sport news World Cup team-by-team guide ahead the 2022 tournament in Qatar trends now
The domestic season has come to an end and by the time the 2022/23 campaign begins the 2022 World Cup will be right around the corner.
The first-ever winter edition of the tournament gets underway on November 21, interrupting the domestic campaign to do so, with the final taking place under a month later on December 18.
The group stage draw has come and gone, with eight sets of four teams set to compete in Qatar in the final time we'll see a 32-team format at the World Cup, with a 48-team format set to be introduced in 2026.
As of yet, just 29 of the 32 places have been confirmed, with three places still to be determined in the remaining European play-off and June's inter-confederation play-off.
And here, Sportsmail runs the rule over the 29 already-qualified teams and the other nations who are still to complete their play-offs as the competition edges closer.
France won the 2018 World Cup but will they be able to make it back-to-back triumphs?
Qatar
Who's the manager?
Felix Sanchez - Born in Spain, Sanchez began his career as a coach within the youth system at Barcelona. He has been in charged since 2017 and oversaw their failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
But in 2019 he led them to the AFC Asian Cup title for the first time in the country's history and has taken them to various other international tournaments - like the 2019 Copa America and 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Neither ended well for Qatar but the chance to play strong teams has boosted their progress
Who's the star man?
Akram Afif - Among a squad of unheralded names who mostly play their football on home soil, Afif stands out as their top talent
A winger who can play up front, Afif left for Belgian side Eupen in 2015 before becoming the first Qatari-born signing in LaLiga history when he moved to Villarreal in 2016. It didn't work out in Spain, however, and he's back in Qatar with Al Sadd.
Still only 25, Afif has 75 goals and 62 assists in 118 games for Al Sadd and will be their most dangerous threat as they look to shine on home soil in November.
How did they qualify?
One of the perks of hosting the World Cup is that your qualification is guaranteed. A down side to that though is a lack of real competitive football in the build-up to the tournament.
Yes they have been invited to tournaments but losing to Argentina, Colombia and Brazil in the Copa America is hardly ideal preparations. This month's international window brought a win over Bulgaria and a draw with Slovenia so maybe they are starting to show some form at the right time.
Chance of winning the trophy - 1/5
Qatar take part in their first World Cup, having automatically qualified as tournament hosts
Ecuador
Who's the manager?
Gustavo Alfaro - The Argentine took over the reigns of the Ecuador national team in 2020, guiding Ecuador to an unlikely fourth spot in the South American qualification standings and thus an automatic spot at Qatar 2022.
The 59-year-old has the likes of Boca Juniors, Tigre and Al-Ahli on his managerial CV and will be tasked with guiding Ecuador at their first World Cup finals since 2014.
Who's the star man?
Enner Valencia - The former West Ham man is his country's most experienced forward and has a supreme goalscoring record, notching 35 goals in 70 appearances.
Now playing at Fenerbahce, Valencia scored four goals through qualification, while team-mate Michael Estrada of D.C. United scored six goals.
How did they qualify?
Things looked bleak early on after losing their first two games, but big wins away in Chile, at home to Paraguay and home draws to Argentina and Brazil saw Ecuador sneak into fourth spot ahead of Peru in fifth, and the likes of Colombia, Chile and Paraguay.
Chance of winning the trophy - 1/5
Ecuador were unfancied heading into South America qualifying but sealed an automatic spot
Senegal
Who's the manager?
Aliou Cisse - The former Birmingham and Portsmouth man has been in charge of his national team since 2015 and it's been an emotional rollercoaster under enormous pressure to return Senegal to the heights of the 2002 team, who reached the World Cup quarter-finals.
They didn't make it out of the group stage in Russia in 2018 and were then beaten finalists in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. There was finally cause for celebration earlier this year when Senegal lifted their first-ever Africa Cup of Nations. Now Cisse is targeting improvement on the global stage.
Who's the star man?
Sadio Mane - The Liverpool man has stepped up and delivered in the last two decisive moments Senegal have found themselves in, taking down team-mate Mohamed Salah in the process.
Mane scored the winning penalty in the Africa Cup of Nations final and netted another decisive spot kick to dump Egypt out of World Cup qualifying and seal Senegal's place in Qatar. He brings the stardust to an impressive Senegal team.
How did they qualify?
African qualification for the World Cup is notoriously hard but Senegal made it through. The 10 winners of the groups in the initial stage were paired in five, two-legged knockout ties with Senegal drawing Egypt.
After Senegal wiped out Egypt's 1-0 lead from the first leg, the tie inevitably went to penalties with Mane slamming home the crucial spot kick to prompt ugly scenes within the stands in Dakar.
Chance of winning the trophy - 2/5
Sadio Mane led Senegal to victory at AFCON and is now targeting glory on the world stage
Netherlands
Who's the manager?
Louis van Gaal - Like a moth to a flame, the temptation of leading Holland out at another major tournament was just too good to turn down for Van Gaal, who in August came out of retirement five years after being sacked by Man United.
In a rollercoaster few days, Van Gaal recently described the World Cup being staged in Qatar as 'bulls***', publicly slapped down Virgil van Dijk over tactics and told Ajax coach Erik ten Hag to avoid Old Trafford like the plague.
He's got them winning again, which is the most important thing, and will be hoping to build on the promising signs the Dutch showed at Euro 2020.
Who's the star man?
Virgil van Dijk - Holland were impressive at Euro 2020 and swept all before them in the group stage before the dejection of being knocked out by Czech Republic in the last 16. But, like Liverpool, they are a much better team with Van Dijk in defence.
The 30-year-old has been immense for Jurgen Klopp and his displays have been so good that you'd think he didn't even suffer a season-ending knee injury back in October 2020. Now he's back, the Dutch have that fear factor and protect that only Van Dijk brings.
How did they qualify?
Holland actually had one of the trickier qualifying groups to deal with after being paired with Erling Haaland's Norway and a Turkey side who are competent, even though they were abysmal at Euro 2020.
But the Dutch won seven of their 10 matches, losing just once to Turkey in the first game, and finished top of the table by two points. They did need two goals in the final 10 minutes to beat Norway to seal their place in Qatar, though.
Chance of winning the trophy - 3/5
Holland are back in their first World Cup since 2014 and have an elite leadership duo
England
Who's the manager?
Gareth Southgate - He still doesn't get the credit he deserves for taking England from tournament flops to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and to the brink of glory on home soil at Euro 2020.
With greater success comes bigger expectations though and if England fail to reach at least the semi-finals in Qatar then questions will come over whether Southgate is good enough to take England all the way.
Who's the star man?
Harry Kane - England will not win the World Cup if Harry Kane is not scoring goals and playing well. It's as simple as that. He is the Three Lions' talisman and the golden boot winner from Russia in 2018.
The captain has shown much improved form for Tottenham in recent weeks as is recovering his reputation as one of the world's most feared forwards. The England captain is the first name on the team sheet for Southgate and could even be the country's record scorer by the time the World Cup arrives later this year.
How did they qualify?
As has been the case throughout Southgate's tenure, England breezed through qualifying without a care in the world and racked up eight wins and two draws in their 10 matches.
They scored 39 goals and conceded just three, sweeping aside Poland, Albania, Hungary, Andorra and San Marino. Not the toughest opposition, granted, but the 10-0 win over San Marino in November was the first time England hit double figures since 1964.
Chance of winning the trophy - 5/5
Semi-finals in 2018, final in 2021 - can Harry Kane and England go one step further in Qatar?
Iran
Who's the manager?
Dragan Skocic - The Croatian coach was appointed in February 2020 as a replacement for former Belgium manager Marc Wilmots and has guided Iran through qualifying and to their sixth World Cup appearances.
Skocic has great experience of the Iranian football system, having worked with domestic clubs Malavana and Foolad. He has a sublime track record so far, winning 15 of the 17 games he has overseen as manager.
Who's the star man?
Sardar Azmoun - Azmoun was once a target for Liverpool in the Brendan Rodgers era at Anfield after impressing in Russia. A move to Anfield never materialised though and instead he stayed and joined Zenit St Petersburg, scoring 62 goals in 104 games.
His big move came in January when German side Bayer Leverkusen opted to bring forward his arrival to the Bundesliga from this summer. The 27-year-old is yet to find the back of the net for his new club but his speed and pressing will be a problem for teams in Qatar.
How did they qualify?
After working their way through the deep qualifying pool in Asia, Iran finished top of the AFC's third round - a round robin system featuring the seven group winners and five best runners-up.
Iran won their group with eight wins from 10 matches, beating Son Heung-min and South Korea to top spot.
Chance of winning the trophy - 1/5
Iran won their group with eight wins from 10 matches, beating South Korea to top spot
United States
Who's the manager?
Gregg Berhalter - Berhalter was handpicked to take over as US coach back in 2018 when he was plucked from MLS franchise Columbus Crew as part of a huge reset following a shambolic 2-1 defeat by Trinidad and Tobago that saw them miss out.
After an uninspiring first year in charge, Berhalter has managed to make the most of the promising crop of American talent springing up across Europe and get a tune out of them. A former defender, the 48-year-old represented the US at two World Cups - 2002 and 2006.
Who's the star man?
Christian Pulisic - The Chelsea winger has been the poster boy for American football for a number of years and had to put up with team-mates that simply just weren't as good as him.
But now he has some back-up in the form of Tyler Adams, Giovanni Reyna, Ricardo Pepi, Sergino Dest and Weston McKennie. With a hat-trick against Panama earlier this week, Pulisic proved he will be their biggest threat in Qatar.
How did they qualify?
It was nerve-shredding but the US sealed their place at Qatar this week by claiming the third and final automatic space in North America behind Canada and Mexico, despite losing to Costa Rica in their final match.
Their place was all but sealed before the game after beating Panama earlier in the week but still, a 2-0 loss to Costa Rica is not exactly how you want to celebrate a World Cup return.
Chance of winning the trophy - 1/5
Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic will be the United States' key attacking player in Qatar
Ukraine/Scotland/Wales
Of course, Group B hasn't yet been completed, with Ukraine, Scotland and Wales still vying for a place in the competition.
Wales progressed to the play-off final with victory over Austria, largely thanks to a stunning Gareth Bale double.
But due to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, the remaining semi-final - and consequently the final - is still to be played.
Ukraine and Scotland will square off on June 1, with the winner then progressing to the final on June 1.
A two-goal showing from Gareth Bale means Wales are one match away from the finals
Scotland need to beat Ukraine to set up a Battle of Britain winner-takes-all tie against Wales
Argentina
Who's the manager?
Lionel Scaloni - Parachuted into the job after Jorge Sampaoli failed to get Argentina beyond the last-16 at the 2018 World Cup and burned any sort of goodwill he had with his players, Scaloni has turned Argentina into a force again.
For years they were billed as Lionel Messi + 10 but, after lifting the Copa America last year, Argentina have some pedigree coming into a tournament and with Cristian Romero, Rodrigo De Paul, Lautaro Martínez among others as the support cast.
Who's the star man?
Lionel Messi - An underwhelming first season at PSG has hinted his powers are waning but Messi is still capable of genius and he is the undisputed leader of this team.
Realistically, at 34, this could be Messi's swansong with Argentina on the international stage so expect him to do all he can to win that trophy that continues to elude his illustrious career.
How did they qualify?
Seamlessly. Unbeaten in their 17 matches played, Argentina won 11 and drew six to claim 39 points and finish second to Brazil. Home draws with Paraguay and Chile were the only real blips but they're in Qatar nonetheless.
Their 18th game - against Brazil - was suspended back in September when health officials ran on to the pitch to stop Argentina's England-based players from playing, saying they had breached the country's COVID-19 quarantine rules. It must be replayed but both are qualified though and their positions in the table finalised.
Chance of winning the trophy - 3/5
Lionel Messi, pictured after losing the 2014 World Cup final, will have one last chance at glory
Saudi Arabia
Who's the manager?
Herve Renard - The Frenchman - who has previously coached Morocco, Lille and Ivory Coast - took over in 2019 as the Saudis looked to qualify for their second consecutive World Cup.
Who's the star man?
Salem Al-Dawsari - In a squad who all play their domestic football in Saudi Arabia, left-winger Al-Dawsari did have a stint at Villarreal back in 2018, making one appearance.
With 64 caps to his name since his debut in 2011, he featured prominently in Russia and scored a late winner against Egypt in their final group game.
How did they qualify?
Credit to the Saudi squad, who qualified automatically from an Asian group which included Japan, Australia, Oman, China and Vietnam.
They beat Japan and Australia 1-0 at home, while also drawing in Sydney. They finished top of the group.
Chance of winning the trophy - 1/5
Saudi Arabia beat Japan and Australia at home to qualify for the Middle-East World Cup
Mexico
Who's the manager?
Gerardo Martino - The 59-year-old has been in charge of Mexico since 2019 and his tenure has largely been defined by results against the United States. Mexico won the Gold Cup in 2019 but then lost the same tournament and CONCACAF Nations League final to the Americans in 2021.
In July 2013, Martino was chosen as the successor to Tito Villanova at Barcelona after carving out a strong reputation within South America. But he lasted just a year at the Nou Camp with Barcelona second in LaLiga and runners-up in the Copa del Rey.
Who's the star man?
Raul Jimenez - Like he is at club level with Wolves, Jimenez is the focal point of the Mexican attack and is a guaranteed starter in Qatar if he's fit. With 29 goals in 92 caps, Jimenez's latest strike was the one that sealed Mexico's qualification on Wednesday night.
Jimenez has managed just six goals in 30 appearances for Wolves and is still working his way back to top form after that sickening head injury he suffered last season. His country will be hoping he's in red-hot form in November.
How did they qualify?
Mexico went into the final round of CONCACAF qualifiers knowing that just a point against El Salvador would be enough to seal one of the three North America spots that guaranteed a place in Qatar.
Jimenez's penalty followed Uriel Antuna's opening goal as the Mexicans ran out 2-0 winners at the Azteca. It saw them finish second in the standings behind Canada, with old foes America rounding off the top three.
Chance of winning the trophy - 2/5
Raul Jimenez's latest strike for Mexico sealed their qualification - they are placed in pot two
Poland
Who's the manager?
Czeslaw Michniewicz - Poland named former Legia Warsaw coach Michniewicz as their new manager in January after parting ways with Portugal's Paulo Sousa - who asked to be relieved of his duties so he could join Brazilian club Flamengo.
Michniewicz managed nine Polish clubs before he was named the Poland Under-21 coach in 2017. He helped them qualify for the 2019 European Under-21 Championship, becoming the first manager to do so in 25 years.
Michniewicz left the national team duty in 2020 to take over Polish top-flight club Legia, guiding them to a record 15th Polish championship title in 2021 and the group stage of the Europa League.
Who's the star man?
Robert Lewandowski - Who else? The Bayern striker is the world's deadliest striker and continues to find the back of the net with frightening consistency. With 45 goals in 37 games at club level so far, it has been another ridiculous season for the striker after he scored 48 in 40 last campaign.
He also proves himself to be Poland's hero on the international stage time and time again. Even this week he scored a penalty in their 2-0 playoff victory over Sweden and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to book a spot at the event in Qatar.
How did they qualify?
Poland won six and drew two of their 10 qualifying matches but were second best to an unbeatable England side, who ran away with the group with ease. Second place meant Poland dropped down to the playoff route.
But with Russia kicked out of qualifying for their invasion of Ukraine, Poland were handed a bye through the first playoff round and that meant a final with Sweden for place in Qatar. Poland ran out 2-0 winners in Chorzow.
Chance of winning the trophy - 1/5
Robert Lewandowski and Poland beat Sweden in a play-off to qualify for the 2022 World Cup
France
Who's the manager?
Didier Deschamps - The 53-year-old has seen it all in international management having been in charge of Les Bleus since 2012. He has scaled the heights of World Cup glory before and will be confident of defending their title with a squad littered with stars at his disposal.
France went into Euro 2020 as world champions but Deschamps and his tactics came in for huge criticism when they were stunned by Switzerland on penalties in the last 16. He managed to keep his job but you'd think it will be curtains if they don't reach at least the semi-finals in Qatar.
Who's the star man?
Kylian Mbappe - If there was any doubt then Mbappe has proven himself to the main man for France in recent months. His stunning first goal against South Africa in midweek shows the confidence running through his veins.
The PSG star also loves a major tournament and has chalked up four goals and three assists in 11 tournament appearances. It is also a boost for Mbappe to have Karim Benzema supporting him in attack, as he did at Euro 2020.
How did they qualify?
France were comfortable qualifiers in the end but they didn't have it all their own way. The finished top of their group unbeaten, with 18 points after five wins and three draws.
But Ukraine were only six points behind in second place and they claimed two impressive draws in their pair of games with the French. Deschamps' side also drew at home with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Chance of winning the trophy - 5/5
France will have PSG star Kylian Mbappe in their ranks as they look to defend their crown
Denmark
Who's the manager?
Kasper Hjulmand - It felt like the Danes' inspirational coach became the unofficial leader of the country last year when Christian Eriksen suffered his shocking cardiac arrest in their Euro 2020 clash with Finland.
Hjulmand led with such authority and strength during that horrific period and then had the ability to dust his team down and lead them to the semi-finals on a wave of emotion - where they lost to England by a controversial penalty.
Hjulmand's playing career ended when he was just 26 after nine knee operations but he was soon making a name for himself on the touchline and now he's wanted by a string of top clubs around Europe.
Who's the star man?
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg - It would have been easy to say Christian Eriksen, given the way he has recovered from that awful day last summer and is back playing and scoring in the Premier League and for his national team.
But, like at Tottenham, Hojbjerg is the understated star of the Danish team and does the dirty, gruelling work in midfield that allows the more creative players around him to flourish.
How did they qualify?
Denmark were run close by Scotland in Group F but always had Steve Clarke's side at arm's length and secured top spot with nine wins from 10, 30 goals scored and just three conceded.
Their qualifying campaign included an 8-0 demolition of Moldova in Herning while a 4-0 win away in Austria was the pick of their results. Scotland got the better of them at Hampden in November, but that was the only blip.
Chance of winning the trophy - 2/5
Should he be picked, Christian Eriksen's remarkable return will be a great World Cup story
Tunisia
Who's the manager?
Jalel Kadri - Tunisia currently have a temporary coach in charge of the national team, with Mondher Kebaier replaced after the Africa Cup of Nations a few months ago as he battled with Covid-19.
Kadri - who was Kebaier's assistant manager - is Tunisia's fourth coach since Nabil Maaloul was in charge at the 2018 World Cup, when they of course lost to England in the dying stages of their opening group game.
Who's the star man?
Ellyes Skhiri - The Cologne midfielder was named Tunisian Footballer of the Year in 2021 and has made 45 caps since making his debut in 2018, scoring three goals.
Also watch out for former Sunderland forward Wahbi Khazri - currently at Saint-Etienne - and Manchester United youngster Hannibal Mejbri, who has already made 12 caps at the age of 19.
How did they qualify?
Having finished top of Group B in the second round of African qualifying, two points clear of Equatorial Guinea, Tunisia faced Mali in a two-legged play-off in the past week for a place in Qatar.
Having won the first-leg in Mali 1-0 courtesy of an own-goal by Moussa Sissako, a goalless draw in Tunis was enough for unfancied Tunisia to qualify for a second-consecutive World Cup.
Chance of winning the trophy - 1/5
Tunisia secured their passage to a second-consecutive World Cup with a play-off win
