On paper, Switzerland appears to have the strongest and most complete team among the Group B contenders. Regular participants in almost every major tournament, the Swiss have demonstrated strong organisation, a great deal of international experience and high tactical discipline for many years. With players competing in Europe's top leagues, Switzerland are expected to top the group, Mirza Mustafic believes.
The 27-year-old Luxembourgish footballer of Bosnian origin played for Bali United in Indonesia this season, having previously played for FK Sarajevo in Bosnia from 2022 to 2025. Hence, the strong ties to his second home.
"Switzerland is the group favourite, 100%. On paper, they have the best team", says Mirza Mustafic. In his opinion, second place is between Bosnia and Canada, who are set to face each other in the opening match. The former FK Sarajevo player says that this match is hugely important. "It's always important to win your first World Cup match to build confidence."
However, Canada should not be underestimated. As co-hosts, the team will have tremendous home support, which could have a significant impact on their performance. The Canadian national team has made significant progress in recent years, particularly in terms of their attacking play.
The Bosnians, for their part, have enough individual talent to cause problems for any opponent. Most importantly, they are entering the World Cup with considerable momentum. They secured their place in the tournament with a penalty shootout victory against Italy. "Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Sarajevo after the match to celebrate."
According to Mirza Mustafic, this qualification means far more to Bosnians than winning a match. Football is the country's most popular sport, and the World Cup is something they can now look forward to. "The excitement is huge because the country has suffered greatly from war in the past. As a result, the people have grown closer and are content with simple things. Therefore, qualifying for the World Cup has brought immense joy to Bosnia."
Bosnia is now back on the big stage after a few tough years.
"I think they've stabilised over the past two years. They have a whole new generation of young, talented players. That's what makes them strong." But the Bosnian squad also has experience, namely Edin Džeko, who is something of a national hero in Bosnia and, aged 40, can still single-handedly change the course of a match.
According to Mirza Mustafic, Qatar will not achieve much because compared to the other nations, they simply do not measure up.
