Then to the USA, where Joey Lynch (ESPN) is travelling with the Socceroos team, Joey looks at the tournament vibe in North America and looks into the crystal ball to how the tournament will play out for Australia.

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The Socceroos are just days away from their World Cup opener against Türkiye in Vancouver! Melbourne-born Ersan Gülüm played for Australia’s U23s and seven times for Turkiye’s senior side; also formerly of Beshiktas and the current Hume City president, Ersan faces the classic Aussie conundrum of split allegiance this World Cup.

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Tony Popovic has locked in his World Cup 26, with Lucas Herrington and Cristian Volpato among the seventeen first-time names that make up a largely young Socceroos squad. Daniel Garb (10/Paramount+) returns with Volpato’s availability and Martin Boyle’s exclusion among the key headlines.

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The World Cup inevitably means attention turns to Argentina, who head north in the hope of defending the tournament for the first time since Brazil in 1962. The Guardian’s Marcela Mora y Auraujo returns; will the weight lifted in 2022 see Lionel Messi & co. excel, or lack the drive that the desperate weight of expectation provided?

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Arsenal last week secured their drought-breaking Premier League title, spent the weekend celebrating, and now head into a Champions League final. Arseblog’s Andrew Mangan has covered the club for 25 years, and returns to toast the feat of the club and particularly manager Mikel Arteta, who has been in pursuit of this trophy for six-and-a-half season.

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Auckland FC have won their maiden A-League Championship, the first time a New Zealand side has won an Australian national league title. Sky Sports NZ’s Jason Pine returns to reflect on the success of Steve Corica’s side; simultaneously All Whites’ preparations are underway, with Darren Bazeley's squad locked in for their World Cup return.

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Arsenal are inside 48 hours from a chance to win the Premier League, and Manchester City have scooped a second trophy of the season. Henry Winter casts his esteemed eye over these clubs and plenty more - including Celtic & the Three Lions - as the British football season arrives at the finish.

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Auckland and Sydney will meet in an A-League Men’s Grand Final for the first time on Saturday, in what will also be the first Australian national league grand final to be played in New Zealand. Robbie Thomson will call the action for 10/Paramount+, and returns to mull the state of the play on the pitch, and in the league, broadly.

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