The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Colin Cowherd Podcast - Colin Cowherd & Landon Donovan react to World Cup Draw: Expectations For Spain Star Lamine Yamal? Group I Is The “Group Of Death”

Episode Date: December 12, 2025

Colin is joined by U.S. Men's soccer legend Landon Donovan and host of the “Unfiltered Soccer” podcast with Tim Howard to preview the 2026 World Cup. They preview Group F led by the Netherlands and Landon explains that while he doesn’t think the Dutch can win it all… they definitely have the talent to do so (:30).  Landon explains why Egypt won’t be able to beat Belgium in Group G despite having international superstar Mo Salah (2:00). They move to Spain’s Group H and Landon explains just how prodigal of a talent Spanish star Lamine Yamal is relative to the greatest players in the world (3:15).  Finally, they preview Group I, the “group of death” featuring France, Senegal and Norway and break down how talented the current French team is compared to their World Cup winning teams of the past (4:45).  (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements.) Follow Colin and The Volume on Twitter for the latest content and updates!  #VolumeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The volume. Today's World Cup draw reaction is presented by Haleon, the maker of Advil, Centrum, Tums, Sensadine, and Voltairen. They've teamed up with U.S. soccer for the assist, a campaign celebrating all the moments of support that make the big goals possible, because every goal starts with an assist. In the history of the United States men's national team, the man you're looking at has the most goals and most assists in the history of our country. And we have ourselves a World Cup.

Group F is Netherlands, who, of course, knocked us out dominating performer, Japan, Tunisia, and a European playoff winner, which could be Poland, Sweden, Ukraine, Albania. Give me your thoughts on Netherlands going into this. They were an old World Cup team, an experienced team, last World Cup, which tells me they're probably in a bit of a transition stage. a little bit, but they have some young stars. This is a team that's sneaky that no one's talking about. I don't think, Colin, they can, I don't think they can win it, but they certainly have the ability to. They have the quality. They have a, and still probably the best centerback and best defender in the world in Virgil Van Dyke.

They have Chavez Simons, who's a really talented attacking midfielder. And then they just have good quality all over the field. But they're a little bit one of these teams that sort of, if things go poorly, it can go poorly. it can go poorly and unravel really fast. And France is a bit like that, too, just off the field and emotionally and with the press and the pressure. It can go bad pretty fast. But they have a pretty talented team. They have a relatively easy group, I think.

Although Japan are really hard to play against. And then depending who gets in from maybe if it's Poland, that's a tricky matchup, but Netherlands are a much better team. Group G is Belgium, Egypt, of course, Molzala, Belgium, Egypt. Iran, New Zealand. Belgium does everything right, from their chocolates to their soccer to their beer. Their waffles. Everything. You know, it's funny.

I've always seen Brazil as sort of an emotional, sometimes temperamental, highly skilled country. Argentina falls a little bit into that. But Brazil feels like their own ecosystem. And then when I think about Germany, it's kind of powerful, tactical, robotic at times, right? At times, yeah, right. Almost like the German personality. No, it is.

I was just going to say, every culture has the same. It's right. Brazil with the flair and, you know, right. And so, can Egypt beat Belgium? No. They won't beat Belgium. Mosala is a global superstar. He really is.

He's right at the end of his career. Last year was really a terrific. year for him for club and country, but he's right at the end. But they just don't have enough talent around them. But I expect, I fully expect that Egypt qualify, but I don't think they win this group. Okay, so group H is fascinating because you have Spain favored to win it. They won the euro last summer. And they have an 18-year-old star, I think 60 Minutes just did a piece on Yamaul, who at 18, by even our team standards, is, I mean, the idea of going to a World Cup at 18, it's just, let me ask you, how talented is he?

In your life, where does he, Mbapes, a young Ronaldo, Messi, where does he rank? A little bit different in where he plays, but calling at 18 to play in a war, Cup at 18 is a remarkable feat. He might be the best player in the tournament at 18. Think about that. He might be. Between Mbapé, Messi's now at the end. Messy's going to do messy things because he's amazing.

Mbapé and Yamaul, I think he would say, would be the favorites to win the golden ball, which would be the best player. And what he has brought to Spain is Spain historically, over the last two decades, has been a team that loves to have the ball, loves to have possession, kind of death by a thousand cuts. What he's done now is he's made them much more, oh, my light just went off, much more vertical, much more dynamic, much more direct,

and he can get the ball and make a play by himself. And it used to be pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, walk it into the goal. Now they can give it to him, run by people, bang, score a goal. Okay, group I, France, Senegal, Norway. Here we go. Yeah, this is all-time stuff. So you're talking Mbapé. Is it Halan, H-A-A-A-L?

Yeah. Holland. This could be the most spectacular group. If you're not a soccer devotee, but you love excitement, goals, highlights. This is your YouTube group. This is a very exciting group. The French history is very interesting. So, and again, very willing to embrace a star, high expectations, in a way, a little bit of a Yankee feel, where very harsh, very demanding, embraces the star.

How does this French team compare to others who have won the cup? I mean, as good, talent-wise, they are. Is it their system? Why? Well, they just, they develop high, high, high-quality players and athletes. And you have to remember, many, many French have African descent, right? So also athletically and physically, I mean, Mbapé is a great example. There are some just elite, elite athletes in this French team. And they grow up in the French system.

and they produce top, top, top class players. The challenge with France always is it's a bit of sink or swim with them. So we saw the swim four years ago in Qatar where they get to the final and have a really opportunity to win the World Cup. But we've also seen this team fall apart at times in a World Cup off the field. They'll have issues. And if one result doesn't go their way or they lose to Senegal or they tie Senegal or maybe Norway sneaks by and wins a game, you'll see this whole thing.

thing unravel. And it's fun to watch. It's entertaining to watch. But if they get it going right, you know, Usman Dembele, Mbapé, the quality of talent they have on this team is probably second to none. Maybe only Spain is more talented through and through. Big thanks to Halion. And For the Assist, reminding us that no one scores alone. To learn more, visit Halionassist.com and follow at For the Assist. Every goal starts with an assist. Thank you.