European heavyweights belatedly begin FIFA World Cup qualifying

With the next World Cup kicking off in just over nine months, European champions Spain and some of the continent's other heavyweights finally begin their qualifying campaigns this week.

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France, Germany and Portugal are also only just embarking on the journey which they expect will take them to the tournament in North America. The state of play in Europe is in stark contrast to elsewhere.

World Cup holders Argentina, Brazil and Ecuador have already qualified from South America, where the campaign is almost complete. Meanwhile, six spots have been secured in Asian qualifying.

Europe has 16 qualifying berths, a third of the total for the first-ever 48-team World Cup. All 12 group winners will go through, with four more spots available in playoffs.

Spain, second only to Argentina in the world rankings, are coming off the back of losing June's UEFA Nations League final on penalties to Portugal.

La Roja start their qualifying bid with a trip to Bulgaria before a tough fixture in Turkey.

A team led by Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, and with Manchester City's Rodri back after a serious knee injury, is being touted as one of the favourites to win the World Cup.

But coach Luis de la Fuente -- whose team also face Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's Georgia in Group E -- is being prudent.