World Cup 2022 Previews: Groups E + F
Can two European powers hold on in Group E? Can the Canadians spring an upset in Group F?
Today is Day 3 of our opening coverage for the World Cup! We’ve got previews on two more groups today. Keep an eye out for a World Cup predictor competition on the 19th, and as matches get underway on the 20th of November, we’ll get you coverage from the group stage midpoint and the end of every subsequent stage.
World Cup posting schedule:
November 15: Group A + B Preview
November 16: Group C + D Preview
November 17: Group E + F Preview
November 18: Group G + H Preview
November 19: World Cup Pick ‘em Contest
November 26: Group Stage Halfway
December 3: Round of 16 Preview
December 8: Round of 8 Preview
December 12: Semifinals Preview
December 16: Final/Third Place Preview
All ranks in parentheses from the most recent edition of the FIFA World Rankings dated October 6, 2022.
Group E
Spain [ESP] (7)
Costa Rica [CRC] (31)
Germany [GER] (11)
Japan [JPN] (24)
Schedule
11/23 | GER-JPN, ESP-CRC
11/27 | ESP-GER, JPN-CRC
12/1 | CRC-GER, JPN-ESP
Squads
Spain
Fixtures: Costa Rica (Nov. 23), Germany (Nov. 27), Japan (Dec. 1)
Goalkeepers: Unai Simon, Robert Sanchez, David Raya.
Defenders: Dani Carvajal, Cesar Azpilicueta, Eric Garcia, Hugo Guillamon, Pau Torres, Aymeric Laporte, Jordi Alba, Jose Gaya.
Midfielders: Sergio Busquets, Rodri, Gavi, Carlos Soler, Marcos Llorente, Pedri, Koke.
Forwards: Ferran Torres, Nico Williams, Yeremi Pino, Alvaro Morata, Marco Asensio, Pablo Sarabia, Dani Olmo, Ansu Fati.
Costa Rica
Fixtures: Spain (Nov. 23), Japan (Nov. 27), Germany (Dec. 1)
Goalkeepers: Keylor Navas, Esteban Alvarado, Patrick Sequeira.
Defenders: Francisco Calvo, Juan Pablo Vargas, Kendall Waston, Oscar Duarte, Daniel Chacon, Keysher Fuller, Carlos Martinez, Bryan Oviedo, Ronald Matarrita.
Midfielders: Yeltsin Tejeda, Celso Borges, Youstin Salas, Roan Wilson, Gerson Torres, Douglas Lopez, Jewison Bennette, Alvaro Zamora, Anthony Hernandez, Brandon Aguilera, Bryan Ruiz.
Forwards: Joel Campbell, Anthony Contreras, Johan Venegas.
Germany
Fixtures: Japan (Nov. 23), Spain (Nov. 27), Costa Rica (Dec. 1)
Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Kevin Trapp
Defenders: Matthias Ginter, Antonio Rudiger, Niklas Sule, Nico Schlotterbeck, Thilo Kehrer, David Raum, Lukas Klostermann, Armel Bella-Kotchap, Christian Gunter
Midfielders: Ilkay Gundogan, Jonas Hofmann, Leon Goretzka, Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sane, Jamal Musiala, Joshua Kimmich, Thomas Muller, Julian Brandt, Mario Gotze
Forwards: Kai Havertz, Youssoufa Moukoko, Niclas Fullkrug, Karim Adeyemi
Japan
Fixtures: Germany (Nov. 23), Costa Rica (Nov. 27), Spain (Dec. 1)
Goalkeepers: Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt, Eiji Kawashima.
Defenders: Miki Yamane, Hiroki Sakai, Maya Yoshida, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Shogo Taniguchi, Ko Itakura, Hiroki Ito, Yuto Nagatomo.
Midfielders: Wataru Endo, Hidemasa Morita, Ao Tanaka, Gaku Shibasaki, Kaoru Mitoma, Daichi Kamada, Ritsu Doan, Junya Ito, Takumi Minamino, Takefusa Kubo, Yuki Soma.
Forwards: Daizen Maeda, Takuma Asano, Shuto Machino, Ayase Ueda.
The Group
At the risk of sounding incredibly Euro-centric here, I don’t think there’s great odds of either Germany or Spain, two European titans, being bounced in the group stage. Though both teams are older than they used to be, and some of the great names that gave these teams so much life in the late aughts and teens are no longer playing, there’s still more than enough talent to bring both of these teams deep into the World Cup proper, and I have to imagine the group stage will be a reflection of that disparity.
This is not to say that Costa Rica and Japan are untalented or incapable of pulling off wins. In 2014, Costa Rica walked into what was pretty inarguably the Group of Death with three top-10 teams in England, Italy, and Uruguay, and walked out winners. They’ve pushed hard before and know how to beat long odds. Japan, too, cannot be ignored. Though their geographic location at times makes it hard for Americans to follow their national team, we were introduced quite well to the talent they’ve got in a friendly defeat running up to the tournament itself.
I still think it goes Germany-Spain-CR-Japan, but none of these four teams are in any sense out of the running. This is a deep, deep group.
Group F
Belgium [BEL] (2)
Canada [CAN] (41)
Morocco [MAR] (22)
Croatia [CRO] (12)
Schedule
11/23 | MAR-CRO, BEL-CAN
11/27 | CRO-CAN, BEL-MAR
12/1 | CAN-MAR, CRO-BEL
Squads
Belgium
Fixtures: Canada (Nov. 23), Morocco (Nov. 27), Croatia (Dec. 1)
Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois, Simon Mignolet, Koen Casteels
Defenders: Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld, Leander Dendoncker, Zeno Debast, Arthur Theate, Wout Faes
Midfielders: Hans Vanaken, Axel Witsel, Youri Tielemans, Amadou Onana, Kevin De Bruyne, Yannick Carrasco, Thorgan Hazard, Timothy Castagne, Thomas Meunier
Forwards: Romelu Lukaku, Michy Batshuayi, Lois Openda, Charles De Ketelaere, Eden Hazard, Jeremy Doku, Dries Mertens, Leandro Trossard
Canada
Fixtures: Belgium (Nov. 23), Croatia (Nov. 27), Morocco (Dec. 1)
Goalkeepers: James Pantemis, Milan Borjan, Dayne St. Clair
Defenders: Samuel Adekugbe, Joel Waterman, Alistair Johnston, Richie Laryea, Kamal Miller, Steven Vitoria, Derek Cornelius
Midfielders: Liam Fraser, Ismael Kone, Mark-Anthony Kaye, David Wotherspoon, Jonathan Osorio, Atiba Hutchinson, Stephen Eustaquio, Samuel Piette
Forwards: Tajon Buchanan, Liam Millar, Lucas Cavallini, Ike Ugbo, Junior Hoilett, Jonathan David, Cyle Larin, Alphonso Davies
Morocco
Fixtures: Croatia (Nov. 23), Belgium (Nov. 27), Canada (Dec. 1)
Goalkeepers: Bono, Munir El Kajoui, Ahmed Tagnaouti
Defenders: Nayef Aguerd, Yahia Attiyat Allah, Badr Benoun, Achraf Dari, Jawad El Yamiq, Achraf Hakimi, Noussair Mazraoui, Romain Saiss
Midfielders: Sofyan Amrabat, Selim Amallah, Bilal El Khannous, Yahya Jabrane, Azzedine Ounahi, Abdelhamid Sabiri
Forwards: Zakaria Aboukhlal, Sofiane Boufal, Ilias Chair, Walid Cheddira, Youssef En-Nesyri, Abde Ezzalzouli, Abderrazak Hamdallah, Amine Harit, Hakim Ziyech.
Croatia
Fixtures: Morocco (Nov. 23), Canada (Nov. 27), Belgium (Dec. 1)
Goalkeepers: Dominik Livakovic, Ivica Ivusic, Ivo Grbic
Defenders: Domagoj Vida, Dejan Lovren, Borna Barisic, Josip Juranovic, Josko Gvardiol, Borna Sosa, Josip Stanisic, Martin Erlic, Josip Sutalo
Midfielders: Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Marcelo Brozovic, Mario Pasalic, Nikola Vlasic, Lovro Majer, Kristijan Jakic, Luka Sucic
Forwards: Ivan Perisic, Andrej Kramaric, Bruno Petkovic, Mislav Orsic, Ante Budimir, Marko Livaja
The Group
Much the opposite of Group E, I don’t really have any strong feelings about Group F. Though Belgium is the 1-seed, I feel very strongly that their international play belies their actual strength, and so I’m hesitant to call this one, despite them being what objectively looks like the clear favorite.
I think that Croatia is another unknown quantity. We’ve seen them make deep runs in the tournament before, but they’re an aging core and it’s yet to be seen if the best years are behind this generation. On the other side of that coin is the Canadian delegation, who have capitalized on a young core to make their first appearance since 1986 behind Alphonso Davies, Cyle Larin, and Jonathan David. Lastly, but certainly not least, is the Moroccan squad, who have consistently been among the top African teams for ages - as is the case in this edition, where they’re the second-ranked African nation behind Senegal.
I think this one’s about as much of a tossup as any group, maybe next to Group A in openness? I’m not sold on either European squad wholly, and both of the quote-unquote “underdogs” find themselves in the catbird seat, vying for a chance to break through. I think it’s going to be the Croatians, followed by Canada, with Belgium and Morocco splitting the remains. Though there won’t necessarily be the same star power, I think that this group will afford what might be the best competitive throughline.
Only one more after this! We’re so tantalizingly close - I don’t know about y’all, but I can almost taste it. Ready for this.