In the European World Cup qualifiers Group A, three teams are tied with 6 points competing for the top spot, while Sweden, the highest-valued team in Group B, remains winless after three rounds at the bottom.

The South American qualifiers have finished, but the European qualifiers are heating up. After three rounds in Europe, a remarkable situation has emerged in Groups A and B: In Group A, traditional powerhouse Germany, Northern Ireland, and Slovakia all have 2 wins and 1 loss, each with 6 points, battling for the group lead and direct qualification; in Group B, it’s even more surprising—Sweden, the highest-valued team boasting Premier League stars Isak and Jørgensen, has yet to win, with 1 draw and 2 losses, sitting last with just 1 point.

European World Cup Qualifiers Group A:

1. Germany: Ranked 12th globally, with a total squad value of 750 million euros, they lost away to Slovakia, but won home matches against Northern Ireland and Luxembourg in the first three rounds.
2. Northern Ireland: Ranked 72nd in the world, with a total squad value of 88.73 million euros, they won away at Luxembourg, lost away to Germany, and won at home against Slovakia in the opening three rounds.
3. Slovakia: Ranked 42nd globally, with a total squad value of 139 million euros, they defeated Germany at home, won away at Luxembourg, but lost away to Northern Ireland in their first three matches.
4. Luxembourg: Ranked 96th worldwide, with a total squad value of 34.55 million euros, they suffered three consecutive defeats in the first three rounds, acting as the group’s easy points target.

The three teams in this group are fighting for the top spot; the remaining three rounds will determine who slips up. Any points dropped against Luxembourg will likely cost a team the chance to lead, and net goal difference among the three will also be crucial.

European World Cup Qualifiers Group B:

1. Switzerland: Ranked 17th globally, with a total squad value of 243 million euros, they have won all three matches so far and lead the group.
2. Kosovo: Ranked 91st worldwide, with a total squad value of 108 million euros, they have 1 win, 1 draw, and 1 loss in the first three rounds, including a victory over Sweden.
3. Slovenia: Ranked 50th globally, with a total squad value of 163 million euros, they have 1 win, 1 draw, and 1 loss, with the draw coming against Sweden.
4. Sweden: Ranked 32nd in the world, with a total squad value of 460 million euros, they have 1 draw and 2 losses after three rounds, earning just 1 point and sitting at the bottom, with their qualification chances now very slim.

Sweden is the highest-valued team in this group, and they possessLiverpool forward Isak, Arsenal striker Jørgensen, Newcastle’s Ilanga, Tottenham midfielder Kulusevski, and Ribeval,all of whom are starters for Premier League and Champions League level clubs. The squad also includes key players from the top five leagues such as Brighton’s Alire, Frankfurt’s Hugo Larsson, Dortmund’s Svensson, and Atalanta’s Hien. However, Sweden’s poor performance mainly stems from coach Thomassen’s mediocrity; he has never coached in any of the top five leagues, and his lack of ability is draining the team, wasting a group of talented Swedish players.