Your World Cup guide: How to sound smart for all 48 teams

The World Cup is back. And that means it’s time for World Cup previews – the types of thorough, leave-no-stone-unturned deep dives that can leave you with some real expertise on the teams involved.

And folks, that and $2.50 will get you a coffee. Honestly, I admire those of you who are ready, willing and able to plow through a 25,000-word World Cup preview. That's the kind of sicko behavior that helped build this newsletter.

But, dear reader, you're not about to read that kind of preview.

Instead, you're about to read the kind of preview that gives you just enough to know (or potentially say) about a team to not sound like a complete idiot. Just the bare bones and then maybe a little bit extra if you feel like showing off.

Group A

Mexico

One of the three host nations, they auto-qualified. And that might be a good thing, too, because El Tri have sort of lost their way in the 2020s. After a couple decades of seeming poised to crack the world's top 10, they've spent the past seven years looking much more likely to drop out of the world's top 20.

Preferred formation: 4-3-3? 4-1-4-1? Call it either of those.

Who’s their guy? Making the executive decision to say it's Julián Quiñones, naturalized, Colombian-born winger/forward who now plies his trade in Saudi Arabia. Dude is quicksilver.

What to say to sound smart: Bringing Javier Aguirre back was a risk, but he's got them playing good ball again. And honestly he needs to have the balls to move Edson Álvarez out of the midfield and into the middle of the backline. He makes them so much better there.

South Africa

The Bafana Bafana are back for the first time since 2010, when they hosted. They surprisingly breezed through qualifying – which is usually a true slog – with just one loss, and wrapped it up with an emphatic 3-0 win over Rwanda on the final day.

Preferred formation: It was almost exclusively a 4-2-3-1 through qualifying under Belgian boss Hugo Broos.

Who’s their guy? Center forward Lyle Foster was not prolific in qualifying with just two gaols. He is, nonetheless, their guy.

What to say to sound smart: If you give Mbekezeli Mbokazi a chance to hit line-breaking passes from the back, he will punish you. Make him play towards the touchline or you'll be chasing that midfield all night.

South Korea

The Taegeuk Warriors made it through Asian qualifying like they always do, though it wasn't quite as easy a breeze as usual – home draws against Thailand, Palestine, Jordan and Oman left just about everybody scratching their heads.

Nonetheless, they're back for their 11th straight appearance.

Preferred formation: Head coach Hong Myung-bo, who was one of the heroes of the 2002 team that made the semifinals, mostly preferred a 4-2-3-1 until a very recent shift to a 3-4-2-1.

Who’s their guy? Son Heung-min is no longer their guy. It is now Lee Kang-in's team.

What to say to sound smart: That formation shift, boy, I dunno. They haven't been able to control midfield enough to turn the wingbacks into true attackers, so it's really looking more like a 5-4-1.

Czechia

The Czechs have qualified for the first time since 2006 (if you're a USMNT fan of a certain age you have PTSD about that team) and for just the second time since calling it splitsville with Slovakia. They upset both Ireland and Denmark in the UEFA WCQ playoff, advancing past each on penalties.

Preferred formation: It was a 4-2-3-1, but then Miroslav Koubek took over in December of last year and put them into a 3-4-2-1 that is DEFINITELY a 5-4-1, which is how they've lined up in all four outings with him calling the shots.

Who’s their guy? In my nightmares it's Jan Koller dunking on poor Eddie Pope, but in this day and age it's veteran center forward Patrik Schick.

What to say to sound smart: If you think of Pavel Sulc as more of a second forward than a true No. 10, then it's easier to understand how they're able to create danger off those long-balls to Schick.