We’ve known the World Cup is coming to Qatar for 12 years now, but with less than 20 days to go, it still doesn’t quite feel real.
If you need to brush up on your football knowledge to avoid any embarrassing moments, or if you’re totally football mad and can’t get enough of it, we’ve got you covered with our ultimate guide to the Qatar 2022 teams.
While only Japan has revealed their actual squad at the time of writing, we’ll be updating this with the rest of the finalised teams in the coming days.
Group A
Qatar
With major tournaments, there’s always huge expectation on the home side to make it into the latter stages. And for Qatar, it will be a difficult task. But without going all stat-attack about it, home support often goes a long way – and who knows, maybe they can be the seventh team to win the World Cup as hosts. Fingers crossed.
Last World Cup performance: Despite a couple of close attempts to qualify, this is the first time Qatar has qualified for the World Cup. They are the first team since Italy way back in 1934 to host a World Cup despite never having qualified for one.
Key man: Almoez Ali might emerge with some goals. He topped the scoring charts at both the 2019 Asian Cup and the 2021 Gold Cup.
Missing star: No big news (probably because all their players are based in Qatar and don’t want them roughed up before the tournie).
Fun fact: Qatar has spent an estimated US$200billion on the tournament, to make it the biggest, most exciting event in its history.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 1/5
Ecuador
The South American nation is packed with speedy young players who could cause a few upsets along the way.
Last World Cup performance: They didn’t qualify for the 2018 edition – their best performance to date was in 2006 when making it through to the round of 16.
Key man: Moises Caicedo. He might not hit the back of the net so often (2 goals from 25 caps) but the 20 year old, who plays club football for Brighton & Hove Albion, is instrumental in midfield to dictate passes to Ecuador’s speedy wide players.
Missing star: It’s touch and go for winger Angel Mena, who is currently recovering from a back injury.
Fun fact: Ecuador love a bit of drama. Whether it’s causing regional disputes with Chile because they fielded a player who may or may not be Colombian, karate-kicking goalkeepers, or the (non) appointment of Jordi Cruyff as coach in 2020 who never actually took charge of a game, controversy seems to follow them.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 2/5
Senegal
Their roster is brim-full of talent, with top-tier players from the best leagues in Europe. Expect some magical things from the reigning champions of Africa.
Last World Cup performance: Don’t bring this one up to your Senegalese mates. At the last FIFA World Cup, they didn’t make it through the group stage due to a ‘fair-play’ tiebreaker – the first time in history. Essentially, they had two more yellow cards than Japan, so sometimes it pays to be nice.
Key man: Without question, Sadio Mane. Not only is he a multiple title winner on the pitch and a guaranteed goal scorer, he’s built hospitals and schools in his home country. Mane’s a star in every sense of the word.
Missing star: Bayern Munich defender Bouna Sarr will be sorely missed – he played every minute of qualifying, but will miss the tournament following knee surgery in September.
Fun fact: Hundreds of thousands of fans lined the streets when Senegal won the African Cup of Nations earlier this year. It’s hard to imagine how many days the party will last if they win the World Cup.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 3/5
Netherlands
Coach Louis van Gaal will retire after this year’s tournament due to health issues, and there’s a sense that the Dutch players will do all they can to make it his ‘One Last Dance’.
Last World Cup performance: As soothing as salt on an open wound, the Netherlands would prefer to forget their last non-qualification for the 2018 event. They finished runner-up in 1974, 1978, and 2010, so they’ve gotten close in recent memory.
Key man: Memphis Depay. Honourable mention to Steven Bergwijn who has rediscovered his form since leaving Spurs, but Depay has been a goal machine for ‘the Oranje’, and despite a slight thigh injury in the build-up should be revved up for the tournament.
Missing star: Midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum. He broke his leg in August and unless stroopwafels have unknown healing qualities, he’ll be watching from home.
Fun fact : In 2006, Dutch fans were forced to watch a World Cup game in their underpants after tournament officials banned them from wearing orange trousers with a rival beverage brand on as they weren’t official sponsors.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 3/5
Group B
England
56 years is a long time for one of the top footballing nations to go without a major (men’s) tournament win. This might be their best chance for a generation.
Last World Cup performance: Surprisingly well, making it through to the semi-finals and agonisingly knocked-out in extra-time by Croatia.
Key man: Harry Kane. Top goal scorer at the last World Cup and a real difference maker.
Missing star: One could make an easy joke about defender Harry Maguire here, given his performance-related absence from the Manchester United squad this season, but injuries to Maguire and a number of key players such as right-back Kyle Walker and midfielder Kalvin Phillips put them in danger of missing out.
Fun fact: England took part in the very first international football match against Scotland, but they didn’t take part in the first three World Cups.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 4.5/5
Iran
Disciplined and hard to break down, Iran won’t be pushovers at this year’s FIFA World Cup.
Last World Cup performance: Admirable efforts in the group stage, including a win against Morocco and a shock draw with Portugal weren’t quite enough to see them progress. They’ll be hoping for the knock-out stages for the first time.
Key man: Mehdi Taremi is dangerous and has an impressive 59 goals in 105 games in the Portuguese league. Interestingly, he played in Qatar for Al-Gharafa before his switch to the Primeira Liga, so he may very well settle into the tournament quickly on his former home turf.
Missing star: Sardar Azmoun, Taremi’s partner up-front for Iran, has a calf tear he picked up while warming up for Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League. The timeline for recovery looks tight.
Fun fact: Iran’s football kits have for many years carried a design featuring the Asiatic Cheetah, a critically endangered animal.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 1/5
USA
We can’t be the only ones who think USMNT sounds like a Turtle’s spin-off franchise. USA have a competitive spirit and some dangerous attacking players and Coach Gregg Berhalter’s side have won the CONCACAF Gold Cup and Nations League on their way to this year’s FIFA World Cup.
Last World Cup performance: They missed out on the 2018 tournament, despite having a really solid squad. They made no mistake this time qualifying third in their final qualification round behind Canada and Mexico.
Key man: Christian Pulisic has carried USA through many games and ‘Captain America’ will be critical to their chances.
Missing star: USMNT have a few injuries coming into the tournament and they’ll be hoping Gio Reyna, an elite young talent with great dribbling skills, can stay healthy. Centre-back Miles Robinson, however, is definitely out.
Fun fact: The odds were in the Americans’ favour when it came to making it to the World Cup this year. In qualifying they needed a result against the tropical nation Honduras, where even in winter it rarely drops below 20 degrees. So for their qualifying match, they naturally played it in St Paul, Minnesota, where it was zero degrees plus a wind chill, causing two Honduras players to exit the game at half-time suffering from hypothermia. They won’t get the same conditions in Qatar, so let’s see if they can handle the heat.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 2/5
Wales
Many Welsh football fans have never seen them in a World Cup because the team hasn’t appeared in the tournament since 1958. This will be a special time for Rob Page’s Cymru side and a moment to savour for supporters of the Dragons – especially their Group B game against England.
Last World Cup performance: While they haven’t been part of the world’s biggest tournament for some time, you don’t have to go so far back to remember they made it to the semi-finals of Euro 2016.
Key man: Gareth Bale. Whenever he pulls on his country’s shirt, there’s something that lights up inside him.
Missing star: Hamstring issues for Nice midfielder Aaron Ramsey and Swansea’s Joe Allen, a minor leg fracture for Spurs’ Ben Davies and a knee injury for Fulham’s Harry Wilson, haven’t been ideal for preparation, but they’ll all be hoping to make the plane to Qatar.
Fun fact: Welsh is one of the oldest languages in the world (older than English), so when you hear fans singing national songs like Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (Land of My Fathers) and Yma O Hyd (Still Here), you’re hearing words from ancient times.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 2/5
Group C
Argentina
Coach Lionel Scaloni’s side are in great form heading into Qatar, having won last year’s Copa America. They have a huge opportunity to claim a first World Cup since Diego Maradona hoisted the trophy in 1986.
Last World Cup performance: In 2018, they were knocked out in the round of 16 courtesy of a 4-3 reverse to eventual champions France.
Key man: Lionel Messi. This could be the last time we see this legend in a World Cup. Nobody can do the things that he can do with a football.
Missing star: Paulo Dybala picked up a thigh injury while taking a penalty for Roma – it may leave the talented attacker watching from the stands.
Fun fact: Argentina could make history during the group stages. They are currently on an unbeaten streak and only Italy has ever recorded more matches in a row without defeat (37 games). Watch out for them (potentially) breaking the record against Mexico during the early round games.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 4.5/5
Saudi Arabia
Topping their third round qualifying group ahead of Japan and Australia, Herve Renard has a well-organised team who shouldn’t be ruled out of making it to the round of 16.
Last World Cup performance: They won one match against Egypt but failed to progress to the knockout rounds.
Key man: Salem Al-Dawsari was given the MVP award for his performances in the AFC Champions League for Al-Hilal. He’s a creative winger who knows how to score in a World Cup, having scored the winner over Egypt in 2018.
Missing star: Included in the squad but not having played for months, midfielder Abdulelah Al-Malki is yet to prove his fitness.
Fun fact: Saudi Arabia didn’t play its first international soccer match until 1957 – by then, there had already been five World Cups.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 2/5
Mexico
While it’s a long way to come for ‘El Tri’ fanatics, there is nothing that would stop some of the world’s most passionate football fans from making the trip to Qatar. In a competitive group, that support might be crucial in seeing them through to the knockout phase.
Last World Cup performance: Mexico regularly reach the round of 16 and go no further – as was the case in 2018.
Key man: Hirving ‘Chucky’ Lozano. The Napoli winger has touches of brilliance on the ball that has garnered interest from Premier League and La Liga teams.
Missing star: Javier Hernandez. The former Manchester United star is having a great season in MLS, but coach Tata Martino is blinkered towards other players.
Fun fact: Mexico has qualified for more World Cups without winning it than any other team. They’ve also lost more World Cup matches than any other side.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 2/5
Poland
Despite a bumpy road to Qatar, which saw their head coach quit in the midst of qualifying, the Poles comfortably saw off Sweden in the play-offs to make it to the tournament. The new guy in charge Czeslaw Michniewicz likes to switch his team based on the opposition, so look out for multiple formations this tournament, as he tries to tinker his way to victory.
Last World Cup performance: They didn’t make it past the group stages primarily because they didn’t create enough goal scoring chances.
Key man: Robert Lewandowski. A hero for Polish football fans, he’s their most capped player, scored the most goals in national history and, he’s been rather good in European club competition, too, winning the Golden Shoe in the past two years with Bayern Munich and already banging in the goals at new club Barcelona.
Missing star: Midfielder Jakub Moder ruptured his ACL earlier this year and is out until 2023.
Fun fact: There’s a good chance the Village People will be heard at Poland games this tournament. That’s because supporters sing a chant to the tune of ‘Go West’. It simply says ‘Polska, Biało Czerwoni’, or ‘Poland, the White and Reds’.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 2/5
Group D
France
One of the favourites for the tournament with an abundance of talent throughout the squad. Household names like Karim Benzema and Antoine Griezmann should propel Les Bleus deep into the tournament. They hold a huge chance of repeating their 2018 success.
Last World Cup performance: Dominated from start to finish in the tournament and were very worthy winners.
Key man: Kylian Mbappe. He was just 19 when lifting the trophy last time and in many ways, he has improved as a player since scoring in that final. He’s topped the scoring charts in France’s Ligue 1 for the past four years, and it would be no surprise if he walked away as the FIFA World Cup 2022 top goalscorer.
Missing star: Boubacar Kamara. The Aston Villa midfielder picked up a knee ligament injury.
Fun fact: The reigning Champions are looking to become the first back-to-back winners since Brazil managed the feat in 1958 and 1962. In fact, the only other team to do so was Italy in the 1930s, showing just how hard it is to achieve a glorious double.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 4.5/5
Australia
The scenes when Australia beat Peru in a penalty shoot-out to qualify were as if they’d won the tournament itself. Just making their fifth World Cup in a row is a mighty achievement and anything else along the way in Qatar is a bonus.
Last World Cup performance: Never made it through the group stage and, with both France and Denmark in their group again, it’s going to be tough.
Key man: Martin Boyle. The Aberdeen-born winger is having a great season at Hibernian after returning from a short spell playing in Saudi Arabia.
Missing star: Hearts defender Kye Rowles has a metatarsal issue and Stoke’s Harry Souttar is still making the long road back from knee ligament damage, leaving both on the brink of watching from home.
Fun fact: The first soccer match in Aussie history was in 1875 between the patients and staff of the Woogaroo Lunatic Asylum.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 1/5
Denmark
There’s solidity at the back with Kasper Schmeichel commanding from the goal, creativity in the middle through Christian Eriksen and a triple threat from Martin Braithwaite, Kasper Dolberg and Mikkel Damsgaard. Denmark may be the dark horses.
Last World Cup performance: Creditable run that ended in the round of 16.
Key man: Christian Eriksen. He plays with more freedom for his country than he’s allowed at Manchester United and recently humbled France in the Nations League with a creative masterclass.
Missing star: The squad is fit and well (at time of writing), so maybe Danish pastries are good for us after all?
Fun fact: Denmark once beat France 17-1 (in 1908). We’ll walk from Qatar to Denmark to congratulate them if they achieve a similar scoreline over Les Bleus in Group D during this tournament.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 3/5
Tunisia
An impenetrable wall. Parking the bus. Whatever you call it, Tunisia focus on being hard to beat. With the exception of a 5-1 drubbing by Brazil (come on, it’s Brazil), Tunisia are defensively strong and could be a frustrating opposition for those in their group.
Last World Cup performance: Tunisia won one match against Panama but it wasn’t enough to progress past the group stage.
Key man: Seifeddine Jaziri won the FIFA Arab Cup Golden Boot last year and while the opposition will be somewhat tougher, his experience will stand him in good stead. He’s the most likely to earn plaudits from his home country fanbase this World Cup.
Missing star: TBC. No whispers coming out of the camp.
Fun fact: The Tunisian football team’s nickname is the Carthage Eagles, with the country crest featuring a bald eagle.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 1/5
Group E
Spain
Spain easily topped their qualification group, but a recent loss to Switzerland in the Nations League might have helped refocus them ahead of the World Cup. There’s an exciting injection of youth in the Spain squad through players like Ferran Torres, Ansu Fati, Gavi and Pedri, who will learn a lot playing in this year’s tournament.
Last World Cup performance: Spain were humbled by Russia in their last outing on the global stage, beaten on penalties in the round of 16.
Key man: Pedri, aka Pedro González López. He couldn’t be under better tutelage at Barcelona than Xavi, whose own influence steered Spain as a dominant force for years. Only 19 years’ old, he already commands respect and while there’s competition across the midfield, he’s a star waiting to shine on the world stage.
Missing star: Gerard Moreno. He has had a number of setbacks and injuries.
Fun fact: Spain is the only team to win three consecutive major tournaments (Euro 2008, World Cup 2010 and Euro 2012).
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 3/5
Costa Rica
The comeback kids of qualifying, Costa Rica looked down and out with only one win from their first seven games but then turned it around to make it through the play-off phase. That will have boosted the side’s confidence that they can be competitive in the world’s biggest football event.
Last World Cup performance: Failed to progress past the group stages last time, but had made it to the quarter-finals four years before that.
Key man: Gerson Torres. While much of the Costa Rica team are seasoned veterans, Torres has youthful energy on the wing and can provide deadly crosses.
Missing star: None so far – but somebody might drop a bottle of aftershave on their foot like Spain keeper Santiago Canizares which kept him out of the 2002 cup.
Fun fact: The Costa Rica team’s nickname is Los Ticos.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 1/5
Germany
There’s rarely a missed step by the perennial high performers of Germany, who always seem to make it a long way into the competition (with 2018 an exception). Their form hasn’t been the greatest in 2022, with just two wins from eight games. However, players like Kai Havertz, Thomas Müller, Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sane and Timo Werner provide a depth of quality to the front-line. This side should progress to the latter stages.
Last World Cup performance: One of the major disappointments of 2018, Germany went home after only winning one match in their group.
Key man: Thomas Müller. He has won more trophies than any other German player and has the vision to open up the opposition with creativity. At 33, this might be his final World Cup and, after an enforced hiatus imposed by former coach Joachim Löw that meant he didn’t play for Germany for two years, he will want to prove he still has one big tournament in him.
Missing star: It looks like midfielder Marco Reus might make it, despite injuring his ankle in the tournament build-up.
Fun fact: The German team will be staying at the Zulal Wellness Resort, a swanky getaway location in Ruwais, far outside the busy hub of Doha.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 4/5
Japan
Dangerous on the counter-attack, Japan have a really tough group and it will be a great achievement if they can upset the might of Germany and Spain in the Group stages.
Last World Cup performance: Japan reached the round of 16 and were two goals up against Belgium. However, the Belgians rallied and eventually won the game 3-2.
Key man: Yuya Osako, heads the forward line for Japan and has scored 25 goals in 57 appearances for the Samurai Blues.
Missing star: Ryo Miyaichi. The winger suffered an ACL tear putting him out for a long period.
Fun fact: Japanese fans clean up after themselves after the end of World Cup matches. That’s right, bin-bag in hand, whether they win, lose or draw, Japan are the most polite visiting fans in the world.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 1/5
Group F
Belgium
Unbeaten during qualifying, Belgium have also looked a little sketchy at times in the Nations League. Their team is undeniably strong from Thibaut Courtois between the sticks to Romelu Lukaku up top. It’s now or never for the greatest generation of Belgian footballers.
Last World Cup performance: 2018 may have been their best chance of ever winning a World Cup, but they finished third after a narrow defeat to France.
Key man: Kevin De Bruyne. Last term’s Premier League Player of the Season, KDB is an incredible talent with great awareness and touch.
Missing star: Alexis Saelemaekers. The AC Milan winger is out with a knee injury.
Fun fact: Coach Roberto Martinez’s Pomeranian dog was chief bridesmaid at his wedding. No comment.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 4/5
Canada
Topped their qualifying group with the most goals scored and fewest conceded. It’s been 36 years since Canada last qualified and they have never scored a World Cup goal. Hopefully that can change in this year’s tournament and there’s even a chance they could make it through the group behind likely table toppers Belgium.
Last World Cup performance: See above. These guys will be chomping at the bit for their first crack at a World Cup for ages.
Key man: Alphonso Davies. The Bayern Munich player is used in a more advanced winger role for Canada and is essential for transitioning the play from defence to attack.
Missing star: Robust roster heading into the tournament.
Fun fact: You know it’s going to be about maple syrup, right? During Covid lockdowns, fan Daniel Robertson from Ontario missed the excitement of attending football matches so he decided to trade Canada’s favourite export to other fans from around the world in exchange for football scarves. More than 100 were sent his way, showing the power of football to unify global communities.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 2/5
Morocco
It was a straightforward route to the finals for Morocco, easily winning their group games and comfortably beating DR Congo in the play-offs. It’s unlikely to be as easy up against global opposition and the pre-tournament disruption (see below) has hardly been ideal preparation.
Last World Cup performance: Famously drew 2-2 with Spain last time round and while they didn’t get out of the group, they were certainly difficult to beat.
Key man: Hakim Ziyech. He had been side-lined by Vahid Halilhodzic due to a spat, but with the country’s football federation choosing to replace the coach that helped them qualify for the World Cup (alrighty then), Ziyech is back and could be a difference maker.
Missing star: Gent’s Tarik Tissoudali bashed up his ACL and Adam Mesina of Udinese has got knee issues, too.
Fun fact: In 1960, Morocco took part in World Cup qualification for the first time. After two legs with Tunisia, which had resulted in 2-1 victories for both sides, a play-off was held in Palermo in Italy. That finished in a tie, so a coin toss was used to decide the winner. Imagine the pressure on a single coin toss? Tougher than penalties? Morocco won the coin toss, but failed to make it through to the finals after a loss to Spain.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 1/5
Croatia
Croatia topped their qualifying group while only conceding four goals. This rock-solid defence combined with attacking talent like Luka Modric, Ivan Perisic and Andrej Kramaric should again be a dangerous side to play. Might be the surprise package once again.
Last World Cup performance: Runner-up to France, Croatia had a beautiful campaign and Luka Modric was named player of the tournament winning the Golden Ball.
Key man: Luka Modrić, who else. The only player since 2007 to break the Lionel Messi / Cristiano Ronaldo stranglehold on the Balon D’or, Modric’s creativity is key for Croatia.
Missing star: Not an injury as such, but the retirement of Mario Mandžukić since the last World Cup has been a tough one for Croatia, who miss his goal scoring.
Fun fact: Most countries round the world call it football, fútbol or soccer. The Croatians have their own term – nogomet – which means roughly ‘to place the leg’. Nogomet World Cup has a ring to it.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 3/5
Group G
Brazil
The most successful nation in World Cup history with five titles, but they haven’t won it for 20 years. This time they have got their act together and qualification could not have gone better. Why are they so dangerous? Traditionally it’s been their free-flowing ability to score tons of goals and that’s still the case. But they have created a strong defence, letting in just 10 goals across their last 28 matches. They are the team to beat at this year’s World Cup.
Last World Cup performance: Reaching the quarter-finals would be a success for many teams. Not Brazil. And yet that’s exactly where they’ve ended their journey in three of the last four World Cups.
Key man: Neymar. Makes the world’s greatest defenders look like lumbering oafs. He’s full of flair, he’s going to score goals and this could very much be his tournament.
Missing star: Arthur Melo. The Liverpool midfielder has had surgery putting him out until 2023.
Fun fact: The legendary Pelé got his nickname from childhood after a goalkeeper who played at the time called Bilé. Pelé – who’s real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento – would mispronounce the name Bilé and friends quickly started to mock him for it. He didn’t even like the nickname to start with, once punching a classmate and receiving a two-day suspension after being called it. But the name stuck and is known throughout the world.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 5/5
Serbia
Dragan Stojkovic expects his team to not just win, but to play exciting football. There’s a lot of attacking talent to work with too, with Fulham forward Aleksandar Mitrović, Lazio attacker Sergej Milinković-Savić, and impressive young striker Dušan Vlahović capable of creating chances. The weak link is in defence, so the tactics are simple – score more than the other side. And they might just do that.
Last World Cup performance: They were put in the same group as Brazil last time and despite beating Costa Rica, couldn’t make it through.
Key man: Sergej Milinković-Savić.
Missing star: No huge concerns for the Serbian side.
Fun fact: Former Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanović is Serbia’s most capped player with 105 appearances.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 3/5
Switzerland
Strong performances led Switzerland to top their group during qualification ahead of Italy (who unfortunately didn’t make it to the finals). This could be an exciting tournament for Switzerland if they can chart a course safely through the group.
Last World Cup performance: Drew with Brazil and reached the round of 16, before being knocked out by Sweden.
Key man: Xherdan Shaqiri. His experience of major tournaments will be a bonus and, as opposition defences concentrate on the danger he poses, the Chicago Fire winger has the keys to unlock space for the players around him.
Missing star: Perhaps there’s something in the mountain air (or is it the chocolate?), but Switzerland might be the fittest team heading into Qatar.
Fun fact: The average soccer pitch is 105 metres long, while the length of a Giant Toblerone is 78 centimetres. That means you could fit 134 end-to-end down the length of the field. Why you’d want to do that when you could eat them is another matter.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 3/5
Cameroon
Former player and now coach Rigobert Song needs to bring out the best in Cameroon, who lack some of the household names of the past. With one of the younger teams, Cameroon can not only look to achieve results in Qatar, but have the view toward gaining experience for 2026. One for the future.
Last World Cup performance: They didn’t qualify in 2018, with their best ever performance in 1990 when they reached the quarter-finals.
Key man: Vincent Aboubakar. Scores plenty of goals and plays just down the road in Saudi Arabia.
Missing star: They’re not called the Indomitable Lions for no reason. Injury free.
Fun fact: Cameroon legend Roger Milla made the celebration of dancing at the corner flag popular. He once said that ‘Cameroon is a football country – children are born playing football’.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 2/5
Group H
Portugal
The only blemish on Cristiano Ronaldo’s CV is the lack of a World Cup win. This time around he is surrounded by some really talented players like Joao Cancelo, Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva. If they can all click, they could be a force this time.
Last World Cup performance: Made it through a tough group only to be overturned by Uruguay in the round of 16 courtesy of two Edinson Cavani goals.
Key man: Cristiano Ronaldo. The greatest goal scorer of his generation, if not of all time. His recent time on the bench at Manchester United has kept him fresh for the World Cup.
Missing star: Pedro Neto. The Wolves forward sustained ankle ligament damage and has been sidelined for the big tournament.
Fun fact: According to former Manchester United teammate Patrice Evra, Cristiano Ronaldo once lost a game of table tennis to fellow player Rio Ferdinand. His response? He ordered a table tennis table, trained, and a couple of weeks later challenged Ferdinand to a rematch and won. Ronaldo will undoubtedly show that same level of determination during this year’s World Cup.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 3/5
Ghana
Ghana have certainly landed themselves in a tough, competitive group and they’ll need their more experienced players to help them navigate a safe passage to the knockout round.
Last World Cup performance: They did not qualify for the last tournament, with their best result in a World Cup coming in 2010 when reaching the quarter-finals.
Key man: Andre Ayew. This might not be the most obvious choice but Ayew plays his club football in Qatar for Al Sadd, and his experience of 100 caps will be crucial as the captain and leader of the Black Stars.
Missing star: Although there have been a few injury scares, the squad looks pretty healthy heading into Qatar.
Fun fact: The team are called the Black Stars after the symbol on the national flag.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 1/5
Uruguay
The Uruguayans finished third behind Brazil and Argentina in South American qualifying, booking an automatic ticket to Qatar. Luis Suarez compared Federico Valverde’s midfield presence to Steven Gerrard, and the pair will be essential components to Uruguay’s plans. They shipped a lot of goals on the way to this tournament and will need to tighten up at the back to have any chance of progressing as far as they did in 2018.
Last World Cup performance: They reached the quarter finals where they came unstuck against the tournament winner, France.
Key man: Luis Suarez. After returning for a short time to his boyhood club Nacional, the striker is set to become a free agent after the championship. He will know this is his last World Cup and a big performance could cap a glittering career.
Missing star: Ronald Araujo. The Barcelona defender had surgery in September and the projected 10-week recovery timeline is too short.
Fun fact: Uruguay won the very first World Cup on home soil in 1930. They beat Argentina in the final 4-2.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 2/5
South Korea
Destiny’s Child, Cream and One Direction have something in common with South Korea: As with Beyoncé, Eric Clapton and Harry Styles, these groups were carried by one member who was much more talented than the rest. And that’s how it is with South Korea, as their hopes are intrinsically linked to how well Son Heung-min performs.
Last World Cup performance: Flew home after the group stage.
Key man: Son Heung-min. The versatile Tottenham Hotspur playmaker can score and create. He’s easily the first name on the teamsheet for the Taeguk Warriors.
Missing star: Unconfirmed reports that Son is currently wrapped in cotton wool and isn’t allowed to use TV (ex-players David Seaman, David James and Robbie Keane all injured themselves reaching for the remote).
Fun fact: The record for most caps and most goals for South Korea is held by Cha Bum-kun, who was known as ‘Cha Boom’ for his powerful shooting ability.
Likelihood of reaching the final?: 2/5
