerland last week only to beat Portugal last night and sneak into the Nations League Finals.

Belgium were twice second best against the Netherlands this year, France have lost twice to Denmark this year too (okay, we really should have included the Danes), and then Germany were humbled at home to Hungary on Friday before giving England a good game on Monday. Ex-Chelsea midfielder Mikel retires from