With the 2022 World Cup just days away, we're taking a deep dive into all eight groups, highlighting the star players to watch, examining the biggest storylines to follow, and offering some predictions for how things may play out. To kick things off, here's everything you need to know about Group A, which features host nation Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, and the Netherlands.
Group schedule ?
Qatar ??
Manager: Felix Sanchez
Nickname: The Annabi
FIFA ranking: 50
Best World Cup finish: N/A
Betting odds: +25000
Player to watch
Almoez Ali. The undisputed face of Qatari football. The Al-Duhail striker was the leading scorer at the 2019 Asian Cup, a tournament that Qatar won, and will need to replicate that performance for the host nation to have any chance of success in its first World Cup this winter. Ali, 26, is closing in on the national scoring record. What better place to establish that mark than on the sport's grandest stage? He'll form a strike partnership with Akram Afif, a player that Xavi dubbed an "unbelievable talent" during his time at Al Sadd.
Projected starting XI (3-5-2)
Al Sheeb; Khoukhi, Al Rawi, A. Hassan; Ro-Ro, Hatem, Al Haydos, Boudiaf, El Amin; Afif, Ali
Sanchez, the Catalan bench boss who has been in Qatar since 2006 and climbed the ladder from the Aspire Academy to the national dugout, will rely on a system that oscillates between a 3-5-2 and 5-3-2. Ali and Afif will need to capitalize on any scoring chances the team creates, but Sanchez will also look to Bassam Al-Rawi for inspiration at both ends. The tenacious central defender will set the tone for his side and is also a threat from set pieces.
Key question
Can Qatar avoid ignominy on the pitch? Only one host nation in the history of the World Cup - South Africa in 2010 - has ever failed to advance beyond the first round of the competition. The Qataris are widely expected to double that tally, though they'll surely be hoping the intangible boost a partisan crowd can provide will be decisive. This isn't a team without quality - Ali, Afif, and captain Hassan Al Haydos aren't pushovers by any means - but there's clearly a gulf in overall talent level beyond that trio.
Having a team comprised almost exclusively of players from the Qatari league has its benefits - familiarity and cohesion chief among them - but in friendly matches against more esteemed competition in the buildup to the tournament, Qatar struggled to replicate the recent success it has found on the continent. Winning the opening match against Ecuador is vital.
Ecuador ??
Manager: Gustavo Alfaro
Nickname: La Tri
FIFA ranking: 44
Best World Cup finish: Round of 16 (2006)
Betting odds: +15000
Player to watch
Moises Caicedo. The indispensable midfielder is one of the players ready to take the World Cup, and the world, by storm. Caicedo, 21, has already turned heads with a series of dominant performances for Brighton & Hove Albion, where manager Roberto De Zerbi has anointed him "one of the best midfielders in the Premier League." A box-to-box dynamo, the Independiente del Valle product is incredibly polished for his age, combining slick passing, great positional awareness, and physical bite. He has it all. Caicedo is the glue that holds Ecuador together, offering balance between attack and defense.
Projected starting XI (4-4-2)
Dominguez; Castillo, Torres, Hincapie, Estupinan; Plata, Caicedo, Gruezo, Ibarra; Estrada, E. Valencia
Since taking over in 2020, Alfaro has overseen a changing of the guard, phasing out a number of veteran stalwarts in favor of youthful exuberance; Ecuador was the youngest team to qualify for the World Cup from South America. His openness to change extends to his tactics, too. Alfaro's base formation will be a 4-4-2, but he can utilize three central midfielders. Either way, Ecuador will primarily look to use pace out wide to hit teams on the break, though when the moment calls for it, the squad can also apply high pressure.
Key question
Where will the goals come from? Ecuador has all the hallmarks of a tricky World Cup opponent for the more illustrious sides - Brazil manager Tite even tipped Alfaro's robust team as one that's exceedingly difficult to play against - but, at some point, the Ecuadorians need to find the net. That remains a big concern for a unit with just two tallies in its last five friendlies since qualifying.
A lot is riding on Enner Valencia, 33, to provide those goals. That's cause for consternation. Defensive solidity is vital, of course. It's a staple of every successful team, and Ecuador, which hasn't conceded a goal since March, will provide stern resistance in Group A. But La Tri are clearly light up front.
Senegal ??
Manager: Aliou Cisse
Nickname: Lions of Teranga
FIFA ranking: 18
Best World Cup finish: Quarterfinals (2002)
Betting odds: +12500
Player to watch
Sadio Mane. Long viewed in his native country as a better performer at club than international level, the 30-year-old put an end to that chatter this year when he led Senegal to its first Africa Cup of Nations title and then helped the country eliminate Mohamed Salah and Egypt in order to qualify for the World Cup. The indubitable superstar for Cisse, much of Senegal's success or failure this winter will depend on Mane's fitness after he suffered a leg injury with Bayern Munich last week. One of the game's most explosive forwards when fully fit and firing, he has an opportunity to cap a career-best calendar year in Qatar.
Projected starting XI (4-3-3)
E. Mendy; Sabaly, Koulibaly, A. Diallo, Ballo-Toure; Kouyate, N. Mendy, Gueye; I. Sarr, Dia, Mane
Mane provides the spark up front, but the foundation of Cisse's team is a sturdy backline shielded by a solid trio of midfielders who provide additional defensive cover. With Kalidou Koulibaly anchoring the defense, Senegal conceded just two goals en route to claiming the AFCON crown earlier this year. "Expansive" may never be a word used to describe this team, but the more rigid approach is clearly paying dividends.
Key question
What happens if Mane isn't operating at 100% effectiveness? Indeed, that same concern can be applied to various areas of the side right now. Both Koulibaly and netminder Edouard Mendy are enduring difficult spells at Chelsea for different reasons, while left-back Saliou Ciss, who shone at AFCON, is without a club since leaving Nancy.
Nampalys Mendy has struggled for minutes at Leicester City this season, too, meaning many of the players who have been critical to Senegal's recent surge aren't arriving in Qatar at the ideal moment in their careers. That puts even more of the burden on Mane, who doesn't exactly have an adventurous midfield trio supporting him.
Netherlands ??
Manager: Louis van Gaal
Nickname: Oranje
FIFA ranking: 8
Best World Cup finish: Three-time runner-up (1974, 1978, 2010)
Betting odds: +1200
Player to watch
Frenkie de Jong. Standout defender Virgil van Dijk is the best player the Netherlands will bring to Qatar, while Memphis Depay is the primary scoring threat, but De Jong is the focal point of this team who dictates everything from central midfield. As he goes, it goes. He's endured a tumultuous year at Barcelona, to say the absolute least, but at his best, he's a silky smooth player who can initiate attacks from deep, use his poise to carry the ball out of pressure, and even get into the box and finish off moves himself. It will be a welcome sight to, hopefully, watch him in full flow.
Projected starting XI (5-3-2)
Cillessen; Dumfries, Timber, De Vrij, Van Dijk, Ake; De Jong, Gakpo, Blind; Memphis, Bergwijn
It turns out you can teach an old dog new tricks. Van Gaal, once a staunch supporter of the quintessential 4-3-3 Dutch formation, now opts instead for a 5-3-2. It's a point of much contention across the country. "The longer I have been a coach, the more I have learned to love the 5-3-2 system," the 71-year-old recently said, explaining he prefers the balance it provides. "You can attack with it, and you can defend with it. You can put the opponent under pressure everywhere, and if you play it well, there is less risk of the opponent breaking through on the counterattack because you have three central defenders." Fair enough, Louis.
Key question
Can the Netherlands get over the proverbial hump? The Dutch have more appearances in the World Cup final (three) than any nation yet to capture the coveted title. Heading into a tournament where parity, at least amongst the European teams, is the order of the day, this could be a prime opportunity to end that unfortunate run.
In Van Gaal, they have a seasoned tactician with plenty of big tournament nous, and though there are some concerns about overall squad depth, the top-end talent is undeniable for a side riding a 15-match unbeaten run since losing to the Czech Republic at Euro 2020. Returning to the World Cup after missing the quadrennial event four years ago, this could be a special winter for the Oranje if everything clicks together.
Predictions ?
Opta gives the Netherlands an 83% chance to emerge from Group A, with Senegal and Ecuador seemingly in a straight scrap for second place. The Lions of Teranga are viewed as slight favorites over their South American counterparts. In truth, it's difficult to see this group unfolding any other way.
Netherlands
Senegal
Ecuador
Qatar
World Cup preview: Everything you need to know about Group A?
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