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GROUP A
Qatar
Ranking: 48
The hosts will embark on their first ever World Cup campaign to follow on from the success of their shock victory over Japan in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup final.
Spaniard Felix Sanchez’s men have since enjoyed the luxury of missing out on the qualification process, excluding qualifiers for the 2023 Asian Cup, but were put to the test at the back end of last year where they finished semi-finalists in the FIFA Arab Cup, which resulted in an agonising last-gasp defeat to Algeria.
The side will be spearheaded by captain and talisman Hassan Al-Haydos who will lead the line alongside Sudanese-born forward Almoez Ali, who broke the record for most goals scored at an Asian Cup when he netted nine in 2019.
The hosts should have plenty of attacking power amidst a difficult draw in Group A, with star utility Boualem Khoukhi having 20 international goals to his name.
Ecuador
Ranking: 44
After missing out on Russia 2018, Ecuador will return to the World Cup stage off the back of an impressive qualifying campaign which saw them trump the likes of Colombia and Chile for a spot in the finals.
La Tricolor's direct style of attacking play, adopted by head coach Gustavo Alfaro since his appointment in 2020, has proved a good fit for the pace and energy of their forward line, as the side went on to score 27 goals from their qualifiers, with half of them split between Michael Estrada and Miguel Borja, as well as captain and former West Ham star Enner Valencia.
The South Americans will also be looking to put the disappointment of their 2021 Copa America campaign firmly behind them, where they scraped through the group stage only to go down 3-0 to Argentina in the quarter-finals.
Senegal
Ranking: 18
The reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions will enter their second consecutive World Cup campaign full of confidence despite drawing a difficult group.
Native head coach Aliou Cissé is set to bring a star-studded side to the tournament, with six Premier League players including Édouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly from Chelsea, Everton’s Idrissa Gueye and recent Nottingham Forest signing Cheikhou Kouyaté all set to appear.
The side’s attacking set-up will centre around Bayern Munich and former Liverpool star Sadio Mane, who took home the best player award at the Africa Cup of Nations at the start of the year following a multitude of match-winning performances, which included scoring a crucial penalty in their memorable shootout victory over Egypt in the final.
The Lions of Teranga notably qualified for the tournament earlier this year when they broke the hearts of Mohamed Salah’s Egypt yet again via a penalty-shootout, in near identical circumstances to the previous month’s continental final.
Netherlands
Ranking: 8
Following their sensational failure to qualify for Russia 2018, the European heavyweights will return to the World Cup stage likely to continue the incredible form exhibited in their currently undefeated run in the UEFA Nations League.
Returning manager Louis van Gaal’s renowned 3-4-1-2 formation will be home to stars across all areas of the park in Qatar, including captain and Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk, Inter Milan veteran Stefan de Vrij as well as Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong and Memphis Depay.
The Dutch side secured automatic qualification to the finals at the end of last year, with their group-topping 33-goal effort only bested by the fact that Depay scored over a third (12) of them.
GROUP B
England
Ranking: 5
Following the devastation of their semi-final exit at the hands of Croatia in 2018, England will be eager to go one better this time and reach the final in Qatar. However, the side’s inconsistent form of late is proving difficult to indicate how they will track at the 2022 finals.
The Three Lions’ revered effort at their home UEFA Euro tournament last year, which only came undone from an agonising penalty-shootout defeat to 2022 World Cup absentees Italy in the final, has been followed by a disastrous run of results in the ongoing Nations League. Namely, a shock 4-0 defeat to Hungary in their last match that has left them languishing in last position with only two group games remaining.
Tottenham talisman Harry Kane is set to lead the line within Gareth Southgate’s 4-3-3 set-up, who will be hoping for a repeat of his 12-goal showing from their qualifying success, instead of his lone goal from the Nations League.
Iran
Ranking: 22
Asia’s highest-ranked team will be desperate to make it out of the group stage for the first time in their history, following narrow failures to do so at the previous two finals.
Despite drawing a difficult group, Iran should feel confident of their chances on the world stage this time around after their qualifying campaign yielded only one loss, as they even managed to pip South Korea to the group’s top spot.
Croatian manager Dragan Skočić will be relying on goals from star attacking pair Sardar Azmoun from Bayer Leverkusen and Porto’s Mehdi Taremi, amid his stubborn defensive approach and fighting mentality.
United States
Ranking: 14
The USA will be eager to return to the form which guided them to the Round of 16 in both 2010 and 2014 after missing out in Russia altogether.
Led by native head coach Gregg Berhalter, the Americans will look to capitalise on the growing popularity of the game in the US with what could be their strongest squad ever brought to a World Cup.
Berhalter’s most recent squad consisted of five Premier League players, including in-form Leeds United duo Tyler Adams and Brenden Aaronson, and star Chelsea attacker Christian Pulisic, all of whom were instrumental in their qualifying success where they edged out Costa Rica to the final automatic spot.
The attacking benefits of their 4-3-3 formation and the endless number of playing options up front also led to success in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final last year, where they shattered Mexican hearts with a goal in the dying minutes of extra time.
Wales
Ranking: 19
In what will be their first appearance at a World Cup finals since 1958, Wales' return to the world stage seemed inevitable after their dream run to the Euro semi-finals in 2016 was followed by respectable efforts at the following tournament and in qualifying.
Former Real Madrid star Gareth Bale will lead Wales out onto the world stage, having proved that he is yet to lose his touch upon netting a brace in their qualification play-off semi-final over Austria, before their narrow victory over Ukraine in the final play-off secured them qualification.
With their possession-heavy playing style and 4-3-3 formation, Rob Page will be sure to utilise the talents of vice-captain Aaron Ramsey in midfield as well as young Fulham duo Daniel James and Harry Wilson.
GROUP C
Argentina
Ranking: 3
Ranked number three in the world, Argentina's tactical style of sitting deep and controlling possession paid off in spades as they went on to lift last year’s Copa America trophy, which was soon followed by their qualification success where they were bettered only by Brazil.
Head coach Lionel Scaloni has so far succeeded under the enormous pressure attached with leading the South American heavyweights, having lost just four of his 47 matches in charge since his 2018 appointment.
He has also seemingly managed the near-impossible task of keeping his star-studded roster of players happy, which currently consists of goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, Angel di Maria, Lautaro Martinez and captain Lionel Messi, to name a few.
Saudi Arabia
Ranking: 53
The Saudis will make their second consecutive World Cup finals appearance eager to shake off the disappointment of their group-stage exit in the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup and arrest the form of their qualifiers, where they beat both Japan and Australia to the top spot.
The appointment of two-time Africa Cup of Nations-winning manager Hervé Renard in 2019 has seen the AFC affiliates adopt a more aggressive and high-pressing tactical approach, which has served to benefit the attacking prowess of Al Hilal stars Saleh Al-Shehri and Salem Al-Dawsari.
Aided by a blossoming domestic league, Renard will be looking to continue the upwards trajectory of football in the Western Asian country, beginning with a return to the knockout stage for the first time since 1994.
Mexico
Ranking: 12
Gerardo Martino’s eventful short time as Mexican head coach has so far been met with increasing concerns surrounding his health condition as well as two agonising defeats to the USA in extra-time of both the CONCACAF Nations League and Gold Cup finals. Despite facing constant criticism of the team’s defensive playing style, Martino guided Mexico to the World Cup finals with only Canada ahead of them on goal difference at the end of the qualifying campaign.
Star Wolverhampton forward Raúl Jiménez led the Mexican goalscoring with three during the campaign and is likely to lead the line once again in Qatar alongside Hirving Lozano and veteran Andrés Guardado in a 4-3-3 formation.
Poland
Ranking: 26
Led by talisman Robert Lewandowski, Poland's vertical playing style will be well suited to the pace of young wingers Nicola Zalewski and Sebastian Szymanski of Roma and Feyenoord respectively, as they operate under new manager Czeslaw Michniewicz’s 4-4-2 formation.
Paired alongside Napoli’s Piotr Zieliński up front, Lewandowski will be hoping to regain his goalscoring form from the qualification stage, where he fell just four goals short of Harry Kane’s 12 amid England’s group-topping effort.
The Poles fought their way into the tournament via a convincing victory over Sweden in the play-offs, but have since struggled in the group stage of the UEFA Nations League where they sit behind Netherlands and Belgium with only one win from four matches.
GROUP D
France
Ranking: 4
The second half of 2022 has been far less fruitful for France, who have been rather inconsistent since their incredible World Cup campaign in Russia.
After securing the national team’s second world title in 2018, Les Bleus bowed out of Euro 2020 in the round of 16, won the Nations League in 2021, and have emerged winless from their last four fixtures – all while dealing with uncertainty surrounding Didier Deschamps.
The head coach has vowed to extend his decade-long stay beyond Qatar, though his side’s recent slump in form has only encouraged reports of Zinedine Zidane’s potential appointment in 2023.
A second consecutive World Cup trophy would certainly silence his critics, though that would mean becoming the first defending champion to get past the last eight since Brazil in 1998.
Deschamps will be looking to achieve this feat with a 4-4-2 formation, spearheaded by Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema.
Australia
Ranking: 39
Australia’s dramatic entry into the World Cup finals came after much scrutiny surrounding Graham Arnold’s tactical style of heavy midfield rotation and patient build-up play, centred around a 4-2-3-1 formation.
The criticism was fuelled by an underwhelming qualification campaign which saw them drop points to Oman and lose key games against group front-runners Japan and Saudi Arabia at the back end of the qualifying phase.
With only a handful of friendly matches separating their June play-off against Peru from their first group match, the Socceroos should feel energised off the back of a summer transfer window that saw Awer Mabil make the switch to La Liga side Cádiz, Mat Ryan move to Copenhagen, and Aaron Mooy sign for Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic.
Denmark
Ranking: 10
Coach Kasper Hareide has improved upon the formidable foundations Age Hareide established between 2015 to 2020, with Denmark now ranked 10th-best in the world based on the latest FIFA rankings after reaching the semi-finals of Euro 2020 and suffering only one defeat en route to securing qualification for this year’s World Cup.
Denmark only lost three games from the 42 fixtures Hareide had in charge, and though that figure has increased under Hjulmand, they stand a more well-rounded squad capable of beating any opposition they face.
Though Hareide’s side were difficult to beat, Hjulmand’s men boast the national team’s highest winning percentage (68.75%) since Axel Andersen Byrval was in charge during the first World War.
The stubborn, defensive 4-3-3 adopted by their former manager has since made way for a fluid 3-4-3 that prioritises wing-backs like Joakim Maehle, while relying upon the engine and artistry of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Christian Eriksen.
Tunisia
Ranking: 30
Qatar will mark Tunisia’s sixth appearance on the global stage and second straight after bowing out of the group stage in Russia.
Australian audiences won’t be too familiar with the Eagles of Carthage, or how they qualified, though players like Wahbi Khazri, Naim Sliti and Hannibal Mejbri may jog their memory.
While Mejbri is a member of Manchester United, Khazri and Sliti earned their reputation as lethal attackers in France, where key members of the current squad currently ply their trade.
Captain Youssef Msakni, meanwhile, leads the strong Tunisian contingent based in Middle Eastern countries such as Qatar, the same soil upon which Jalel Kadri’s side made the FIFA Arab Cup final last year.
Having been appointed on a permanent basis at the start of the year, Kadri’s time in charge has seen Tunisia favour a more resolute approach predicated on defence.
This stylistic switch has brought them greater success, in truth, which makes their clash against a similarly stubborn Socceroos outfit all the more intriguing.
GROUP E
Spain
Ranking: 6
Spain have recently continued the form which catapulted them to first place in their qualifying group and to the semi-finals of the 2020 Euros, with an undefeated showing to begin the Nations League.
Goalscoring has been far from an issue for the Spaniards in recent times, with their renowned tiki-taka and possession-heavy style of play perfectly complimenting their endless options in midfield, which include captain Sergio Busquets and Atletico Madrid stars Marcos Llorente and Koke.
Currently thriving under their familiar 4-3-3 formation, Luis Enrique’s star-studded side will be desperate to improve upon their last two World Cup performances, where they bowed out in the group stage and round of 16 respectively.
Costa Rica
Ranking: 34
Costa Rica's inconsistency of recent years has continued under new manager Luis Fernando Suárez, with disappointing exits in last year’s CONCACAF Nations League and Gold Cup tournaments, as well as a qualification campaign which was saved by a late run of results and a narrow victory over New Zealand in the play-offs.
The Central American side have struggled with goals since Suárez’s June 2021 appointment, having managed only 13 from their 14 qualifiers and being without a win from their first seven matches as a result.
The side’s ever-reliable goalkeeper Keylor Navas will once again form the basis of their 4-2-3-1 starting formation, but the Costa Ricans will need veterans Joel Campbell and Celso Borges to step up to the plate if they want to score regularly in Qatar.
Germany
Ranking: 11
The Germans continued the curse of World Cup winners with their group stage exit in Russia, but have since blossomed as a contender in Qatar with the appointment of Hansi Flick last year.
Following the departure of beloved manager Joachim Low after their round of 16 exit at the 2020 Euros, the side have rekindled their 2014 World Cup form in recent matches with an astonishing 36 goals scored across their 10 qualifiers, with star forwards Serge Gnabry and Timo Werner, and Manchester City’s İlkay Gündoğan all claiming five from the campaign.
Returning to their renowned 4-2-3-1 formation, Flick will look to use the incredible midfield depth of his squad to unlock the attacking abilities of the player in the tightly contested number nine position, whether it be Werner or Kai Havertz.
Japan
Ranking: 24
The Samurai Blues will look to repeat their surprise Round of 16 entry from 2018 with head coach Hajime Moriyasu, who took the reigns from Akira Nishino after being his assistant in Russia.
Despite the managerial change, Japan’s attacking style of play has not changed, being currently used to harness the attacking threats of Monaco and former Liverpool forward Takumi Minamino, fellow Ligue 1 standout Junya Ito and the multiple Bundesliga players among their ranks.
However, the 12 goals produced from their 10 third-round AFC qualifiers would leave many questioning their goalscoring abilities leading up to the tournament in Qatar.
GROUP F
Belgium
Ranking: 2
Placing third in Russia 2018, Belgium will rely on the masterful abilities of Kevin De Bruyne to set up the lone striker within their 3-4-3 formation, with long time manager Roberto Martinez likely to opt for Romelu Lukaku.
Equipped with one of the strongest squads on paper, the Belgian side will be looking to put the disappointment of their quarter-final exit in the 2020 Euros firmly behind them and arrest the form of their group-topping qualifying effort, where they scored 25 goals and remained undefeated from their eight matches.
Canada
Ranking: 43
One of the most enthralling stories to come out of the qualifying phase, Canada’s extraordinary effort to make their first World Cup since 1986 arose from the nation’s increasingly fanatical fan-base and manager John Herdman’s unconventional but tactically effective 3-5-2 formation.
Led by their attacking duo of Lille striker Jonathan David and Cyle Larin of Club Brugge, who netted five and six goals respectively during their qualifying campaign, the Canadians stunned CONCACAF heavyweights Mexico and the USA to qualify as the confederation’s highest-placed nation.
The attacking threats of David and Larin could continue to shine in Qatar while allowing for plenty of defensive stability from their three centre-backs, a proposition that could prove a serious threat to European juggernauts Spain and Croatia in the group stage.
Morocco
Ranking: 23
Morocco’s decision to sack Vahid Halilodzic and replace him with former assistant coach Walid Regragui a mere three months out from the tournament in Qatar could very well put a dent in their preparations for their second straight World Cup finals appearance, particularly after their strong effort in qualifying and at the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year.
The African nation will likely rely on the goalscoring abilities of Sevilla star Youssef En-Nesyri and Angers winger Sofiane Boufal once again in Qatar, while their tactical style remains a mystery amid the recent managerial change.
Croatia
Ranking: 15
Boasting one of the strongest midfields in the tournament, Zlatko Dalic’s men will once again be structured around a 4-3-3 or a variation of that formation, with the technical abilities of their ever-reliable captain and Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric, Chelsea’s Mateo Kovacic and Tottenham star Ivan Perisic looking to steer the side beyond their surprise second-placed finish from Russia.
Despite their early exit from the 2020 Euros at the hands of a five-goal effort from Spain, Croatia have since shown consistency in their qualifiers and in recent Nations League matches, losing only one in each. Hard-fought victories over Denmark and their 2018 final opponents France in their previous two Nations League matches may be a sign of things to come in Qatar.
GROUP G
Brazil
Ranking: 1
The world’s number one nation unsurprisingly qualified for the tournament undefeated, with their attacking flair arising from their endless playing options up front which include focal point Neymar and Premier League stars Richarlison and Roberto Firmino.
The three shone in qualifying as Brazil went on to score 40 goals, conceding just five from their 17 matches as the compactness of Tite’s 4-4-2 set-up proved near-impossible to break down. The South American side were only stopped from claiming last year’s Copa America title by fellow undefeated qualifiers Argentina, with an agonising 1-0 defeat in the final.
The Brazilians are likely to impress in Qatar with captain Thiago Silva holding down the defensive fort, while a tight tussle for the number one position between two of the world’s best glove-men, Alisson and Ederson, is likely to continue.
Serbia
Ranking: 25
Serbia look to be in top form heading into their second straight appearance at the World Cup finals, advancing directly to Qatar thanks to an eight-goal effort from talisman and Fulham star Aleksandar Mitrović which lifted them above Portugal in the final round of qualifying.
Due to his revered playing career as captain of the Yugoslavia national team, the appointment of native head coach Dragan Stojković last year was well received amongst Serbian fans, with the manager since adopting a 3-4-3 formation to utilise the attacking prowess of vice-captain Mitrovic, as well as Luka Jović of Fiorentina and Lazio’s Sergej Milinković-Savić.
The European side will be looking to shake off the hot-and-cold start to their current Nations League B campaign in November and return to the form of their undefeated qualifying run.
Switzerland
Ranking: 16
Known for being resolute in defence, Switzerland’s 5-2-3 formation paid off in spades at the 2020 Euros as they knocked out World Cup winners France and fell just short of reaching the semi-finals with an agonising penalty-shootout loss to Spain.
However, the Swiss have struggled to find consistency over the past year, doing just enough to secure automatic qualification to Qatar but beginning their current Nations League campaign with three straight defeats.
Anchored by captain Granit Xhaka in defensive midfield, head coach Murat Yakin will hope to see the usual reliability of veterans Xherdan Shaqiri and Haris Seferovic in attack continue amidst a difficult group draw in Qatar.
Cameroon
Ranking: 38
After missing out on Russia 2018, Cameroon return to the world stage off the back of a strong qualifying campaign where they managed to beat Cote d’Ivore to top spot in their group, which was soon followed by a sensational play-off victory over Algeria.
Under recently appointed manager Rigobert Song, the newfound stability of the Cameroonian midfield has given new life to its flamboyant attack, which includes captain Vincent Aboubakar and veteran Bayern Munich forward, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.
With a squad full of strong and technically gifted players, the African nation could prove a real threat to the world’s number one and its two European opponents.
GROUP H
Portugal
Ranking: 9
Boasting the attacking threats of Diogo Jota, Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva, long-time manager Fernando Santos’ trusty 4-2-3-1 formation should once again support the speed and dribbling abilities of his young attackers while allowing defenders Pepe and Ruben Dias to hold firm at the back.
While captain and all-time leading goalscorer Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to keep his place in the squad, the 37-year-old's match fitness amid a nightmare summer at Manchester United has left his chances for a starting position up in the air.
However, a talented roster could look to steer Portugal beyond their respective Round of 16 finishes at both the previous World Cup and 2020 Euros.
Ghana
Ranking: 60
Despite finding form in their qualifiers and managing to prevent CAF heavyweights Nigeria from qualifying for Qatar, Ghana’s managerial crisis and disastrous group stage exit from the Africa Cup of Nations tournament earlier this year have left cause for concern upon their chances for success at yet another major tournament.
Appointing German-born manager Otto Addo ahead of the Nigeria play-off, Ghana’s recent run of results has been more respectable as they have managed to unlock the attacking talents of Crystal Palace veteran Jordan Ayew and young Ajax attacker Mohammed Kudus.
Uruguay
Ranking: 13
The Uruguayans responded to their four straight losses at the back end of last year with as many wins to wrap up their CONCACAF qualification campaign, booking their ticket to Qatar by finishing in third place behind the undefeated Brazil and Argentina.
The quick, dynamic style of play adopted by head coach Diego Alonso since his 2021 appointment looks set to compliment the strength of defenders Ronald Araujo and Sebastián Coates in Qatar, while allowing for the speed of their attack to shine in transition.
Led by veteran strikers Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, the South American side will be eager to continue their undefeated start to the calendar year by sealing a fourth consecutive escape from the group stage of the World Cup finals.
South Korea
Ranking: 28
Led by last season’s Premier League golden boot winner Son Heung-Min, the second-highest ranked nation in Asia will look to repeat the efforts of their shock 2-0 victory over reigning champions Germany in Russia, with their strength across all areas of the park evidenced through Mainz midfielder Lee Jae-sung and the acrobatics of goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo.
Their Portuguese head coach Paulo Bento will look to utilise these strengths across a 4-3-3 formation, which proved successful in their qualifying success where they managed to score 13 goals and lost only one game.
