Mark Chapman hosted the latest edition of the Monday Night Club on BBC Radio 5 Live, bringing together ESPN's Julien Laurens, former defender Conor Coady, and pundit Chris Sutton for a wide-ranging discussion ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026.

Are pre-tournament friendlies worth it?

The panel opened by debating whether warm-up friendlies serve any real purpose — a question that divides opinion across football. Senior reporter Ian Dennis joined to assess what manager Thomas Tuchel took from England's narrow 1-0 victory over New Zealand, and what it revealed about the squad's shape heading into the tournament.

England's selection dilemmas

A central topic was Jude Bellingham's role: where does he fit in Tuchel's plans, and could Morgan Rogers displace him in the starting eleven? The panel also examined whether England will field a recognised number ten, and which wide forward — Marcus Rashford or Anthony Gordon — will line up on the left flank.

The long-standing question of England's reliance on Harry Kane also came under scrutiny, alongside the makeup of the team's leadership group as the tournament approaches.

Scotland's opener against Haiti

Scotland reporter Jane Lewis joined the pod alongside midfielder John McGinn, who spoke candidly less than a week before Scotland's opening fixture against Haiti. The discussion centred on Scotland's encouraging warm-up results and how they should approach the match.

With Brazil and Morocco to follow in the group stage, the panel debated whether Scotland should adopt an aggressive, high-scoring approach against Haiti to build momentum — and goal difference — early in the competition.

Florentino Perez re-elected and Yamal's fitness

Spanish football expert Guillem Balague rounded out the programme with two significant stories from Spain: Florentino Perez has been re-elected as president of Real Madrid, extending his grip on one of the world's most powerful clubs. Balague also addressed the fitness of Lamine Yamal ahead of Spain's opening World Cup match against Cape Verde — a concern for supporters and coaching staff alike as the tournament draws near.