The 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar is in full swing on Tuesday, with four pool phase fixtures packing out the third day of the tournament.
Lionel Messi enters the competition as Argentina open up Group C against Saudi Arabia, while Mexico meet Poland later in the day.
A pair of Group D matches pit Denmark and Tunisia against each other, before big guns France open up against minnows Australia.
*All kick off times are in Central Africa Time.
Group C: Argentina vs Saudi Arabia – 12.00
Heavyweights Argentina make their entrance at the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar on Tuesday, when they go up against Saudi Arabia to open up Group C.
The stage is set for Lionel Messi to make almost certainly his final attempt to win the biggest football prize of all – and his side come into the event much fancied.
They are 35 games unbeaten, two short of the global record set last year by Italy, and have scooped up the 2021 Copa America title by virtue of a famous win over rivals Brazil in the Maracana.
Herve Renard leads the Saudis into a challenging pool, with the Arab nation not having progressed beyond the group stage since USA 1994.
Group C: Mexico vs Poland – 18.00
Mexico and Poland collide in the first round of 2022 Fifa World Cup Group C action on Tuesday evening.
Robert Lewandowski once again leads the European nation against the Mexicans, who can seldom be counted out on the big stage.
Argentinian coach Gerardo Martino has copped some flak with many fans of the view his squad has stagnated in recent times, with the goal to beat the remarkable statistic of reaching the Round of 16 – but no further – at every edition since 1994.
That’s a stark contrast to their opening opponents, who haven’t broken out of a World Cup group since 1986 and come into a tournament for the first time under coach Czeslaw Michniewicz.
Group D: Denmark vs Tunisia – 15.00
Denmark and Tunisia bring the curtain up on Group D at the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar, as they launch their scramble to progress to the knockouts.
Both know the importance of their pool opener, with heavyweights France lurking alongside minnows Australia.
The Danes won the love of the football world in reaching the 2021 European Championship semi-finals despite the trauma of seeing star man Christian Eriksen suffer a cardiac arrest on the Parken pitch in the group stage.
He returns on the world stage to cap a wonderful comeback, starting with a match against the North African country, who squeezed past Mali in their qualification play-off.
Group D: France vs Australia – 21.00
Hotshots France make their 2022 Fifa World Cup entrance in Qatar on Tuesday night, as they line up against Australia in Group D.
Les Bleus were heavily tipped as favourites to lift the famous trophy yet again in the Gul state, but are smarting from the loss of Karim Benzema to injury on the eve of the tournament, with Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante already ruled out.
But the reigning champions will still fancy their chances of going deep in another competition under coach Didier Deschamps.
No such ambitions for the Aussies, with the Socceroos capping a marathon qualification effort with play-off success against Peru to reach their fifth World Cup on the bounce.