Dugout Discussion
1 July 2026 37 comments
TopMarx TopMarx
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Co-hosts and Group A winners Mexico meet Ecuador, who came third in Group E, in this Round of 32 encounter. The winner will take on the winner of England against DR Congo.

Mexico frequently make it out of the group stage at the World Cup but have never been beyond the quarter-finals, whereas this is just the second time Ecuador have made it to the knockout rounds.

Kick off in Mexico City was supposed to be at 02:00 BST but has been delayed due to a thunderstorm.

TEAM NEWS

Ecuador are unchanged from the side that beat Germany in their final group match, meaning Sunderland’s Nilson Angulo ($6.0m), who scored in that dramatic encounter, starts his second successive match.

For Mexico, Raul Jimenez ($7.0m) returns to the starting line up after being rested for the win over the Czech Republic.

17-year-old midfielder, Gilberto Mora ($4.5m), who got his first start in the final Group A match, retains his place.

And Julian Quinones ($5.6m), who has scored two goals in the competition so far, continues his run of starting every match at the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The only player from either side who doesn’t qualify for Scouting Bonus is Mexican goalkeeper Raul Rangel (£3.9m) as he is owned by more than five per cent of World Cup Fantasy managers.

LINE-UPS

Mexico XI: Raúl Rangel, Jorge Sánchez, César Montes, Johan Vásquez, Jesús Gallardo, Gilberto Mora, Érik Lira, Luis Romo, Roberto Alvarado, Raúl Jiménez, Julián Quiñones

Subs: C. Acevedo, F. Ochoa, E. Alvarez, A. Fidalgo, A. Vega, S. Gimenez, A. Gonzalez, I. Reyes, O. Pineda, O. Vargas, M. Chavez, C. Huerta, G. Martinez, L. Chavez, B. Gutierrez

Ecuador XI: Hernán Galíndez, Alan Franco, Joel Ordóñez, Willian Pacho, Piero Hincapié, John Yeboah, Moisés Caicedo, Pedro Vite, Nilson Angulo, Enner Valencia, Gonzalo Plata

Subs: M. Ramirez, G. Valle, F. Torres, J. Alcivar, P. Estupinan, A. Valencia, K. Paez, K. Rodriguez, A. Minda, J. Caicedo, A. Preciado, D. Castillo, J. Arevalo, J. Porozo, Y. Medina


TopMarx Fan of Fantasy Football and Monty Python. "Archimedes out to Socrates, Socrates back to Archimedes, Archimedes out to Heraclitus, he beats Hegel. Heraclitus a little flick, here he comes on the far post, Socrates is there, Socrates heads it in! Socrates has scored! The Greeks are going mad, the Greeks are going mad! Socrates scores, got a beautiful cross from Archimedes. The Germans are disputing it. Hegel is arguing that the reality is merely an a priori adjunct of non-naturalistic ethics, Kant via the categorical imperative is holding that ontologically it exists only in the imagination, and Marx is claiming it was offside. Follow them on Twitter

37 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Freshy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    3 months, 23 days ago

    My squad by Country

    1 - Socceroo (the Beach)
    1 - Brazil
    1 - Columbia
    1 - Swiss
    2 - USA
    2 - England
    2 - Spain
    2 - France
    3 - Argentina

    1. GreennRed
      3 months, 23 days ago

      2x Brazil, Morocco, Argentina and 9 singles.

    2. Nomadic Spurs
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Three Argentina (Messi, Martinez, Medina)

      Three Brazil (Bruno Guimarães - Vinícius Júnior, Douglas Santos)

      Two England (Bellingham and Kane)

      Two France (Dembélé and Mbappé

      Two Spain (Cucurella and Laporte)

      One Germany (Brown - out)

      One Switzerland (Manzambi)

      Plus Maxime Crépeau (4m Goalkeeper - Canada)

      1. PartyTime
        3 months, 22 days ago

        Haa! You don't like USA

    3. Kroenius
      3 months, 22 days ago

      I've got
      2 England
      2 Argentina
      Rest are all singles (including Germany & Japan)
      I still have 4 chips (forgot to play CS shield this week)

    4. Haa-lala-land
      3 months, 22 days ago

      1 Ecuador
      1 Swiss
      1 Cape Verde
      1 Colombia
      1 Algeria
      1 Paraguay
      2 Swiss
      2 Canada
      2 Japan
      3 USA

      1. Haa-lala-land
        3 months, 22 days ago

        2 Swiss should be 1 Ecuador

        1. Haa-lala-land
          3 months, 22 days ago

          *Ugh nevermind

    5. Ausman
      3 months, 22 days ago

      3 Brazil: Alisson; Vini jr
      3 Mexico: Quinones; J.Sanchez; Rangel
      3 France: Mbappé; Olise; Dembele
      1 Spain: Laporte
      1 Portugal: Nuno Mendes
      1 Egypt: Emma Ashour
      1 Morroco: Saibari
      1 Colombia: Munoz
      1 Argentina: Messi

  2. bso
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Why no qualification booster points for Mbappe and Dembele?
    Thanks!

    1. Freshy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      3 months, 23 days ago

      I got them

    2. GreennRed
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Are you using that chip this MD?

    3. FplmorelikeFml
      3 months, 23 days ago

      I hope they weren't on your bench when the squad was locked in. Read some of the comments that said this was the case or it could be slow to update.

      Regardless I have all my qualification bonuses reflected on time so far

    4. bso
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Thanks guys. They just came in. So weird.

  3. CoracAld2831
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Mexico v Ecuadör delayed due to thunderstrom.

    1. Freshy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      3 months, 23 days ago

      supposed to start at top of the hour
      30 min

  4. Nomadic Spurs
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Mexico 2 - Ecuador 0 at half-time.

    Will Mexico City be the end of the road for England?

    1. GreennRed
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Could also be Atlanta.

    2. PartyTime
      3 months, 22 days ago

      If they beat Congo, they won't beat Mexico imo. I'm all for that fun.

  5. PartyTime
    3 months, 22 days ago

    Get IN Rangel you beauty! Can England beat the host? I don't think so.

  6. PartyTime
    3 months, 22 days ago

    Olise with 5 assist this world cup lol. Hope they never place his name close to Yamal's. He is miles ahead.

    1. The Knights Template
      3 months, 22 days ago

      Are you going with Struijk in GW1?

      1. nonaynever
        3 months, 22 days ago

        maybe on bench for first two (h AV, @ Che) tempted for 3rd (H Lee)...

    2. x.jim.x
      3 months, 22 days ago

      He is 6 years older

  7. The Knights Template
    3 months, 22 days ago

    Who will replace Struijk at Leeds? Thoughts?

    1. Ausman
      3 months, 22 days ago

      Gnontos cousin Gnoseio

  8. shorey143
    3 months, 22 days ago

    Help. I was flying and now had a mare.

    Forgot to move captain to Mbappe

    Now I realise I have Portugal player on the bench but Argie player in the 11. Can I swap them out and then back if I need to? Or once subbed that’s it?

    1. Essan
      3 months, 22 days ago

      Yes, you can swap them over and then, if needs be, bring the Argie back in again later.

      1. shorey143
        3 months, 22 days ago

        Phew. Thanks.

  9. The Knights Template
    3 months, 22 days ago

    When Barcola comes to Liverpool will he be straight into your team?

    1. x.jim.x
      3 months, 22 days ago

      Ornstein said he’s not for sale

    2. Qaiss
      3 months, 22 days ago

      Will be no point if DEFCONs are still in the game

      Gosh, first whinge of the new season

    3. z13
      3 months, 22 days ago

      No. 'New to PL' precaution, if he comes

  10. Babit1967
    3 months, 22 days ago

    I had Mbappe as captain who got 16 points but yet it only gave me 30 points, anyone else have this issue ?

    1. AAAFootball
      3 months, 22 days ago

      2 pts qualified booster doesn't double.

      1. Babit1967
        3 months, 22 days ago

        Ah ok got it, cheers mate.