MADRID, 19 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) –
After Wales, Australia and Costa Rica got their ticket to Qatar by winning their respective ‘playoffs’, the countdown begins for the event that will host the Asian country in November of this year. Thus, we analyze the groups of the first World Cup outside its usual dates in the summer season, with seven of the eight historical champions and with Europe as the continent that contributes the most teams (13).
Group A: Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal and the Netherlands.
Star of the group: Sadio Mané.
With the permission of the host Qatar, without international experience and current champion of Asia, the Netherlands will be the favourites, led by Van Dijk and with the intention of regaining world prestige, after losing in the round of 16 at the last European Championship and not qualify for the World Cup in Russia in 2018. Senegal, champion of Africa and with Sadio Mané as a stronghold, will be the contender for first place, supported by their physical power in their third participation in a World Cup. Ecuador, only surpassed by Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay in the qualifier, will offer its most modern version in Qatar.
Group B: England, Iran, United States and Wales.
Star of the group: Harry Kane.
After being semi-finalists in the 2018 World Cup and finalists in EURO 2020, England, despite their poor performance in the Nations League, seems to be ready to win the trophy in Qatar, with a renewed team that will be entrusted to the claws of his striker Harry Kane. A very balanced team supported by the talent of Pulisic and Reyna is the argument of the United States, which can boast of one of its best generations. But it will collide with Wales, which returns to a World Cup 64 years later, with more enthusiasm than football and with what could be Bale’s last great service. Iran would occupy that hypothetical fourth place in its ‘Cinderella’ condition.
Group C: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Poland.
Star of the group: Leo Messi.
It could be the last chance for Messi to lift the World Cup with the Albiceleste, undefeated since July 2019. He will arrive with a very solid group of mature players, led by Scaloni on the bench. Argentina hasn’t won the World Cup since 1986. Their main rival for first place will be ‘Tata’ Martino’s Mexican team, with the pressure of overcoming the round of 16 for the first time since 1994. Poland will play their ninth World Cup with Lewandowski as the main threat , while Saudi Arabia will try to be one of the most competitive Asian teams.
Group D: France, Australia, Denmark and Tunisia.
Star of the group: Karim Benzema.
France are the absolute favorites in a very affordable group. A priori, the best squad in the tournament, with stars like Benzema or Mbappé. They are the current champions and they will want to repeat the title -the last one that achieved it was Brazil in 1958 and 1962-. Denmark, semi-finalists at EURO 2020, aspire to combat the French protagonism. Australia have only made it out of the group stage in one of their five appearances, while veteran Tunisian number 10 Khazri remains the main hope for the Africans, who have never advanced to the round of 16.
Group E: Spain, Costa Rica, Germany and Japan.
Star of the group: Pedri.
La ‘Roja’ and ‘Die Mannschaft’ will start as big favorites of the group. Spain has lifted the trophy on one occasion (2010) and will hang the poster of contender but not favorite, without great figures and with the value of the group in favor. Very similar is the situation of Germany, world champion four times, but without a clear star, although Flick has managed to take advantage of a not so fearsome generation. Japan will want to value its status as a powerful team in Asian football, while Costa Rica will have fewer options with Keylor Navas still as a reference.
Group F: Belgium, Canada, Morocco and Croatia.
Star of the group: Luka Modric.
De Bruyne and Hazard’s Belgium, third in Russia 2018, finally want to exploit their role as eternal candidates with a balanced and more mature squad. His main rival will be Croatia, a very dangerous team thanks to his great background in recent tournaments (finalists in 2018) and with a Luka Modric who is living his umpteenth youth. Canada returns to a World Cup 36 years later with a young generation that led the CONCACAF qualifiers, while Morocco will have to shape a team full of quality with Achraf, En-Nesyri or Boufal.
Group G: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon.
Star of the group: Neymar.
Brazil, five-time world champion, goes to Qatar as the main favorite to win the title. An almost perfect classification and all the offensive potential of a squad with big names scares the rest of the teams. Switzerland, a very rocky team in which Shaquiri or Xhaka stand out, and Serbia, with a lot of gunpowder up front thanks to Vlahovic, Milinkovic-Savic, Tadic and Jovic, will compete for second place. Cameroon, supported by Ekambi and with the dream of going to the round of 16 like in 1990, is the weakest team.
Group H: Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay and South Korea.
Star of the group: Cristiano Ronaldo.
Like Messi, the Portuguese crack will play his fifth World Cup, competing in a group in which Portugal, European champion in 2016, will examine his technical quality with the Uruguayan claw and soul – two-time world champion and with Luis Suárez and Fede Valverde – in a battle for first place. One step below are Ghana, which faces its fourth World Cup date with a selection of young talent (the former athletic player Thomas Partey plays), and South Korea, a less physical team but with more quality in which Heung-min Son stands out.