FIFA 2026 World Cup contenders: Dutch with much to work on after Japan draw; Germany's flaws still there

With most of the World Cup's favorites yet to get their tournament underway -- arguably all of them given the hash Brazil made of their opener -- Sunday offered an intriguing opportunity to assess the teams below the teams. When the 2026 tournament is nothing more than a folk memory it wouldn't serve as much of a surprise if Germany or the Netherlands had their name on the trophy. Heading into this tournament, though, both profiled as relative long shots.Just getting out of the group would be a success for a Germany team whose last knockout game was the 2014 final that they won.

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