Boss, sit down and hold on tight, because the 2026 World Cup is coming to the USA, Canada, and Mexico, and the schedule is so chaotic that even Andrei Vochin, the FRF observer, has started sleeping like Ronaldo - meaning in 90-minute intervals! No joke, bro, he says he finally understands what it means to be a pro athlete: you go to bed at midnight after Qatar - Switzerland, wake up at 1 AM for Brazil - Morocco, squeeze in another hour of sleep until Haiti - Scotland, and if you still catch Australia - Turkey at 7 AM, you're ready to sign with Al-Nassr even at 57! Yeah, he said it, not me. Well, Ronaldo doesn't have a Technical Committee meeting on Monday at 10:30 AM or bills to pay, like Vochin says. Us folks with BMW loans and Mioara calling me to Lidl can't live the Cristiano method except on weekends. So Mr. Vochin made a list of 11 matches worth the sacrifice. And I say we listen to him, because he sees football from above, at FRF, not like us from Fane's terrace.
First on the list: Brazil - Morocco. The debut of the five-time champions and Carlo Ancelotti at a final tournament. Morocco is the semifinalist of the last edition and winner of the Africa Cup - at the green table, yeah, but still a winner. Only in Africa can that happen, bro, like at our City Hall. Then, Netherlands - Japan: Netherlands is the favorite, and an economist, Joachim Klement, guessed the champions of 2014, 2018, and 2022. If only Mioara listened to me when I say FCSB will be champion... Japan, coached by the same manager for 8 years, recently beat England at Wembley. Now, if Romania had a manager for 8 years, maybe we'd catch a World Cup. But no, we change them like socks.
Moving on to France - Senegal: a duel of 'dual citizenship', with Mbappe at his first tournament. Senegal is France's nightmare from 1998, when they beat them in 2002, and they're the Africa Cup holders. Only in football: you get your revenge after 4 years. And Argentina - Algeria: the defending champions with Messi, debut against a team that rarely comes to World Cups but pulls surprises. Messi at his last World Cup? Maybe, but I don't think he'll give up that easily. England - Croatia: England, the inventors of football, have only one trophy (1966), but built a 20-year strategy. Croatia, with Modric at his 5th tournament, comes for finals or medals. And what do we have? A 20-year strategy to get out of the group? Come on, see you at the terrace.
And here comes Sweden - Poland, a European duel relevant for Romania - the future Nations League group. Forwards Gyokeres and Isak are worth 150 million euros together. We have forwards worth 150 thousand, but whatever, we pretend we're there. Germany - Ivory Coast: Germany, the team with the most finals (8), disappointed at the last two editions. Maybe this time they wake up. Ivory Coast recently beat France in a friendly. I don't know what they gave France, but friendlies don't count much. Norway - Senegal: Norway returns to the World Cup after 1998 (when Romania also wasn't there), with a squad worth 590 million euros. And we don't even have 590 thousand? Maybe if we sell the entire FCSB squad... But Senegal, with Sadio Mane, completes an infernal group alongside France. It's fire there, bro.
Then, France - Norway: probably the final for first place in the group, with the Mbappe - Haaland duel, the future pair that will try to fill the gap left by Messi and Ronaldo. Spain - Uruguay: the European champions, with Lamine Yamal, against the 'madman' Bielsa, known for tactical innovations. Bielsa is the type who kneels and watches the match like a psychologist. And finally, Colombia - Portugal: Colombia, unbeaten for 3 years (2022-2025) in 28 matches, and Portugal, with Cristiano Ronaldo at his last World Cup. Vochin says it doesn't matter how old Ronaldo is, he's always been a reference point. Now it will be the last time, so it must be savored! Well, I've been savoring him for 20 years, but I still haven't gotten an autograph. At least if I could see Brian at the World Cup... Until then, I'm making my schedule: Saturday night, coffee from the vending machine, blanket on the couch, and I'm like Ronaldo. Except he sleeps in 90-minute intervals, and I sleep in 15-minute ones, when Mioara wakes me up to take out the trash.
