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Deshaun Watson and Donovan Mitchell: Cleveland’s 2 big gambles with very different results

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Deshaun Watson and Donovan Mitchell: Cleveland’s 2 big gambles with very different results

They arrived within six months of each other, two stars summoned to Cleveland as franchise saviors and the final pieces necessary for a championship run. 

The Cavaliers packed their arena with employees and team personnel in September 2022 to welcome Donovan Mitchell at his introductory news conference. It was a signal both internally and across the NBA that the Cavs were contenders again. But six months earlier, when Deshaun Watson took the podium in March for an introductory news conference, it felt more like an interrogation than a Browns coronation.

Two years later, the Cavaliers and Browns are in far different spaces. 

Mitchell is the fuel that has propelled the Cavs to the best record in the NBA. Watson is the fuel for the biggest grease fire in the history of the sport.

Two franchises, two high-stakes gambles. Two drastically different results. The parallels and outcomes between these teams that play their home games just a mile apart provide a fascinating case study in the risk, reward and repercussions of what happens when teams get franchise-altering trades right and when they go horribly wrong. 

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Both Mitchell and Watson were stars in the prime of their careers upon arriving. Now that Mitchell has committed to the Cavs for the foreseeable future with a contract extension and the Browns will be picking the shrapnel of Watson’s contract out of their skin for years to come, it’s worth looking back and asking: How did the Cavs get it right and the Browns get it so very wrong?

Both franchises emerged from tedious rebuilds believing they were one piece away. The Cavs reached the Play-In Tournament in 2022 but were eliminated without winning a game. It was a breakthrough of sorts after a four-year rebuild, but the franchise wasn’t ready to commit big money to restricted free agent Collin Sexton. It was fortunate Mitchell became available when he did. 

The Browns won a playoff game with Baker Mayfield in 2020. With one year remaining on his deal, they were hesitant to pay him the type of $250 million to $300 million contract that other top quarterbacks were commanding at the time.

Mayfield was good, but he wasn’t great (despite any revisionist history). There were maturity concerns. He was extremely polarizing in the locker room. And when the game was in the balance, he rarely delivered.

Watson was a three-time Pro Bowler who led the league in passing in 2020. A quarterback of his caliber, in the prime of his career, hadn’t become available in a trade since Fran Tarkenton in the 1960s. But Watson came with more baggage than Delta: 24 civil lawsuits alleging various forms of sexual misconduct during massages. 

The fact the Cavs and Browns are led by executives in Koby Altman and Andrew Berry who are close acquaintances only adds another compelling layer to all of this. Each executive agreed to trade three first-round picks in his deal. Altman added key players, including Sexton, and two pick swaps to give the Utah Jazz control of the Cavs’  five drafts from 2025 to 2029. The Watson trade included six draft picks, which the Houston Texans used to help win the AFC South last year and beat the Browns in a playoff game. 

Franchise quarterbacks never, ever become available through trades in the prime of their careers. The price of obtaining one is worth whatever the cost. 

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Would a quarterback-starved team desperate to win trade its next five first-round picks for Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes? How about six? 

There is no price too high. 

Had Mayfield not been up against a contract extension, maybe all of it ends differently for the Browns. An injury to his non-throwing shoulder only compounded his terrible 2021 season, but Mayfield struggled at times when he was healthy, too. 

Would the Browns be better off with Mayfield today over Watson? Of course, and that’s without including the three first-round picks they would have retained. But Mayfield needed to be humbled and needed to grow up. There’s no way of assuring that would’ve happened here. It occurred only because of his lousy play in Carolina and the fact he bounced around to four teams over two years. 

He has settled in nicely in Tampa and made a home for himself — on a $100 million contract that is still less than half of what the Browns would’ve had to commit to him at the time. 

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One of the great lessons to learn is how much character matters in trades of this magnitude. Mitchell arrived with no lawsuits hanging over him, no vile allegations of any kind. 

In fact, one of the first things he did was reach out to young stars such as Darius Garland to say he wasn’t arriving with the intention of taking over the locker room. Garland was coming off his first All-Star appearance. This was still his team, Mitchell told him. He was here to fit in and help where he could. 

It didn’t take long, of course, for Mitchell to emerge as the floor leader. But he didn’t move in on the first day and start rearranging the furniture and repainting the walls. It was an organic integration. He was a model teammate on the court and said publicly exactly what the Cavs needed from him as a leader of a young roster still trying to figure out how to win. 

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Still, even the Mitchell trade came with enormous risk. There were the constant rumors about New York. Mitchell even acknowledged at his first press availability that he thought he was going home. He heard Cleveland emerge as a potential destination for about three days during the trade negotiations, then those whispers cooled again until the phone call telling him to pack his bags.

The Cavs were acutely aware of Mitchell’s desire to play in New York and traded for him anyway, believing two years was enough time to sell him on their franchise and a future in Cleveland. Winning a playoff series last season certainly helped. 

Any chance of Mitchell playing for the Knicks vanished when New York traded for OG Anunoby at the end of last December. When the Cavs flew to Paris in January for a game against the Brooklyn Nets, Mitchell made up his mind on the flight to France: He wanted to stay in Cleveland. 

There was no Wi-Fi on the flight, no movies to watch. Nothing for guys to do but sit around the plane and talk. Mitchell sat with his teammates, drank wine and laughed for six hours. He realized he had everything he needed in Cleveland. He signed a three-year, $150 million extension when free agency opened that will keep him tied to Cleveland through the 2026-27 season with a player option for the 2027-28 season.

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Had Mitchell refused to sign the extension, the Cavs would have been forced to trade him last summer. They could have recouped some value, but not nearly as much as what they paid to get him. The picks they owe Utah would just be starting to transfer and Mitchell wouldn’t even be here. The whole thing could’ve ended badly. Instead, as the Jazz continue to sputter around the bottom of the standings, the Cavs are the clear winners of the trade today. 

The Browns, meanwhile, insisted they did the background work on Watson before trading for him and were comfortable with what they found. Less than three months after the deal, The New York Times reported that Watson met with at least 66 women for massages over 17 months. 

The Browns had already signed him to a $230 million, fully guaranteed contract by that point and were beholden to him. They could never get in front of the scandals even before his play on the field began deteriorating.

The New York Times report was followed by an HBO special. Watson settled most of the cases against him while continuing to insist he did nothing wrong. Arbitrator Sue L. Robinson, a retired federal judge, ruled the NFL carried its burden to prove Watson, by a preponderance of the evidence, engaged in sexual assault as defined by the NFL. She even made note of Watson’s lack of remorse. It was a slow drip of information that never seemed to stop.

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Even this year, another woman emerged claiming Watson forced her to have sex with him. That case also was settled out of court.

Nevertheless, the Browns continued to bend to Watson’s will. He grumbled about scripted plays. He made clear he wasn’t comfortable playing under center and preferred shotgun. And when Joe Flacco thrived in the same Kevin Stefanski system that Watson at times struggled to grasp, the Browns fired offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt and broke an offense that didn’t need fixing. They overhauled the offensive staff and rebuilt their scheme to fit a quarterback who could no longer play at an elite level. 

The Browns will pay for their mistake for at least the next few years. While Watson has two years left on his contract, the Browns still must account for more than $170 million on their cap sheet. As of now, those numbers are stretched over the next three years. If they continue to restructure his deal and spread out the money, the Watson stain could linger even longer. Regardless of their exit strategy, it will include a fair amount of pain. 

Watson will likely be on the 53-man roster next year, but he won’t be on the field. One way or another, the Browns will yet again have a new starting quarterback.

Cleveland was the first team Watson eliminated. Of the four finalists willing to overlook his scandals and bring him in anyway, Watson was least interested in the Browns. But team executives never stopped pursuing him.

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They ultimately got their wish. It has turned into a nightmare.

(Image: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; Photos, from left, via Getty Images: Nick Cammett / Diamond Images; Brian Babineau / NBAE)

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Thunder lose star Jalen Williams for Western Conference Finals Game 7 as hamstring injury lingers

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Thunder lose star Jalen Williams for Western Conference Finals Game 7 as hamstring injury lingers

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The Oklahoma City Thunder will be shorthanded in Saturday’s pivotal Game 7, as one of Oklahoma’s key contributors has been sidelined with an injury.

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OKC guard Jalen Williams has been ruled out for Game 7 with a hamstring issue, ESPN reported on Friday. Williams appeared to aggravate his left hamstring during the Thunder’s 122-113 victory in Game 2. He missed the next three games before returning for Game 6, but logged just 10 minutes off the bench in Oklahoma City’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday, which forced a winner-take-all Game 7.

“He’s obviously not 100%,” Mark Daigneault, the head coach of the Thunder, said.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams watches during the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs in Game One of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on May 18, 2026. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

Daigneault applauded Williams for fighting through the injury and doing everything he could to help Oklahoma City.

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“He didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know what to expect. So, it was a matter of getting him out there in kind of an insulated role and see what he can bring to the team. He’s an All-Star player, he’s an All-NBA player. He hasn’t done a full return to play [protocol] like he would if this was the regular season, and yet, he just wants to do whatever he can to try to contribute whatever he can to the team.”

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“I give him a lot of credit to get himself out there. He did the best he could. He’s certainly not the reason we lost.”

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams reacts to a shot by forward Luguentz Dort in the third quarter against the San Antonio Spurs during game one of the Western Conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on May 18, 2026. (Alonzo Adams/Imagn Images)

Williams did not talk to reporters after Thursday’s game in San Antonio.

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Williams underwent surgery last offseason to repair a wrist injury but still played a key role in the Thunder’s run to the NBA Finals last season. He appeared in just 33 regular-season games before this year’s playoffs.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams drives into the paint during the first quarter of Game Two of the NBA Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on May 20, 2026. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

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The winner of Saturday’s Game 7 will advance to the NBA Finals to face the New York Knicks. New York snapped a nearly three-decade Finals drought by sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals.

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Southern California sprinters scorch CIF state prelims, setting up record-chasing finals

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Southern California sprinters scorch CIF state prelims, setting up record-chasing finals

Cool conditions produced a bunch of fast times Friday at the CIF state track and field championships.

Rosary Academy sprint coach Jon Gilmer was worried 4×100-meter relayers Tra’via Flournoy, Justine Wilson, Pfeiffer Lee and Maliyah Collins might get complacent at prelims, but the Royals were the top qualifiers in 45.13 seconds — nearly a full second faster than Canyon Country Canyon (46.07) — at Buchanan High School.

“It’s different not having Calabasas here,” Gilmer said. “Now we’ve got to push ourselves.”

Rosary set a state record (44.23) at the Arcadia Invitational on April 11, but lost to the Coyotes one week later at the Mt. SAC Relays. However, the anticipated state finals clash was not to be as Calabasas dropped the baton in the Southern Section finals and failed to advance.

Collins had a huge lead by the time she received the stick for the anchor leg Friday.

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“This is maybe our fourth- or fifth-fastest time but we just wanted to make finals,” said Wilson, who ran the second leg before handing off to Lee. “We want to run faster tomorrow when we go for a PR, the meet and the state record.”

Calabasas might be out of the relay, but three Coyotes remain in contention in the 100, led by Malia Rainey (the top qualifier in 11.54), Marley Scoggins (11.63) and Olivia Kirk (11.63).

Calabasas sprinter Marley Scoggins, center, wins her 100-meter heat at the CIF state track and field preliminaries on Friday.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

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Collins won her heat in 11.62, the third-fastest time.

Servite won the first heat in the boys 4×100 relay in 40.29 — two hundredths off its winning time at last year’s state finals — and is primed to defend its title in the event. Concord De La Salle (40.81) was the second-fastest qualifier, followed by the other heat winners, Rancho Cucamonga (40.87) and Loyola (40.93).

“We got the stick around pretty good today,” said Jorden Wells, who ran the first leg Friday instead of his customary second leg, which was run by Jaelen Hunter. “Did it feel different? Not really, I’ve done it before.”

Wells said his twin brother Jace will run the first leg Saturday, he will run the second while Kamil Pelovello and Benjamin Harris will stay in the third and fourth positions.

Harris, the favorite to win the 100 meters, won his heat in a wind-legal 10.36, but three others were fractions faster in wind-aided times — Elk Grove’s Cy Lugo (10.20), Will Wood’s Deshawn Seymour (10.34) and De La Salle’s Damari Dean (10.34). Newbury Park’s Jaden Griffin won the last heat in 10.37, setting the stage for an exciting finals sprint as all nine qualifiers ran under 10.48.

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Harris put himself in position for a Saturday double by winning his 200 heat in 21.10 but as he did in the 100, Lugo (the Sac-Joaquin Section record holder) had the fastest time (20.73), followed by Seymour (20.88), Camren Hughes (20.93) of Palos Verdes and Jace Wells (21.02). Jordan Wells (21.11) also made the cut.

Newbury Park’s Jaden Griffin, center, shouts after winning his heat in the 100 meters.

Newbury Park’s Jaden Griffin, center, shouts after winning his heat in the 100 meters at the CIF state track and field preliminaries on Friday.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Servite (3:15.43) had the second-fastest qualifying time in the 4×400-meter relay behind only El Cerrito (3:14.96) of the North Coast Section.

Coming off a state-record 3:33.83 at the Masters Meet in Moorpark, Long Beach Wilson’s 4×400 girls relay had the fourth-fastest qualifying time (3:46.73) without two out of its best runners (Clara Adams and Saniah Varnado), taking second in the first heat behind San Luis Obispo (3:45.85) and safely advancing to the finals along with Heat 2 runner-up Rosary (3:45.08) and Heat 3 winner Canyon Country Canyon (3:46.77).

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Having broken the Southern Section record in the 400 meters six days earlier in 51.98, Adams put it in cruise control to win her heat in 53.53, the fastest qualifying mark. Joining her in the final will be her three relay teammates Varnado (54.42), Wilson (54.57) and Fowler (54.62). Adams later won her 200 heat in 23.60, a tenth of a second behind fastest qualifier Naiaja Sizemore of Vanden.

San Jacinto Valley Academy’s Kaahliyah Lacy ran a wind-legal 13.59 for the top qualifying spot in the girls 100 hurdles and Varnado (40.85) was the top qualifier in the 300 hurdles.

Another showdown is brewing in the boys 400, where Loyola’s Ejam Yohannes (47.08) and Hunter (47.21) won their heats in the two fastest times Friday. Hunter clocked 46.32 to set a California freshman record last spring, but lost to Yohannes by 11 hundredths of a second at the Masters Meet.

City Section champion Jayden Rendon showed good form in his bid to defend the state 300 hurdles crown, posting the fastest prelims time (36.80). He also advanced to the finals in the 110 hurdles with a 13.83 effort. Moorpark’s Davis Benson (14.03) nabbed the last spot.

Corona Santiago’s Braelyn Combe, right, wins the first heat of the 800 meters.

Corona Santiago’s Braelyn Combe, right, wins the first heat of the 800 meters at the CIF state track and field preliminaries on Friday.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

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Corona Santiago senior Braelyn Combe won her 1,600 heat in 4:46.88 and is set for a four-lap battle with San Diego Section champion Chiara Dailey of La Jolla, who won the second heat in 4:46.00. Combe is the defending champion, having edged Hanne Thomsen of Santa Rosa Montgomery by five hundredths of a second in the finals last year.

“I just wanted to advance with as little effort as possible,” Combe said. “It was not as hard as I expected. I don’t want to leave any regrets. I’m taking it one race at a time.”

Combe also had the fastest time (2:08:25) of three heats in the 800 meters.

Venice senior Lawrence Kensinger, who set the City Section shot put record with a state-leading throw of 65 feet 11 inches last week, had the third-best mark at prelims (59-6¾) and easily advanced to the finals. Defending state high jump champion JJ Harel of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame tied nine others for the second-best mark (6-6) heading into the second day.

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Aliso Niguel senior Jaslene Massey had the top marks in the girls shot put (51-3¾) and discus (175-6) and transgender athlete AB Hernandez from Jurupa Valley was the leading qualifier in the girls long jump (20-5½) and triple jump (41-8½) and was one of 13 qualifiers in the high jump.

AB Hernandez competes at the CIF state track and field preliminaries at Buchanan High School on Friday.

AB Hernandez competes at the CIF state track and field preliminaries at Buchanan High School on Friday.

(Tomas Ovalle / For The Times)

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2026 World Cup Odds: Spain Narrowly Favored Over France

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2026 World Cup Odds: Spain Narrowly Favored Over France

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We’re approaching the biggest sporting event North America has ever hosted.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup takes place across the USA, Canada and Mexico in 13 days.

Bettors and fans already have their sights set on the global spectacle, which will kick off on June 11. The World Cup final will be held at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on July 19, 2026. 

After the World Cup groups were announced in December, Spain opened as the favorite at +450, followed by England (+550) and France (+750). 

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Now, with less than two weeks to go, Spain has slightly drifted to +475, with both France and England making up ground on the oddsboard. 

Let’s dive into the odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of May 29.

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2026 World Cup winner odds

Spain: +475 (bet $10 to win $57.5 total)
France: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
England: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)
Brazil: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)
Argentina: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
Portugal: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
Germany: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Netherlands: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)
Norway: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total) 
Belgium: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Colombia: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
Morocco: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total) 
Uruguay: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)
United States: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
Switzerland: +6500 (bet $10 to win $660 total) 
Japan: +6500 (bet $10 to win $660 total) 
Mexico: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)
Croatia: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)
Ecuador: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total) 
Senegal: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total) 
Sweden: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total) 

HOST NATIONS

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United States

The United States is led by Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, and Chris Richards, with several players competing in Europe’s top leagues. The U.S. has appeared in 11 previous World Cups, with its best finish coming in 1930 when the team reached the semifinals.

Canada

Canada’s key players include Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David, giving the squad top-tier pace and goal-scoring ability. Canada has made two previous World Cup appearances, and is still looking for its first win ever in the tournament. 

Mexico

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Mexico’s top contributors include Raul Giménez and Edson Álvarez, forming a strong mix of attacking talent and midfield stability. Mexico has played in 17 previous World Cups and reached the quarterfinals twice, in 1970 and 1986.

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Spain

Spain’s top talents include Pedri, Lamine Yamal and Rodri, forming a core that blends elite playmaking with scoring depth. Spain has appeared in 16 previous World Cups and won the tournament once, lifting the trophy in 2010. The team also won the 2024 Euros.

France

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France enters with Kylian Mbappé as the star player, with the 26-year-old just five goals shy of passing Miroslav Klose (16) for the most career goals at the World Cup. France has made 16 previous World Cup appearances and won the title twice, in 1998 and 2018.

England

England’s key players include Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice, forming one of the nation’s strongest generations in decades. England has reached 16 previous World Cups and won the trophy once, in 1966.

Germany

Germany features Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala and Joshua Kimmich as central figures in a talented squad. Germany has participated in 20 previous World Cups and won four titles, most recently in 2014.

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Portugal

Portugal’s top group includes Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, with Cristiano Ronaldo still involved as the team’s all-time leading scorer and cap leader. Portugal has competed in eight previous World Cups and recorded its best finish in 2006, reaching the semifinals.

Netherlands

The Netherlands features top players such as Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch and Denzel Dumfries, forming a core built around elite defending and midfield control. Memphis Depay should also be on the team, the country’s all-time leading goalscorer. The Netherlands has appeared in 11 previous World Cups and finished as runner-up three times, in 1974, 1978 and 2010.

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Argentina

Argentina is anchored by Lionel Messi, with Julián Álvarez, Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez— headlining one of the most talented rosters in the tournament. Argentina has played in 18 previous World Cups and won three, including the most recent tournament in 2022.

Brazil

Brazil’s roster is led by Vinícius Júnior, Raphinha and Marquinhos, giving the team elite attacking and defensive quality. Brazil has appeared in every World Cup and holds a record five titles, with its most recent one coming in 2002. 

Uruguay

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Uruguay’s leading players include Federico Valverde, Darwin Núñez and Ronald Araújo, forming a core with elite midfield range and speed. Uruguay has appeared in 14 previous World Cups and won the tournament twice, in 1930 and 1950. 

Colombia

Colombia is headlined by Luis Díaz and James Rodríguez, with the former playing for Bayern Munich and the latter having a decorated World Cup résumé. Colombia has made six previous World Cupsand recorded its best finish in 2014, reaching the quarterfinals.

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Morocco

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Morocco’s key contributors include Achraf Hakimi, Noussair Mazaroui and Brahm Díaz, each with major European club experience. Morocco has appeared in six previous World Cups and achieved its historic best finish in 2022, reaching the semifinals.

Senegal

Senegal’s top players include Sadio Mané, Kalidou Koulibaly and Idrissa Gueye, forming one of Africa’s most experienced cores. Senegal has appeared in three World Cups and reached its best finish in 2002, advancing to the quarterfinals.

Ghana

Ghana is led by Mohammed Kudus, Antoine Semenyo and Inaki Williams, giving the squad strong playmaking and midfield presence. Ghana has competed in four previous World Cups and reached its best result in 2010, making the quarterfinals.

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South Korea

South Korea is headlined by Son Heung-min, supported by key players such as Kim Min-jae and Lee Kang-in. South Korea has played in 11 previous World Cups and reached its best finish in 2002, advancing to the semifinals as co-host.

Japan

Japan features Takefusa Kubo and Kaoru Mitoma as its leading players, blending top European experience with emerging talent. Japan has appeared in seven previous World Cups and reached the Round of 16 four times, its best result to date.

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Australia

Australia’s top players include Jackson Irvine and keeper Mathew Ryan as its most experienced members. Australia has competed in six previous World Cups and reached the round of 16 twice, in 2006 and 2022.

OFC TEAMS TO KNOW

New Zealand

New Zealand is led by all-time leading scorer Chris Wood, with 45 international goals to his name. New Zealand has appeared in two previous World Cups (1982, 2010), and did not advance from the group stage in either appearance. 

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