Endo and Isak — two poles of modern Liverpool: an experienced midfielder accustomed to the pace and pressing of the Premier League, and a young forward who must deliver the strikes. On the pitch they are partners, but in the national team match they will find themselves on opposite sides of the barricade — here the audacity of the young striker will meet the composure of someone who knows how to shut down such attacks. The intrigue lies in how much Isak will manage to break free from the pressing when there is no familiar red system beside him.

Doan is accustomed to German pace and pressing in midfield, where Eintracht demands constant choices between speed and accuracy. Kulusevski, meanwhile, is a figure from another world, accustomed to English intensity and having recently tasted European success with Tottenham. A meeting between an experienced master of positional play and an ambitious young creative force could determine who maintains the initiative in midfield.

Moriyasu — architect of a long-term project that he refined through two complete qualifying cycles, whereas Potter came to Sweden with experience from European clubs but without a history of working with national teams. The Japanese coach builds on mobility and adaptability, the Englishman starts with a clean slate, having already proven he can break the inertia in playoff matches. A meeting of two philosophies: the experience of the Asian school against the fresh perspective of a coach accustomed to the intensity of English football.