The much-reviled Group of Death will be revealed somewhere below.

Dear Reader(s), it is a testament to the shock of October 7th and the evident anti-Semitic bloodlust in Europe–as well as much of the rest of the world–that Germany has been moved into the Zionist’s Guide to the World Cup (ZGWC) positive category.  Germany still has much to answer for; the burden and cunning of history remain staggering.  Nothing is forgotten.  Credit, though, where credit is due.  During the Seven Front War, Germany has largely stood by Israel–certainly in contrast with most of its EU bretheren.  At the G7 Conference in June 2025 at the height of the 12 Day War versus Iran, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated:  “Israel is doing the dirty work for all of us.  I can only express my utmost respect for the Israeli army and leadership for having the courage to do that.”  That’s an admirable expression of moral clarity–a quality sorely lacking from even most American political figures. Now, it’s still Germany, though, and while they receive a positive rating, the ZGWC does not expect anyone to cheer with extra gusto for the Mannschaft.  Generic gusto should suffice.

Cote d’Ivoire is an African country which has traditionally maintained solid relations with Israel.  There are bilateral business ties, and Israel has supplied a number of weapons systems to Ivory Coast’s military.  The current president, Alassane Ouattara, made an official visit to Israel in 2012.  While no one would expect a Sub-Saharan African country will a large Muslim population to be in the top tier of countries worthy of the ZGWC’s endorsement, one could certainly do much worse than cheering for Les Éléphants.

Ecuador, for its part, maintains strong relations with Israel, among the strongest in Latin America.  Particularly notable was the May 2025 visit to Jerusalem by Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa, where he meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Herzog. During the visit, Ecuador opened an innovation center in Jerusalem, a move signaling growing cordial relations between the two states.  La Tri fields a solid squad of footballers, and with some luck, might surprise in the knockout round.  If so, the ZGWC will be cheering.

All in all, none of the countries of Group E elicit a negative rating from the ZGWC.  That, in and of itself, is unique for this World Cup.  Enjoy.

Group F is another of the World Cup’s mini Groups of Death.  Consisting of the Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, and Tunisia, the pickings are slim.  At best, Japan will receive a pareve rating from the ZGWC.  For the remainder, words like “disdain,” “indifference,” and “betrayal” come to mind.

Similar to countries like Australia, Canada, and Italy (which failed to qualify for this year’s edition), the Netherlands was a perennial ZGWC favorite in past World Cups.  The Dutch have a vibrant history of tolerance of Jews, stretching back at least 500 years.  However, the Netherlands after October 7th has proved itself to be one of the numerous Western European........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)