Haaland vs Mbappe, Dream Match-ups and YMCA: Key Moments from the FIFA Draw Ceremony

Next summer's World Cup is at last beginning to seem very real. Although supporters can finally start marking their calendars, Friday's ceremony in Washington DC was full of major talking points.

Long before the iconic group performed with their classic hit, observers were picking the bones out of a opening round featuring a clash between football's top strikers and a playoff bracket promising a truly mouthwatering encounter between two greats of the game.

The Ceremony That Seemed Like It May Never End

Many people tuned in keen to discover their national side's initial fixtures. But, despite the fact fans are accustomed to such ceremonies being lengthy, this was extraordinary.

Following acts by a pop star and a former Pussycat Doll, addresses from dignitaries and Fifa officials, plus countless montages and discussions, it eventually appeared to begin almost 60 minutes later. Or so we thought.

This led to more interviews and performances, before the actual draw eventually began nearly an hour and a half after the star-studded show initially started. The draw itself then took 59 minutes to complete.

On to the Actual Football...

The upcoming tournament will be the biggest in history, with a unprecedented number of nations and a first-ever additional knockout round. However, this expansion has maybe resulted in the group stage being slightly diluted in overall strength.

There are hardly any matches between the major nations. England's match with their 2018 semi-final opponents is the most significant theoretically. That is the only group fixture with two teams inside the world's elite.

Brazil versus Morocco is the second most intriguing. The Dutch have the toughest group by Fifa world rankings, while Germany—grouped with less-fancied opponents—have the weakest. But, compelling contests remain.

A Pair of Prolific Scorers Go Head-to-Head

Generational goalgetter Norway's star will get a crack at his first major tournament next summer. The Premier League forward netted 16 goals in eight matches to single-handedly carry his country to their initial berth since 1998.

Few have been able to rival the 25-year-old's ridiculous scoring records—but someone who has is scheduled to come up against him in the last match of the group stage. Together with Senegal, The Nordic side have been drawn against the French superstar's France.

This means the top marksmen in the English top flight and Spain's division will clash for the first time in international football. Expect net-bulgers. Plenty of scoring.

A Familiar Foe

Mexico will face Bafana Bafana in the opening match—repeating history. The two teams also opened the tournament in South Africa. That game, which finished 1-1, is best remembered for a rasping second-half strike.

Another notable fixture will see France again come up against Senegal, who stunned the reigning title-holders back in 2002. On that first day, a then-unknown player upstaged France's cast of star names to score the winning goal.

Fantasy Fixtures for the First-Timers

Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curacao have taken advantage of the expanded World Cup to reach the tournament for the first occasion. But, awaiting them are former world champions, continental title-holders and South American champions.

In one group, the tiny Caribbean island, the least populous country to ever feature in a World Cup, will meet four-time winners Germany. The island nation, with a resident count of around half a million, will face European champions and 2010 World Cup winners La Roja.

Jordan, after 40 years of trying, will face defending champions Argentina and the legendary forward. Meanwhile, The Central Asian team will be guided by a former champion against Cristiano Ronaldo's Selecao das Quinas.

What About the Knockout Stage?

Assuming all the top teams progress from their groups, fans may not wait long for the heavyweights to collide. The last 16 is where things could get really tasty, most notably with a possible matchup between past winners the Germans and France.

On the opposite half of the draw, eyes will be fixed on the last eight, where old rivals the Argentine and Ronaldo are set for a potential clash. It would require both Messi's team and Ronaldo's side winning their groups and squeezing through the early knockout rounds.

Regarding the Three Lions, a game against co-hosts Mexico seems the most likely first knockout game. And, if Scotland progress, Samurai Blue or the Dutch could await in what would be their historic World Cup playoff match.