The World Cup of National Stereotypes gets underway with Groups A–D, as we throw some of the world's most famous national clichés into a tournament and judge them far more seriously than we probably should.

From the French, Germans and Dutch to nations with reputations for being tough, friendly, stubborn, relaxed, efficient, loud or completely unpredictable, no stereotype is safe once the draw is made.

We'll be looking at the characteristics people instantly associate with different countries, where those perceptions come from, and which nations have somehow ended up with the most recognisable stereotypes of all.

As always, this is done firmly in the spirit of humour and observation. No malice, no agenda — just a light-hearted look at the clichés and cultural quirks that people around the world recognise.

The criteria is loose — recognisability, entertainment value, cultural impact and pure stereotype strength all come into play as we decide who deserves to progress.

This is where the tournament begins — and it only gets more controversial from here.

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