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World Cup 2022 Group Stage Preview – Part Three – Groups E & F

Welcome to the third part of our 2022 World Cup Finals in Qatar preview, in which we take a look at some of the top players that you can watch in Qatar later this month, as well as a list of some of the top stars in World Football who won’t be in attendance at the tournament.

Additionally, we will also be taking a look at the teams competing in Groups E and F, which includes some European giants who will have high hopes of going very deep in the tournament, if not all the way to the final.

For our previous articles in this series, check out Part One, where we looked at the history of the World Cup as well as Groups A and B, and Part Two, where we looked at the structure of the 2022 World Cup tournament and Groups C and D.

As with the other articles in this series, we will have taken any odds shown in these pages direct from bet365 Sport. The site is already offering plenty of great odds on the tournament in the build up to the big kick off on the 20th November.

Let’s now take a look at some of the biggest stars that likely will be attending the World Cup in Qatar, followed by a list of some of the superstars who will miss out.

Players To Watch – FIFA World Cup 2022

Goalkeepers

  • Eduoard Mendy (Senegal)
  • Emi Martinez (Argentina)
  • Wojciech Szczesny (Poland)
  • Kasper Schmeichel (Denmark)
  • Manuel Neuer (Germany)
  • Thibaut Courtois (Belgium)
  • Alison Becker (Brazil)
  • Ederson (Brazil)
  • Predrag Rajkovic (Serbia)
  • Yann Sommer (Switzerland)
  • Andre Onana (Cameroon)
  • Keylor Navas (Costa Rica)

Defenders

  • Virgil Van Dijk (Netherlands)
  • Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal)
  • Trent Alexander-Arnold (England)
  • Sergino Dest (United States)
  • Lisandro Martinez (Argentina)
  • William Saliba (France)
  • Benoit Badashile (France)
  • Joakim Maehle (Denmark)
  • Antonio Rudiger (Germany)
  • Nico Schlotterbeck (Germany)
  • Alphonso Davies (Canada)
  • Achraf Hakimi (Monaco)
  • Noussair Mazraoui (Monaco)
  • Josko Gvardiol (Croatia)
  • Marquinhos (Brazil)
  • Roger Ibanez (Brazil)
  • Thiago Silva (Brazil)
  • Joao Cancelo (Portugal)
  • Tariq Lamptey (Ghana)
  • Diego Godin (Uruguay)
  • Jose Maria Giminez (Uruguay)
  • Kim Min-Jae (South Korea)

Midfielders

  • Moses Caicedo (Ecuador)
  • Frenkie De Jong (Netherlands)
  • Phil Foden (England)
  • Jack Grealish (England)
  • Declan Rice (England)
  • Rodrigo De Paul (Argentina)
  • Piotr Zielinski (Poland)
  • Aurielen Tchouameni (France)
  • Eduoard Camavinga (France)
  • Ousmane Dembele (France)
  • Christian Eriksen (Denmark)
  • Gavi (Spain)
  • Pedri (Spain)
  • Thiago (Spain)
  • Rodri (Spain)
  • Toni Kroos (Germany)
  • Kai Havertz (Germany)
  • Joshua Kimmich (Germany)
  • Florian Wirtz (Germany)
  • Takumi Minamino (Japan)
  • Eden Hazard (Belgium)
  • Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium)
  • Youri Tielemans (Belgium)
  • Hakim Ziyech (Morocco)
  • Luka Modric (Croatia)
  • Marcelo. Brozovic (Croatia)
  • Casemiro (Brazil)
  • Antony (Brazil)
  • Sergeoj Milinkovic-Savic (Serbia)
  • Filip Kostic (Serbia)
  • Xherdan Shaqiri (Switzerland)
  • Remo Freuler (Switzerland)
  • Bruno Fernandes (Portugal)
  • Bernardo Silva (Portugal)
  • Thomas Partey (Ghana)
  • Mohammed Kudus (Ghana)
  • Federico Valverde (Uruguay)

Attackers

  • Memphis Depay (Netherlands)
  • Sadio Mane (Senegal)
  • Harry Kane (England)
  • Bukayo Saka (England)
  • Serdar Mamoun (Iran)
  • Gareth Bale (Wales)
  • Christian Pulisic (United States)
  • Lionel Messi (Argentina)
  • Lautaro Martinez (Argentina)
  • Hirving Lozano (Mexico)
  • Robert Lewandowski (Poland)
  • Kylian Mbappe (France)
  • Antoine Griezmann (France)
  • Karim Benzema (France)
  • Mikkel Damsgaard (Denmark)
  • Wahbi Khazri (Tunisia)
  • Ansu Fati (Spain)
  • Jamal Musiala (Germany)
  • Leroy Sane (Germany)
  • Serge Gnabry (Germany)
  • Rotsu Doan (Japan)
  • Romelu Lukaku (Belgium)
  • Cyle Larin (Canada)
  • Jonathan David (Canada)
  • Ante Rebic (Croatia)
  • Neymar (Brazil)
  • Vinicius Jr (Brazil)
  • Richarlison (Brazil)
  • Dusan Vlahovic (Serbia)
  • Aleksandar Mitrovic (Serbia)
  • Breel Embolo (Switzerland)
  • Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
  • Rafael Leao (Portugal)
  • Joao Felix (Portugal)
  • Luis Suarez (Uruguay)
  • Darwin Nunez (Uruguay)
  • Edinson Cavani (Uruguay)
  • Son Hyeong-min (South Korea)

Who Will Be Absent And Why?

Alongside these stellar talents, there will also be a number of the top stars in the world not at the World Cup either through injury or their country not qualifying. We have put together a World’s Best XI for players that will likely not be in attendance in Qatar.

Not Qualified/Injured Best XI

  1. Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy) – GK
  2. Reece James (England) – RB (Injured – but could be selected)
  3. Andy Robertson (Scotland) – LB
  4. Leonardo Bonucci (Italy) – CB
  5. David Alaba (Austria) – CB
  6. Marco Verratti (Italy) – CM
  7. Paul Pogba (France) – CM (Injured – confirmed out)
  8. Martin Odegaard (Norway) – CM
  9. Erling Haaland (Norway) – AC
  10. Mohamed Salah (Egypt) – AMR
  11. Riyad Mahrez (Algeria) – AML

Subs – Jan Oblak (Slovakia – GK), Wilfred Zaha (Ivory Coast – AMLC), Dejan Kulusevski (Sweden – AMC), Luis Diaz (Colombia AML), Joel Matip (Cameroon – DC), Gini Wijnaldum (Holland, MC)

Now we know some of the stars who will be in Qatar, as well as some who will be absent, let’s continue with our preview of the teams in Groups E and F.

Group E

  • Spain
  • Costa Rica
  • Germany
  • Japan

Group E Fixtures

  • 23rd Nov – Germany v Japan – Khalifa International Stadium (1pm)
  • 23rd Nov – Spain v Costa Rica – Al Thumama Stadium (4pm)
  • 27th Nov – Japan v Costa Rica – Ahmad bin Ali Stadium (10am)
  • 27th Nov – Spain v Germany – Al Bayt Stadium (7pm)
  • 1st Dec – Japan v Spain – Khalifa International Stadium (7pm)
  • 1st Dec – Costa Rica v Germany – Al Bayt Stadium (7pm)

Group E Team Previews

Spain

  • Manager – Luis Enrique
  • Captain – Sergio Busquets
  • 3 Key Players – Gavi (Mid), Pablo Sarabia (Mid/Att), Alvaro Morata (Att)
  • Best World Cup Performance – Winners (2010)
  • World Cup 2018 Performance – Round of 16
  • Current FIFA Ranking – 7th
  • Current Form (Last 5 games) – DWWLW

Spain’s team is a real mix of very experienced players such as Busquets, Koke, Alba and possibly Sergio Ramos, alongside a core of younger players that are emerging through the rans, such as Gavi, Pedri and Ansu Fati. How this unusual blend will fare at the World Cup isn’t known and the Spaniards have had some erratic performances of late, especially losing to Switzerland in their warm up games. Even so, they should still be more than good enough to qualify from this group.

Costa Rica

  • Manager – Luiz Fernando Suarez
  • Captain – Bryan Ruiz
  • 3 Key Players – Bryan Ruiz (Att/Mid), Joel Campbell (Att), Keylor Navas (Gk)
  • Best World Cup Performance – Quarter Finals (2014)
  • World Cup 2018 Performance – Group Stage
  • Current FIFA Ranking – 31st
  • Current Form (Last 5 games) – LWWDW

This is a vastly experienced Ivory Coast squad that has a number of players who are well into their thirties and some pushing on towards their forties. There’s no doubt that the next crop of Costa Rican players is not as talented as the current crop with the likes of Campbell, Ruiz, Navas and Oviedo still the best players in the team at their advancing years. This may be a tough call for this team in the heat of Qatar and against such strong opposition, especially with just a few days in between each game.

Germany

  • Manager – Hansi Flick
  • Captain – Manuel Neuer
  • 3 Key Players – Antonio Rudiger (Def), Joshua Kimmich (Def/Mid), Serge Gnabry (Att)
  • Best World Cup Performance – 4 x Winners (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014)
  • World Cup 2018 Performance – Group Stage
  • Current FIFA Ranking – 11th
  • Current Form (Last 5 games) – DDWLD

After going out at the Group Stages in the last World Cup, Germany have reinvented themselves over the last four years and with Hansi Flick in charge, the team has started to look something like the four time World Cup winners that they are used to being. They perhaps are not as strong in defence as they have been and they lack a natural number 9 in attack but they have exceptional quality in wider areas going forward, and a number of hugely talented midfielders who they can call upon. I fancy them to win this group.

Japan

  • Manager – Hajime Moriyasu
  • Captain – Maya Yoshida
  • 3 Key Players – Takehiro Tomiyasu (Def), Ritsu Doan (Mid/Att), Takumi Minamino (Mid)
  • Best World Cup Performance – Round of 16
  • World Cup 2018 Performance – Round of 16
  • Current FIFA Ranking – 24th
  • Current Form (Last 5 games) – WdWWd

Japan can call upon a good few players that have plenty of experience at the top level in Europe these days, as well as a number of players who have proved themselves in the J-League, but this is still going to be a tough group for them. They are capable of taking something off any of the teams in this group, but I feel they may not have the cutting edge required to become a major contender and I could even see them finishing behind Costa Rica on goal difference here.

Group E Predicted Results

  • 23rd Nov – Germany 2-0 Japan – Khalifa International Stadium
  • 23rd Nov – Spain 1-0 Costa Rica – Al Thumama Stadium
  • 27th Nov – Japan 2-2 Costa Rica – Ahmad bin Ali Stadium
  • 27th Nov – Spain 1-2 Germany – Al Bayt Stadium
  • 1st Dec – Japan 0-2 Spain – Khalifa International Stadium
  • 1st Dec – Costa Rica 0-3 Germany – Al Bayt Stadium

Group A Predicted Table (Odds to win Group)

  1. Germany– 9pts (11/10)
  2. Spain – 6pts (5/6)
  3. Costa Rica – 1 pt (50/1)
  4. Japan – 1pt (14/1)

Group B Forecast Bet – Germany 1st, Spain 2nd – 6/4 with bet365.

Group F

  • Belgium
  • Canada
  • Morocco
  • Croatia

Group F Fixtures

  • 23rd Nov – Morocco v Croatia – Al Bayt Stadium (10am)
  • 23rd Nov – Belgium v Canada – Ahmad bin Ali Stadium (7pm)
  • 27th Nov – Belgium v Morocco – Al Thumama Stadium (1pm)
  • 27th Nov – Croatia v Canada – Khalifa International Stadium (4pm)
  • 1st Dec – Croatia v Belgium – Ahmad bin Ali Stadium (3pm)
  • 1st Dec – Canada v Morocco – Al Thumama Stadium (3pm)

Group F Team Previews

Belgium

  • Manager – Roberto Martinez
  • Captain – Eden Hazard
  • 3 Key Players – Eden Hazard (Mid), Romelu Lukaku (Att), Thibaut Courtois (Gk)
  • Best World Cup Performance – Third (2018)
  • World Cup 2018 Performance – Third
  • Current FIFA Ranking – 2nd
  • Current Form (Last 5 games) – WDWWL

The Golden Generation of Belgian football may just be teetering towards the end of the era now, with a number of these top stars pushing 30 years of age or beyond, but this team still has enough quality to be a major player in this tournament. They haven’t been as solid as they have in past years and they have slipped to 2nd in the World Rankings, but on their day they can still beat any side and I expect them to be the dominant force in Group F.

Canada

  • Manager – John Herdman
  • Captain – Atiba Hutchison
  • 3 Key Players – Cyle Larin (Att), Jonathan David (Att), Alphonso Davies (Def/Mid)
  • Best World Cup Performance – Group Stage
  • World Cup 2018 Performance – N/A – Did not qualify
  • Current FIFA Ranking – 41st
  • Current Form (Last 5 games) – LWLWL

John Herdman has done a great job with this Canadian side, not only seeing them qualify for the finals, but offering some real competition to the United States in North America and CONCACAF. Much hinges on their two strikers Jonathan David and Cyle Larin who if they can hit form will be the main attacking threat for Canada. Alphonso Davies is a truly World Class left sided defender or midfielder but he needs more support if Canada are to match up to the European giants in Group F.

Morocco

  • Manager – Walid Regragui
  • Captain – Romain Saiss
  • 3 Key Players – Achraf Hakimi (Def), Noussair Mazraoui (Def), Hakim Ziyech (Mid/Att)
  • Best World Cup Performance – Round of 16
  • World Cup 2018 Performance
  • Current FIFA Ranking – 22nd
  • Current Form (Last 5 games) – LWWWd

Morocco are a similar side to Canada in that they have a couple of outstanding talents in Hakimi, Mazraoui and Ziyech surrounded by a squad of less talented but more than capable players. Roman Saiss is a good captain and they will not make it easy for any of the teams in this group but the lack of goals Morocco score is a real concern and I can’t see them making any real impact in this group on the top European teams.

Croatia

  • Manager – Zlatko Dalic
  • Captain – Luka Modric
  • 3 Key Players – Luka Modric (Mid),
  • Best World Cup Performance – Runner Up (2018)
  • World Cup 2018 Performance – Runner Up
  • Current FIFA Ranking – 12th
  • Current Form (Last 5 games) – DWWWW

The runners up at the last World Cup will see the majority of that squad return for these finals, but they are missing a couple of key men such as Mandzukic and Rakitic. Modric still runs the game from midfield for Croatia and Brozovic, Perisic and co provide plenty of energy around him but this is a team that is ageing and while they can still give anyone a game on their day, in the heat and with so many games in a short space of time, I think that we will see them exit the tournament a little earlier this time around.

Group F Predicted Results

  • 23rd Nov – Morocco 1-2 Croatia – Al Bayt Stadium
  • 23rd Nov – Belgium 2-0 Canada – Ahmad bin Ali Stadium
  • 27th Nov – Belgium 3-1 Morocco – Al Thumama Stadium
  • 27th Nov – Croatia 2-0 Canada – Khalifa International Stadium
  • 1st Dec – Croatia 2-2 Belgium – Ahmad bin Ali Stadium
  • 1st Dec – Canada 1-0 Morocco – Al Thumama Stadium

Group F Predicted Table (Odds to win Group)

  1. Belgium – 7pts (8/15)
  2. Croatia – 7pts (5/2)
  3. Canada – 3 pts (12/1)
  4. Morocco – 0pts (10/1)

Group F Forecast Bet – Belgium 1st, Croatia 2nd – 6/4 with bet365.

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