Jonty’s picks

The Uefa Nations League kicks off today, a tournament that came into being, to borrow from Uefa’s own website, because “UEFA and its associations wanted more sporting meaning in national team football, with associations, coaches, players and supporters increasingly of the opinion that friendly matches are not providing adequate competition for national teams.”

Further explanation of the competition, which involves the 55 member nations of Uefa, needs far more than these few paragraphs, but League A certainly kicks off with a cracker, with 2014 World Cup winners Germany taking on France.

Joachim Loew’s side had an abysmal Russia 2018, crashing out in the group stages, and the fall-out was far from pretty too, with Mesut Oezil retiring from international football, talking of a “feeling of racism and disrespect”.

France, meanwhile, are riding the crest of a World Cup-winning wave, and Paul Pogba will no doubt be glad for this international break, taking him away from an intense spotlight at Manchester United. I am expecting a Pogba-inspired France to win this match-up. Pool Name: S6 V1 P2 M1: Czech Republic v Ukraine. Spoils shared. TIP: Draw = 2 M2: Germany v France. Previewed above. TIP: Germany win = 1 M3: Gibraltar v FYR Macedonia. Macedonia magic. TIP: Macedonia win = 3 M4: Norway v Cyprus. Norway all day. TIP: Norway win = 1 M5: Slovenia v Bulgaria. Home comforts. TIP: Slovenia win = 1 M6: Wales v Ireland. Winning Wales.

Tip. Wales win = 1