The 2022 World Cup successful Qatar is missing immoderate large teams (Italy, Egypt, Nigeria, Colombia) and immoderate large players (Mohamed Salah, Erling Haaland, Victor Osimhen) but that's what makes this tourney the champion successful sports. Brazil are looking to triumph their archetypal World Cup since 2002, portion England, Argentina and Germany are hoping to dethrone defending champions France.
Can Belgium oregon Spain marque a splash? Will Lionel Messi oregon Cristiano Ronaldo shine? And wherever volition the United States and Mexico extremity up?
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ESPN is previewing each of the World Cup's 32 teams up of the tournament. Here's what you request to cognize astir the sides acceptable to bash battle, divided into the groups they volition beryllium in.
GROUP A: Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands
Qatar: "Qatar unfastened the tourney against Ecuador successful beforehand of 60,000 fans astatine the Al Bayt Stadium connected Nov. 20 and, buoyed by the juncture and energy, a triumph for the hosts would not beryllium a daze result. If Qatar are capable to instrumentality a constituent against Senegal and Netherlands, the location broadside whitethorn extremity up progressing to the knockouts but it's improbable they'll get overmuch further than that." -- Hafsa Adil
Netherlands: "Netherlands are favourites successful Group A and should get done to the knockout stage, but past they'll look opponents from Group B successful the circular of 16. In their existent form, the squad should beryllium capable to marque it to the semifinals, but each the pieces indispensable travel unneurotic for that to happen." -- Bob Ligthart and Marciano Vink
Ecuador: "The anticipation is that Ecuador tin astatine slightest lucifer their champion ever World Cup, Germany 2006, erstwhile they got retired of their radical earlier losing narrowly to England. They are surely susceptible of it, and possibly adjacent a small more, but the radical is tough." -- Tim Vickery
Senegal: "A favourable radical and the momentum from a maiden AFCON triumph person fuelled the content successful Senegal that this squad are destined to emulate the achievements of the 2002 generation, honouring 20 years since that large broadside reached the quarterfinals. They tin surely scope the knockouts." -- Ed Dove
GROUP B: England, Iran, USA, Wales
United States: "Group B is deceptively difficult. The U.S. team's likelihood are 50/50 successful presumption of advancement. Based connected caller form, their likelihood don't look to beryllium improving. Health volition beryllium a immense factor, but astatine this signifier it looks similar the U.S. volition autumn conscionable short." -- Jeff Carlisle
England: "England volition expect to get retired of Group B but the gully rapidly gets tricky. A last-16 necktie against -- astir apt against either the Netherlands oregon Senegal -- looks pugnacious earlier a imaginable quarterfinal against France oregon Argentina. England simply person not defended good enough, often enough, for anybody to person a precocious grade of assurance they could triumph back-to-back matches against elite opposition." -- James Olley
Wales: "Wales look a pugnacious task to replicate their caller tourney heroics. Nevertheless, though England are wide favourites to apical the group, Page's broadside volition expect to beryllium competitory for 1 of the apical 2 spots and the information they play England past could assistance successful that regard." -- Olley
Iran: "In 2014, Iran picked up conscionable 1 constituent from their group. Four years later, that tally was up to 4 points contempt a much hard draw. With years of acquisition nether their belts and a manager who knows the ins and outs of this team, it mightiness yet beryllium clip for Iran to scope the circular of 16 astatine the sixth clip of asking." -- Wael Jabir
GROUP C: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland
Mexico: "Argentina are apt to apical the group, but El Tri should person the precocious manus implicit Saudi Arabia and Poland to marque the circular of 16. However, it's hard to spot them going overmuch further, which would mean exiting earlier the 5th crippled for an eighth consecutive World Cup." -- Cesar Hernandez
Argentina: "If they deed signifier they volition surely beryllium 1 of the astir charismatic sides successful Qatar. They person each close to imagination of walking disconnected with trophy. In the corporate consciousness of the connection this is their champion squad successful years, but is their defence bully capable to spell each the way? The semifinals mightiness beryllium their limit." -- Tim Vickery
Poland: "The archetypal matchday successful Group C volition beryllium important for Poland arsenic they look Mexico successful what could crook retired to beryllium the conflict for 2nd spot down Argentina. However, it is probable that they volition not marque it retired of the radical and volition permission Qatar early." -- Constantin Eckner
Saudi Arabia: "Saudi Arabia person their enactment chopped out. Avoiding dense defeats volition beryllium the goal, and immoderate points collected on the mode volition beryllium a bonus for the second-lowest-ranked squad successful the tournament." -- Wael Jabir
GROUP D: France, Australia, Denmark, Tunisia
France: "It is precise hard to clasp a World Cup. The information that the past clip it happened -- Brazil successful 1962 -- was truthful agelong agone shows it. However, France person the qualities to bash it: unthinkable talent, acquisition and a squad tone to bring them together. If Mbappe and Benzema are astatine their best, France volition beryllium hard to stop." -- Julien Laurens
Australia: "True to form, Arnold has presented a publically optimistic outlook, telling ESPN successful August: 'My anticipation is the 2nd round.' However, delivering connected that people would beryllium 1 of the shocks of the tourney and a much realistic people would beryllium a archetypal World Cup lucifer triumph since 2010." -- Joey Lynch
Denmark: "Denmark volition clasp their underdog presumption and participate the World Cup arsenic perchance the trickiest opponents to face. They person already shown they tin vie with France, portion they should beryllium assured of advancing to the circular of 16. In fact, cipher should beryllium amazed to spot this well-balanced, diligent broadside scope the second stages." -- Tor-Kristian Karlsen
Tunisia: "On paper, Tunisia don't person capable prime to progress. Even though assurance has been dented by that demolition by Brazil, Tunisia's antiaircraft solidity gives them optimism of neutralising the Danes and troubling France, but realistically, neither broadside volition beryllium excessively concerned." -- Ed Dove
GROUP E: Spain, Costa Rica, Germany, Japan
Germany: "Germany should get done the radical signifier if they tin get results against Japan and Costa Rica, with Spain the toughest trial connected paper, which would beryllium an betterment connected 2018. However, it is improbable that they negociate to flooded their antiaircraft weaknesses wholly to contend for the trophy." -- Constantin Eckner
Spain: "Not a radical wherever Spain tin person a atrocious time astatine the office. The bid of the matches is the worst it could be: ultra-defensive Costa Rica; unpredictable but talented and carnal Germany; past yet super-energetic, often thrilling Japan. If Spain flight the radical their momentum tin instrumentality them to the semifinals." -- Graham Hunter
Japan: "At immoderate different World Cup, Japan would person had an fantabulous accidental of making it retired of the radical stage, but Germany and Spain could conscionable beryllium excessively overmuch of a hurdle. It has not stopped Moriyasu from mounting a quarterfinal people but it looks, for now, retired of scope barring astatine slightest 1 large upset." -- Gabriel Tan
Costa Rica: "It is improbable that Costa Rica volition get retired of the group. Although immoderate whitethorn constituent to their 2014 World Cup performance, wherever they topped an arsenic challenging radical up of Uruguay, Italy and England, the likelihood of Los Ticos recreating that aforesaid magic are small." -- Cesar Hernandez
GROUP F: Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia
Belgium: "If Belgium tin bash arsenic good arsenic they did astatine the past World Cup and decorativeness 3rd past that would beryllium an achievement. They are not going into this tourney with immoderate momentum and are not among the favourites similar they were 4 years ago. However, they are inactive talented and De Bruyne is simply a peculiar subordinate who tin transportation them far. I deliberation a quarterfinal exit is simply a just prediction." -- Julien Laurens
Croatia: "Croatia are connected a akin level arsenic their main radical opponents, Belgium. They should person capable to get into the knockout rounds but winning the radical could marque each the difference. Should they travel second, they volition astir apt spell retired successful the circular of 16; arsenic radical winners, however, they could spell 1 oregon 2 steps further." -- Alex Holiga
Canada: "The gully did Canada nary favors. Could Canada outpouring an upset and advance? It's possible, but looking astatine the opposition, progressing past the radical signifier seems a measurement excessively acold for this side, contempt each of their improvements." -- Jeff Carlisle
Morocco: "Morocco were mightily unfortunate successful being pitted against Portugal and Spain successful Russia, and tin likewise rue their luck this clip around. However, look a small closer, and some Croatia and Belgium person weaknesses that tin beryllium exploited. If the Lions get the equilibrium close and place a genuine extremity threat, they tin realistically anticipation to scope the knockouts for the archetypal clip since 1986." -- Ed Dove
GROUP G: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon
Brazil: "Brazil were not acold disconnected 4 years ago, erstwhile they were unlucky to suffer to Belgium successful the quarterfinals. They are a amended broadside present and volition instrumentality immoderate stopping. Since their 2002 World Cup win, each run has ended aft they met European absorption successful the knockout phase. How volition they header with the European situation this time? They are justified favourites." -- Tim Vickery
Serbia: "The radical is rather hard and adjacent if Serbia negociate to scope the knockout rounds, their adjacent hostile won't beryllium immoderate easier. Anything past the circular of 16 is possible, but would beryllium thing abbreviated of a miracle." -- Alex Holiga
Switzerland: "The lucifer against Serbia is apt to beryllium decisive for Switzerland -- not lone due to the fact that it volition beryllium their past successful the group, but due to the fact that the 2 teams are connected a akin level and apt to combat for 2nd spot down wide favourites Brazil. If they bushed Serbia, they volition person a bully accidental to marque the circular of 16." -- Holiga
Cameroon: "The caller defeats by Uzbekistan and South Korea person brought Cameroon down to world aft the magical qualification against Algeria and Rigobert Song volition cognize that a beardown commencement against Switzerland is imperative. Even if they're inactive live by their last crippled against Brazil, Cameroon indispensable inactive beryllium that they tin clasp their nervus to advance." -- Ed Dove
GROUP H: Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, South Korea
Portugal: "Not lone bash Portugal request to header with an absorbing and disparate radical but they've got to beryllium canny. Should Fernando Santos' squad decorativeness 2nd then, astir surely it's Brazil adjacent successful the circular of 16. Too much, you mightiness say. But if they triumph the radical they whitethorn get to look Serbia." -- Graham Hunter
Ghana: "A pugnacious radical means they're up against it, and a first-round exit looks likely. However, Ghana whitethorn beryllium softly assured that successful grudge matches against ageing Portugal and Uruguay teams, their younker and vitality tin origin an upset." -- Ed Dove
Uruguay: "One of the hardest teams to predict, due to the fact that of their ain dilemmas and besides the ferociously balanced quality of the group. Coach Diego Alonso says the squad are aiming to triumph the trophy, but if helium fails to get the equilibrium right, it could beryllium a lawsuit of elimination astatine the radical stage." -- Tim Vickery
South Korea: "If Son Heung-min is acceptable and firing, South Korea could basal a chance. Victory implicit Ghana is simply a indispensable and, should they negociate to get a constituent disconnected either Portugal oregon Uruguay, a round-of-16 berth could beryllium connected the cards." -- Gabriel Tan
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