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Sure, those associated with New Mexico United are around soccer for a living. But that doesn鈥檛 mean players and coaches get tired of it.

Especially, when it comes to the sport鈥檚 biggest tournament: the World Cup.

The most popular sporting event in the world 鈥� co-hosted this year by the United States, Mexico and Canada 鈥� starts Thursday and those associated with NM United certainly have some thoughts.

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Like most soccer fans, players and coaches have their favorites 鈥� and longshots 鈥� to hoist the 23rd FIFA World Cup champion trophy. A conversation with a few of United鈥檚 players and coaches brought a wide variety of answers. Some answers were honest, while others were 鈥� hopeful. 

Daniel Bruce, assistant coach (who is a true Englishman): An easy one. England and England.

Dennis Sanchez, manager: I feel like Norway is very much an underdog. I don鈥檛 know how they鈥檙e going to translate to the heat, but I feel like they鈥檙e pretty dangerous. Of course, I鈥檓 going for the U.S, and then you have your normal teams like France, which is always dangerous. I think Brazil will be back to kind of its normal self with (manager Carlo Ancelotti). Japan is always an interesting one. There鈥檚 always an Asian team that comes through.

Maliek Howell, defender: I鈥檓 a Messi guy, so I got to go with Argentina. I鈥檓 going to say Japan is an underdog (to watch) because I played them (with the Jamaican national team) and it was the hardest game. But there鈥檚 also Mexico. This altitude, the heat, all those factors that people are not taking into consideration; it鈥檚 going to change how the European players come and adapt. Everyone is just running with names at the moment and that鈥檚 not the game. The game is winning the day. 

Ousman Jabang, defender: Portugal is my favorite and Senegal is my underdog. Bruno (Fernandes) is probably going to carry Portugal to the promised land. And Senegal because it鈥檚 the closest country to Gambia.

Justin Rennicks, forward: Well, I got to go with the U.S. for the underdogs. My favorite? Realistically? Probably France. No real reason behind it, but that鈥檚 probably how that鈥檚 going to be.

Kris Shakes, goalkeeper: I got my money on France because of PSG, but also not because of PSG. They strike fear in everyone that stands in their way 鈥� the back line, the front line, the keeper.

Greg Hurst, forward (who is a true Scotsman): On paper, France has to be the favorite. And my darkhorse? Scotland.

Zico Bailey, midfielder: My favorite has to be Spain just because I think (Barcelona forward Lamine) Yamal will have a good World Cup. Canada is my underdog. They鈥檙e one of the hosts and they have a lot of good players. 

Jabang: Not more than Scotland.

Rennicks: A player to watch? How about a little Tajon Buchanan (for Canada)? I鈥檒l hype him up a little bit.

Chris Gloster, defender: An underdog? I鈥檓 going to say Cura莽ao. Yeah, I like that one. I mean, they鈥檝e performed pretty well.

Hurst: Scotland just beat them 4-1.

Gloster: It鈥檚 the first time they鈥檝e gotten to the World Cup, bro. Watch out for them. They鈥檙e a good team.

Hurst: Good team? I'll tell you what, for 20 minutes they were a good team.

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Whichever country wins, the World Cup tends to deliver some iconic moments; moments that can leavefans exhilarated, stunned or downright depressed. 

So, what are some favorite World Cup moments for United players and coaches?

Rennicks: Shoot, I don鈥檛 know if I can even pick one to be honest ... I don鈥檛 think I can remember any, honestly. Nada. 

Sanchez: Going to McDonald鈥檚 and getting the little pins during the 鈥�94 World Cup. You鈥檇 go to McDonalds and get a happy meal, and it was different pins of different countries. That was great.

Shakes: When it was in and Brazil got touched up in the semifinal (by France). I think it was 7-1. That鈥檚 something that will stick with me forever just because I felt for them, you feel me? Not necessarily in a good or bad way, but that had to be tough.

Howell: I got this. Robin van Persie. (in the Netherlands鈥� 5-1 win against Spain in its 2014 opener.). You guys remember that?

Jabang: It has to be (against Ghana in the 2010 quarterfinals). Broke a lot of African hearts.

Bruce: Opening game 2006, Germany (against Costa Rica). , just smacking it, bang (in the 4-2 win). 

Jabang: Ugh, 2006, man

Niall Reid-Stephen, forward: Oh, South Africa in 2010. Their first goal (in the 1-1 draw against Mexico in the opener). What was his name? I forgot it.

Hurst: . (That was the) most iconic World Cup goal or moment. (It was the first World Cup goal scored on African soil.)

Bailey: I鈥檒l say Tshabalala, too. That鈥檚 my first World Cup memory.

Gloster: All right, I鈥檒l go with Landon Donvan and his goal for the USA.

Bailey: Who they鈥檇 play against? (Laughing)

Gloster: No, it wasn鈥檛 Landon Donovan. It was against an African team (in 2014).

Hurst: Is that the one where he touched it with his left foot? Left foot, cross goal, posting it. I just saw the highlight yesterday.

Jabang: It was (against) Ghana.

Hurst: You want a hot take? (for Columbia against Uruguay in the 2014 World Cup) is one of the most overrated goals. (Rodr铆guez controlled the ball with his chest and sank a volley in the top corner in a 2-0 win in the round of 16.)

Bailey: No, come on.

Gloster: Next question because we can鈥檛 start this here.

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Some World Cups hold a certain prestige over others. It won鈥檛 take long to determine if the 2026 tournament can measure up to those expectations. Or at least come close.

Which World Cup do United鈥檚 players and coaches think is the most iconic?

Shakes: South Africa (in) 2010 is my favorite. The chants, Shakira 鈥� that鈥檚 by babe.

Hurst: I think South Africa was the most iconic. I think it had the most fun around it 鈥� the goals, the atmosphere, it looked unbelievable. It was a tournament that brought the world into football. More people starting watching football after that tournament.

Jabang: That鈥檚 a good take.

Gloster: It鈥檚 2022 with Messi lifting that trophy.

Jabang: 2014 in Brazil, for sure. I was in Gambia, too, so it was lit.

Carlos Tenorio, communications manager: (Looking at Bruce) 1966?

Bruce: (Laughs) A good team. A good team. (It was the last time England won the World Cup.)

Hurst: (Also looking at Bruce) Remember it like it was yesterday?

David Glovach covers New Mexico United and other sports for the Journal. Reach him at dglovach@abqjournal.com or via X .