World Cup: Group L Preview

Croatia – In modern football, labeling a group of players as their nation’s “Golden Generation” seems to doom them to fail. This has not been the case for Croatia’s golden generation. They have surpassed every expectation set for them. The checkered contingent were runners-up at the 2018 World Cup and finished 3rd in 2022. The squad has aged since those results but is still every bit deserving of being ranked 11th in the world. Legend Luka Modrić still sits at the backbone at 40 years old but has some new help like Real Sociedad’s Luka Sučić and Inter Milan’s Petar Sučić, who happen to be cousins. Mateo Kovačić is an important player to watch. It’s not often I’ll put a 32-year-old in that category but after a season full of injuries, the World Cup offers the veteran the opportunity to reestablish himself as a top-level midfielder.

Player to watch: Mateo Kovačić
Ceiling: Quarterfinals

England – Is it coming home? It might be. England have been knocking on the door of a major trophy for a long time now. The Three Lions went to the semifinals in 2018 and the quarterfinals in 2022. Two years after both those results, they lost the final of the European Championship as well, first to Italy then to Spain. With generational striker Harry Kane now aged 32, it’s time for England to capitalize. They shouldn’t have any trouble in this group and will be one of the favorites to win it all in North America. Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers could be one of the shining stars of the tournament. He might be the best midfielder in the world when it comes to driving forward with the ball and has a special connection with striker Ollie Watkins.

Player to watch: Morgan Rogers
Ceiling: Champions

Ghana – The Black Stars return to the World Cup stage after a turbulent couple of years. Ghana eased through World Cup qualification but did not qualify for the 2025 African Cup of Nations. Their recent form hasn’t been up to standard either. Their last win was in October, with six losses and a draw since then. Despite the up-and-down form, Ghana should still feel positive about finding a way out of this group. They have match-deciding players like Manchester City’s Antoine Semenyo and Athletic Bilbao’s Iñaki Williams. The Ghanaians will need some less proven players in the midfield and defense to step up as well if they want to progress. Auxerre defender Marvin Senaya could be one such figure as well as Wolfsburg’s Jonas Adjetey.

Player to watch: Marvin Senaya
Ceiling: Round of 16

Panama – Los Canaleros have flown up the FIFA rankings since their first World Cup appearance in 2018. Now at 34th, they’ve reached as high as 29th in the last year. The team is full of veterans and with an average age of 30, they’re the oldest team in the tournament. El Coco, Adalberto Carrasquilla, is the versatile star man for the Panameños. While many of their squad members enter the tournament as unknowns, Panama is very strong as a unit. In a group with powerhouses like England and Croatia, they’ll need to be tough and defend a lot. A big performance from Al-Fayha goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera will be necessary to get anything from either of those games.

Player to watch: Orlando Mosquera
Ceiling: Round of 32