The World Cup is almost upon us and is promising to be a tournament like no other. It will be played in winter for the first time, as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo look set to contest the Jules Rimet trophy for the final time, with it anybody’s guess who will come out on top.

Here is our bumper preview of the tournament, reminding you of how each team qualified, who their player(s) to keep an eye on are (injury permitting), and where I believe they will finish. Without further ado..

Group A

Netherlands

Road to qualification

The Netherlands had to get their phone book out again during World Cup qualification, but the names simply read ‘Dick Advocaat, Ronald Koeman, Guus Hiddink and Louis Van Gaal’ – with the latter taking charge of le Orange for a third time. He recovered their indifferent start to oversee an unbeaten seven games back at the helm and steer Holland to a first World Cup since his last in 2014.

Player to watch

Cody Gakpo has been one of the most in form players in Europe so far this season and will be putting himself in the shop window following a failed summer move to the Premier League last summer.

Probable finish – quarter-finals

LVG took the Dutch to a semi-final in 2014 but I don’t see them going quite so far this term, as Argentina will most likely be their opponent in the last eight and I would give the South Americans the edge in that eventuality.

Senegal

Road to qualification

It was plain sailing for Senegal in group H, as the Lions of Teranga breezed past the likes of Togo and Namibia to take 16 points from 18. Things got a little hairier in the knockout round, falling to a 1-0 defeat to Egypt in the first leg before reversing the scores in the second, and going on to narrowly edge out the Pharaohs 3-1 on penalties in a repeat of the 2021 AFCON Final.

Player to watch

Sadio Mané tops the nation’s scoring charts and is naturally the standout name, but Sheffield United’s Iliman Ndiaye is certainly one to keep an eye on. The 22-year-old made his international bow earlier this year and has impressed with his ability to play in midfield or just off the striker.

Probable finish – round of 16

They’re clearly the second-best team in their group behind the Dutch and Aliou Cissé is the first manager to ever take Senegal to back-to-back World Cups and win the African Cup of Nations, meaning progressing to a first knockout stage since 2002 is very likely, but not much further..

Ecuador

Road to qualification

Any South American side who emerge from a qualification campaign as tough as CONMEBOL deserves kudos and Ecuador are no different – qualifying for a first World Cup since 2014 after finishing fourth in their group with a 6-1 win over Colombia a particular highlight.

Player to watch

The Brighton trio of Pervis Estupiñan, Jeremy Sarmiento and Moisés Caicedo excite me most – but the latter is the pick of the bunch. Caicedo is impressing week in, week out in the Premier League and is attracting interest from the big guns, and his dynamism and technical ability in La Tri’s engine room will be crucial.

Probable finish – 3rd in the group

They’ve done remarkably well to get here and it will be very close between them and Senegal for who finishes behind Holland; they’re two of the best up and coming nations Qatar 22’ has to offer. It will most likely come down to the final match day when the pair face off, but I have the Africans to muscle out Ecuador.

Qatar

Road to qualification

Of course, as hosts, Qatar have been qualified since the day it was announced that the tournament would be going to the middle-east all the way back on December 2nd 2010.

Player to watch

All of Qatar’s likely squad ply their trade in the Qatari Stars League, but the standout name is Almoez Ali. He scooped the Golden Boot at the 2019 Asia Cup, notching a record-breaking nine goals in all and has 39 international strikes from 76 caps. Every home nation seems to have a hero, and Ali will most likely be Qatar’s.

Probable finish – bottom of the group

Qatari football is certainly on the rise and the great hope of this tournament is that football in the country – and the rest of the middle-east – will continue to improve. The players of Maroon will give it their all, but will ultimately fall short to a bottom place finish in the nation’s first ever World Cup, but the hosts have shocked us before.

Group B

England

Road to qualification

As ever, it was easy enough for England as their unerring consistency in qualifiers (and ability to face San Marino) continued. Gareth Southgate’s side conceded just thrice, were one of seven teams to remain undefeated in the groups and scored an unmatched 39 times.

Player to watch

It’s hard to say, but Jude Bellingham looks set to feature heavily this winter following a bit-part role at last year’s Euros. He’s still ripping it up for Borussia Dortmund and is starting to show that kind of form for England in the centre of the park.

Probable finish – finalists

It may seem ambitious given the calamity that was their UEFA Nations League campaign, but Southgate has negotiated his way to the last four in both his tournaments so far. They’re group favourites and would likely face a combination of Senegal and Denmark to reach the semis in Qatar, where old foes Germany could lay in wait. It’s hard to bet against the best international team over the past two tournaments, and a first World Cup Final since 1966 is surely the aim.

Wales

Road to qualification

It took a dramatic play-off win at the Cardiff City Stadium over a heroic Ukraine side for Wales to seal their place at a first World Cup in 64 years. But before that rain-soaked victory over Ukraine, Rob Page had presided over just one defeat from eight group games as the Dragons took second in group E.

Player to watch

Gareth Bale is the obvious one (he’s the captain, top scoring and only player from the most recent squad to have notched double figures for the national side). But elsewhere, Nottingham Forest pair Brennan Johnson and Neco Williams have plenty to offer.

Probable finish – last 16

It’s always hard to say with Wales; they defied all expectations at Euro 2016 and put up a good first of it at the last tournament, and I imagine they’ll make it out of group B in Qatar. But, all fairytales must come to an end, and I don’t see them advancing to a first World Cup quarter-final since that game against Brazil in 1958.

USA

Road to qualification

CONCACAF qualification was as competitive as ever, with the US edging past a valiant Costa Rican effort to finish third behind Mexico and Canada. But defeats and dropped points to Panama and Jamaica along the way left a sour taste in the mouth, with their final warm-up games against Saudi Arabia and Japan failing to quell the dissent.

Player to watch

Christian Pulisic is enjoying a new lease of life under Graham Potter at Chelsea which will be music to the ears of USMNT fans. He may not be the ‘LeBron James of soccer’, but he will be vital for the States.

Probable finish – 3rd in the group

Gregg Berhalter’s men have been lacklustre of late and confidence levels going into the tournament are fairly low, and I think both England and Wales will have too much for them.

Iran

Road to qualification

Iran topped their Asian qualification group without much fuss, suffering just one defeat at the hands of South Korea and finishing as the joint-top scorers across both groups. But Dragan Skočić was relieved of his duties just two months before the start of the tournament and was replaced with former national team boss Carlos Queiroz to throw the side’s planning into disrepute.

Player to watch

Mehdi Taremi has been involved in 90 goals from 95 Porto games since the start of 2020/21, but with Queiroz favouring a 4-1-4-1 shape, he is in a battle for the striker position alongside Bayer Leverkusen’s Sardar Azmoun. Elsewhere, Alireza Jahanbaksh is going good guns at Feyenoord and will look to impress at his third World Cup.

Probable finish – bottom of the group

With further trouble at home, football feels insignificant and while it would be heartwarming to see a sport temporarily reunite a fractured nation even for the briefest of times, I can’t see it happening.

Group C

Argentina

Road to qualification

The last time Argentina lost a game of football, Covid-19 hadn’t reached China and Theresa May was still the Prime Minister of the UK – it’s been 35 games, and two more would equal Italy’s record streak. They finished second in the group on 39 points behind only Brazil, with both going into the tournament looking to win it.

Player to watch

It’s boring, but it has to be Lionel Messi. Qatar is his final shot at World Cup glory, and this is perhaps the most balanced Argentina squad he’s had to work with during a stellar 17 years of service.

Probable finish – semi-finalist

With their unbeaten record, potent attacking line, blend of style and tenacity and recent Copa América success, Lionel Scaloni’s men should go deep into the competition and maybe even win it. But the brackets mean they’d most likely face Brazil at the penultimate hurdle, which would be quite the spectacle.

Poland

Road to qualification

Poland were clearly the second strongest team in group I behind England and it showed – comfortably finishing as runners-up ahead of Albania to send them into the play-offs. From there, they were issued with a bye following the suspension of Russia, before defeating Sweden 2-0 to reach a third World Cup of the 21st Century.

Player to watch

Robert Lewandowski is obviously the star man for Poland, entering the tournament as their all-time top scorer, appearance holder, captain and greatest ever player, while he is in the midst of a hot streak of goals since his move to Barcelona in the summer. Elsewhere, Serie A midfielders Piotr Zieliński and Nicola Zalewski will be two to keep an eye on in the centre of the park.

Probable finish – last 16

Most believe this is Argentina’s group to lose with Poland a close second and that’s how I see it panning out; they’ve got perhaps the best goal scorer on the planet who will be at the tournament, which should prove too much for Mexico. It will be a first successful group stage since 1986, but probably not much further.

Mexico

Road to qualification

Mexico kicked off their qualification campaign unbeaten in their first six games under former Barcelona manager Gerardo Martino, but back-to-back defeats to the US and Canada halted momentum and El Tri eventually finished 2nd behind the Maple Leafs.

Player to watch

Martino has some big decisions to make before Qatar, with Wolves and Sevilla forwards Raúl Jiménez and Jesús Corona both in a race against time to reach full fitness before the tournament. Ajax’s Edson Álvarez will most likely anchor the midfield, and will be pivotal to Mexico’s chances of escaping the group.

Probable finish – 3rd in the group

Martino is under immense pressure at the helm of his third national team, with that scrutiny set to ramp up if they fail to beat Poland on match day one. The relationship between himself and El Tri’s faithful has broken down to an almost irrecoverable position, and I think this troubled marriage will come to a close in Qatar.

Saudi Arabia

Road to qualification

Herve Renard’s men swept away almost all before them in group B of AFC qualifying, topping the group ahead of Japan and Australia – suffering just one defeat along the way.

Player to watch

Much like Qatar, all of Saudi Arabia’s players ply their trade in their national league, with their squad largely made up of players from Al-Shabab, Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal. Forward Firas Al-Buraikan notched three goals in qualifying for a side which were hardly free-scoring, and will be expected to lead the line as they make the short journey east.

Probable finish – bottom of the group

Their last World Cup showing in 2018 started horrendously, as hosts Russia smashed five goals past The Green Men on opening day, but they recovered to finish third in group A after a last-gasp winner against Egypt. That was their best showing at a World Cup since 1994, and anything similar would feel like a good achievement.

Group D

Denmark

Road to qualification

No team performed better in the UEFA Coefficient than Denmark, as Kasper Hjulmand’s men won all nine of their opening games before falling to their sole defeat on the final matchday against Scotland. They scored 30 goals and conceded just three as they appear to have built on the good work of Euro 2020.

Player to watch

Christian Eriksen is naturally the star man and one whose story adds romanticism to an already gripping tale. But away from him, Joakim Mæhle was terrific at Euro 2020 and looks set to star again, while Pierre-Emile Højbjerg is enjoying a stellar season at Tottenham.

Probable finish – quarter-finals

I’d predict their journey to end at the final eight stage, but most notably as I have them to finish top of group D. They will prove too much for Poland in the round of 16, but once again will fall to England as they did last summer.

France

Road to qualification

The current World Champions breezed through qualification unbeaten and at the top of group D, but largely disappointed in their performances. They failed to beat Ukraine while also drawing and sneaking past Bosnia, before winning just one of their six Nations League games in 2022.

Player to watch

Perhaps this would have been Kylian Mbappé, but issues surrounding the forward have led some to believe that the man who missed the definitive penalty at the previous Euros is set to implode rather than explode this winter. Somebody who did move to Real Madrid this summer, however, was Aurélien Tchouaméni and with Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kanté’s injuries, one would think the stocky central midfielder will anchor down Les Bleus’ engine room in Qatar.

Probable finish – last 16

France feel like all or nothing. They won the tournament for the first time in 1998, but succumbed to group stage failure in 2002, then reached the final in 2006, where a moment of madness by Zinedine Zidane overshadowed their penalty heartbreak to Italy, before the mother of all collapses in 2010. It’s tough to bet against them, but they feel stale and I envisage another international implosion.

Australia

Road to qualification

Australia began the Asian Qualifiers in fine form, notching three straight wins with just one conceded to lead group B en route to what appeared to be routine qualification. But a run of just four points from the next 21 available meant that they slumped to third, resigning the Aussies to a play-off match with the UAE which they narrowly won 2-1. They then took on Peru in the intercontinental qualifiers in June, where a 0-0 draw was settled by a dramatic 5-4 victory on penalties.

Player to watch

Ajdin Hrustic scored the winning goal in the 2-1 win over the UAE, shortly after winning the Europa League with Frankfurt and moving to Hellas Verona this summer. He will most likely play off the side of a midfield three, and brings an added edge to the Socceroos.

Probable finish – 3rd in the group

Graham Arnold has his work cut out to get Australia through a tricky group D, but they will fancy their chances against Tunisia and if France do follow the trend of recent champions, then the boys in yellow might just sneak through.

Tunisia

Road to qualification

The Eagles of Carthage won four and drew one of their six group games before taking on Mali in the play-off, as the second-highest ranked African nation took on the lowest of the play-off bunch. They made hard work of it, but hobbled over the finish line with a 1-0 aggregate win.

Player to watch

Hannibal Mejbri is perhaps the pick of the bunch for Tunisia, with the midfield dynamo spending the season on loan at Birmingham City from Manchester United. His energy, tenacity and technical ability has caught the eye of both Mondher Kebaier and his successor Jalel Kadn, with the pair handing Hannibal all of his 18 caps so far.

Probable finish

Tunisia have never gotten out of a group stage at a World Cup and have won just two games at the tournament, with either of those unlikely to be improved upon here.

Group E

Spain

Road to qualification

Spain endured a tough start to World Cup qualification, drawing with Greece and coming from behind to edge past Georgia with a last minute Dani Olmo goal, before falling to defeat to Sweden in match day four. They weren’t hugely convincing from then on, but four consecutive wins took Spain to Qatar as group winners ahead of the Swedes.

Player to watch

Pedri and Gavi are two of the most exciting players in European football right now and both have the world at their feet. Picking which star will twinkle brightest isn’t easy, but Pedri will get the nod here.

Probable finish – quarter-finals

The quarter-final stage is most likely where Spain will finish, but picking between them and Germany to top the group is very tight. Enrique is building something special with La Roja, and don’t be surprised if they go even further. 

Germany 

Road to qualification

Die Mannschaft unsurprisingly topped a poor group Which contained the likes of Liechtenstein, Iceland and Armenia, and one which saw North Macedonia come second. Perhaps surprisingly, though, the Germans fell to defeat against said opposition – but they were perfect from then on, topping the group and scoring 36 goals (a number only bettered by England).

Player to watch

Quality is never far away with Germany and this squad is no different. Away from the number nine, it’s a balanced side which is headlined by 19-year-old Jamal Musiala. The Bayern Munich attacking or wide midfielder is already a star and one who is smashing through the footballing stratosphere at break-neck speed – if Germany are good, Musiala will be at the heart of it.

Probable finish – semi-finals

If the dominos fall correctly, I can see Germany reaching yet another semi-final where they would take on England.

Japan

Road to qualification

After suffering defeats to Oman and Saudi Arabia in two of their opening three games, Japan embarked on an unbeaten seven game streak which consisted of six wins and a draw to seal qualification ahead of Australia.

Player to watch

The Celtic trio of Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate will harness much attention, as will star man Takumi Minamino, but the one to watch is Ritsu Döan. Freiburg have impressed in the Buli this term and the winger is a big reason for that, notching two goals in the league and four in total since a summer move from PSV, and will look to impress for Samurai Blue with his pace and direct running.

Probable finish – 3rd in the group

It’s a group of death for Japan but they – like Costa Rica – won’t just be there to make up the numbers and will take Germany all the way to the line for second place, but they will just fall short.

Costa Rica

Road to qualification

Only goal difference separated Costa Rica and the US in the final standings of Concacaf qualification, as Luis Suárez’ side finished on 25 points and didn’t lose any game by more than the odd goal. They then pulled the same trick on New Zealand in the play-off, with Joel Campbell’s early goal sealing a place at the nation’s fifth World Cup in Six.

Player to watch

Jewison Bennette is one of the rising stars of this Los Ticos side and already has two goals from seven caps so far. The nippy winger made a £1.3m switch to Sunderland in the summer and the 18-year-old has already made his way onto the Championship scoresheets.

Probable finish – bottom of the group

Costa Rica were the story of Brazil 2014 as they were penalty kicks away from reaching the semi-finals, but I can’t see anything but a group stage exit this time around.

Group F

Croatia

Road to qualification

Croatia are coming into this World Cup following on from a good Euros and their best ever display at a World Cup in 2018, where France defeated them by four goals to two in a pulsating final in Russia. They enter this competition with all the style you would expect from a previous finalist, too, topping group H without a defeat from the final nine games of the campaign.

Player to watch

Luka Modrić is like the finest of wines, getting better with age and still starring for club and country despite recently turning 37. His boundless energy, calmness on the ball and trivela shooting will no doubt dazzle Doha this winter, with Mislav Oršić and Chelsea-linked Joško Gvardiol also ones to keep an eye on.

Probable finish – last 16

Due to the seedings, even if Croatia top the group (which I think they will), they will most likely face one of Spain or Germany in the round of 16, which is where I anticipate their tournament to end.

Belgium

Road to qualification

Belgium have been a few things under Roberto Martínez, and unerring in qualifying is one of them. Since the Spaniard took over in August 2016, the Red Devils have played 28 qualifiers and are yet to lose – dropping points only thrice. They topped group E with ease, sauntering into a third consecutive World Cup.

Player to watch

When you think of Belgium, your mind drifts to the cerebral genius of Eden Hazard or the emphatic brilliance of Kevin De Bruyne. While question marks remain over the former’s fitness, the latter will surely star again, but other players to look out for include AC Milan new boy Charles De Ketelaere, and Everton midfielder Amadou Onana.

Probable finish – last 16

As mentioned earlier, Belgium have been a few things under Martínez, with underachievers the main calling card for the Spaniard’s side at major tournaments. With a golden generation, they fell at the semi-final stage in 2018, and with some of their star players over the hill, I think Spain or Germany will have too much for them in the first knockout round.

Canada

Road to qualification

Canada hadn’t touched down on World Cup soil since a galavant to near (enough) neighbours Mexico in 1986, but they will finally return for Qatar after topping their CONCACAF group. It took until matchday 12 for Les Rouges to taste defeat, but they bounced back with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Jamaica to seal their place at the tournament.

Player to watch

Alphonso Davies is the jewel in the ever-growing crown of Canadian soccer, with his rise coming parallel with the country’s rise from CONCACAF minnows to World Cup group stagers. He could have perhaps been one of those great players who never made a World Cup (see Alfredo Di Stefano, Ryan Giggs, George Weah etc), but he (along with Jonathan David) will shoulder the burden for Canada.

Probable finish – 3rd in the group

We love the story, and also think Canada will benefit from the lack of pressure; nobody truly expected them to make it and they’re already qualified as joint-hosts for 2026. They play an exciting, fearless brand of football which will win hearts, but not many football matches – third place surely beckons behind Croatia and Belgium.

Morocco

Road to qualification

Morocco qualified as the only perfect side on the continent – winning six from six before dispatching of DR Congo by five goals to two on aggregate to march into a sixth World Cup.

Player to watch

In 2021, Hakim Ziyech retired from international football in the wake of claims made by then-manager Vahid Halilhodzič that the Chelsea winger had ‘feigned injury’ and refused to play for his country. But, following the sacking of Halilhodzič and the hiring of Walid Regraqui, Ziyech has returned to the setup. Perhaps he hasn’t quite shone since a big money move to Stamford Bridge in 2020, but he is the squad’s highest scorer and will be crucial to the Atlas Lions chances alongside the likes of Achraf Hakimi.

Probable finish – bottom of the group

They’re in a tough group and with the recent change of manager, you’d have to think their chances of escaping group F unscathed is unlikely. They’ll prove hard to beat, but I think the quality of Croatia and Belgium will be too much, while Canada’s feel-good factor will edge the Africans into fourth.

Group G

Brazil

Road to qualification

South American qualifying is always competitive, but Brazil survived without defeat from 17 games and only conceded five goals.

Player to watch

It’s Neymar, isn’t it? The perennially underrated superstar who continues shine despite the clamour to diminish his sparkle. Football immortality surely beckons for one of the game’s greatest showmen, but the emergence of Vinícius Júnior means he no longer solely carries the nation on his back.

Probable finish – finalists

They’re my pick to win the whole thing. The midfield and attacking unit is irresistible and competitive; only Neymar is guaranteed to start and those around him are packed with quality. In Alisson, they have the best goalkeeper in the world, with their only real weak points coming at full-back. Tite has lost just five games in charge of the Seleção while leading them to two Copa América Finals since 2016. The record champions will reign supreme again.

Serbia

Road to qualification

Despite facing up against Euro 2016 winners Portugal in group A, Serbia topped the group unbeaten, with a final day victory over Portugal the most memorable moment.

Player to watch

Not many countries have the firepower that The Eagles can count upon with the nation’s top scorer Aleksandar Mitrović joined by Serie A bagsmen Dušan Vlahović and Luka Jović, with assist machines Filip Kostić and Dušan Tadić in behind. But Sergej Milinković-Savić is the one to watch, as the tower of power has consistently dominated in midfield for Lazio, and will look to add a stellar senior international tournament to his U-20 winners medal.

Probable finish – quarter-finals

Serbia haven’t reached the quarter-final of a World Cup since they were known as the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia back in 1990, but this 2022 squad could eclipse that. Brazil will top the group, but the seedings mean a path to the last eight is not out of the question, with a run to the final four also well up for grabs.

Switzerland

Road to qualification

By 2026, Italy won’t have scored a knockout goal at a World Cup since the day Zinedine Zidane panenka’d Gianluigi Buffon before head-butting Marco Materazzi – with Switzerland a big reason for that. The Swiss were unbeaten at the top of group C, with nobody conceding fewer goals than their two as they edged out the Azzurri to make a ninth World Cup.

Player to watch

Unlike their cheese, there are very few holes in this squad, with a midfield boasting a nice balance, a strong core in central defence and a top goalkeeper in the shape of Yann Sommer. The perennially underrated shot stopper recently broke the Bundesliga record for saves in a game with 19 (nineteen!), and will be on top form if the Rossocrociati are to go beyond the first round.

Probable finish – 3rd in the group

Despite enjoying perhaps the best qualifying of any of the 32 teams in the tournament, I fear Serbia and certainly Brazil are too good for Murat Yakin’s men to match.

Cameroon

Road to qualification

Despite falling to defeat in matchday two of qualifying to Côte d’Ivoire, the Lions rallied to win three straight games before the play-off before the play-off – taking on the Elephants once more in a shoot-out for the next round. They narrowly defeated the Ivorians by a goal to nil with Karl Toko Ekambi the hero, before the Lyon forward scored a dramatic 124th minute goal in the actual play-off against Algeria to send Cameroon to Qatar.

Player to watch

André-Frank Zambo Anguissa is set to be the driving force for Cameroon, so much so that the Napoli midfielder (who is enjoying a brilliant season for the Gli Azzurri) was rested during the most recent internationals. While his ability on and off the ball will be enough reason to watch Cameroon on their own, Lens midfielder Jean Onana – linked with AC Milan last summer – is an exciting prospect to partner Zambo this winter.

Probable finish – bottom of the group

Rigobert Song managed to inspire a group of players he only took over in January to that win over Algeria and has a handful of good players at his disposal, but much like Switzerland, they will fall to the stronger nations and a sixth consecutive group stage exit.

Group H

Uruguay

Road to qualification

Uruguay actually lost more games in third place than a very disappointing Colombia side did in 6th, but new manager Diego Alonso breathed new life into La Celeste to qualify them for Qatar with four straight wins.

Player to watch

There haven’t been many better footballers in 2022/23 than Federico Valverde, with the Real Madrid utility man earning plaudits for his versatility, athleticism and goal scoring touch. He will be imperative to the South America’s chances this tournament.

Probable finish – round of 16

The change of manager has altered the perspective of Uruguay and makes them hard to place. They have been in great form under Alonso which makes them group H favourites, but I narrowly rate Serbia’s chances more in the round of 16 clash.

Ghana

Road to qualification

The Black Stars scraped through the first round of CAF qualifiers on goals scored, edging out South Africa by a single goal before defeating Nigeria on away goals in the third round to reach their fourth World Cup in five attempts.

Player to watch

Ghana feel almost like a club side; dual nationality rulings means the Africans have been able to add Tariq Lamptey, lñaki Williams and (belatedly) Mohammed Salisu to a growing group of players who have a nice blend of youth, experience and class. All three will be ones to watch, assuming they nail down a starting spot in the Ghana first XI.

Probable finish – round of 16

They’re firmly ingrained in World Cup folklore due to their quarter-final exploits at the 2010 edition, but they fell to group stage defeat in 2014 and failed to qualify for Russia. However, with an injection of fresh quality and with Portugal floundering, I think Ghana will make it to the first knockout round.

Portugal

Road to qualification

While many thought the Seleção should have romped group A with relative ease, such is the state of Portuguese football at the moment that things aren’t always that simple. They were neck and neck with a very competitive Serbia side come the final match day when the pair – both unbeaten – faced off. Despite taking the lead, Fernando Santos’ men fell to late defeat which consigned them to the play-offs, where they saw off Turkey and North Macedonia to make a sixth consecutive World Cup.

Player to watch

All cameras will inevitably be trained on Cristiano Ronaldo, but it feels more likely that the spotlight should be on somebody else, with Rafael Leão the one to watch this winter. Tall, powerful, quick and an expert dribbler, the Milan winger bamboozles Serie A defences for fun and will surely star at the tournament should he be given the minutes.

Probable finish – 3rd in the group

The problem is, I’m not sure he will do, while other members of the squad will continue to feature despite a lack of first team minutes or, simply, there being better options elsewhere. The feeling around the national team is stale; four of the top seven most capped players of all-time will most likely travel to Qatar, while pressure remains on Santos following round of 16 exits in the two most recent major tournaments. At least one big nation seems to fall in the groups, and I think that could be Portugal this year.

South Korea

Road to qualification

Despite comfortably finishing second in group A of the AFC qualifiers, there was an air of disappointment around the side’s performance. An underwhelming draw with Iraq was followed up by narrow wins against Lebanon and Syria, before a draw with Iran and final day loss to the UAE left South Korea in second – giving them a harder group on paper at the finals.

Player to watch

The nation will be pinning their hopes on Tottenham’s Son Heung-Min, but further back, Napoli’s new centre-back Kim Min-jae is one to keep an eye on. Bought in the summer from Turkish side Fenerbahçe for £16m, the six-foot-three defender has been a colossal replacement for Kalidou Koulibaly, and will be the pillar of South Korea’s defence this winter.

Probable finish – bottom of the group

It’s hard to pick where South Korea will finish up, but they have failed to win more than one game at a World Cup at every tournament both before and after their heroic 2002 efforts, and I predict they will prop up the rest in what is a tight group.

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By: James Pendleton / @jpends_

Featured Image: @GabFoligno / @GabFoligno / Brad Smith / ISI Photos / Getty Images