MANAGER: Roberto Martinez
Always linked with a return to Premier League management, the Spaniard is still in charge of the Red Devils and is preparing for his third major tournament in charge later this year.
Martinez led Belgium to the semifinals of the 2018 World Cup but a mixed display at Euro 2020 saw them knocked out by the eventual champions Italy.
This looks likely to be Martinez’s final chance to win something with the country’s ‘Golden Generation’.
One of the strongest sides in international football, the Red Devils topped the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking for over three years (from October 2018 to the end of 2021) before being replaced by Brazil at the start of this year.
With several of his main men missing from those matches, coach Roberto Martinez at least had the chance to bring some new faces and fringe players into the side and see what they could do.
FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Thibaut Courtois | Position: Goalkeeper | Age: 30
• The Belgium keeper is at the peak of his powers.
• Courtois was in outstanding form for Los Merengues last season and has seen off all other contenders for the Belgium No. 1 jersey.
• The winner of the adidas Golden Glove at Russia 2018, he is now his country’s most capped keeper of all time, having racked up 108 appearances, and is one of the first names on the Red Devils teamsheet.
Jan Vertonghen | Position: Centreback | Age: 35
• Fifteen years a Belgium international, Vertonghen has a national-record 139 caps to his name.
• He is the cornerstone of the Red Devils rearguard and as committed and motivated as ever. The Belgium vice-captain believes he is back to his best physically and mentally.
• Coach Martinez will need Vertonghen’s experience at Qatar 2022 and quite possibly beyond.
Axel Witsel | Position: Midfielder | Age: 33
• The indefatigable midfielder will be a central part of Diego Simeone’s plans.
• A key performer at every club he has played for, Witsel is another of the Red Devils’ mainstays.
• Valued by Martinez for his versatility, his understanding with Youri Tielemans, and his technique and ball-winning skills, the metronomic Witsel is his country’s second most capped player of all time, with 124 appearances under his belt.
Kevin De Bruyne | Position: Midfielder | Age: 31
• De Bruyne is one of Belgium’s most experienced players and utterly indispensable with it. Along with Hazard, he is also one of the team’s true crowd-pleasers.
• De Bruyne has not finished yet either, as he told the newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws: “I’ll keep playing for the Red Devils until at least EURO 2024.” That is music to the Belgian ears, as the nation continues its quest for World Cup glory.
Romelu Lukaku | Position: Striker | Age: 29
• The powerful front man is a firm favourite with Red Devils supporters.
• The country’s leading all-time scorer with 68 goals in 102 appearances, he is only the sixth Belgium player to have collected a century of caps, after Vertonghen, Witsel, Toby Alderweireld, Hazard and Dries Mertens.
• Should Lukaku, Hazard and De Bruyne fire in Qatar, the Belgian attack will be a force to be reckoned with.
MANAGER: John Herdman
The Englishman took over the men’s side in 2018 having previously coached the highly-rated Canada women’s team for seven years.
Yet with a star-studded generation of players to call upon, the 46-year-old from County Durham had led Canada to their first World Cup in 36 years.
Belgium and Croatia, third and second respectively at Russia 2018, and Morocco await in a group Canada are not expected to escape alive. But who could have foreseen Herdman’s men finishing above regional behemoths Mexico and USA in Concacaf qualifying’s Octagonal?
FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Stephen Eustaquio | Position: Defensive Midfielder | Age: 25
• Eustaquio and his family moved to Nazare, Portugal when Stephen was seven.
• The youngster spent hours studying footballers, writing himself target notes to improve his game, and went on to represent the Portugal U-21s.
• Eustaquio committed himself to the Canucks in 2019, much to the delight of Herdman.
• He possesses fine ball control and passing, runs relentlessly and gets stuck in. The man Herdman also lauded as a “complete midfield general”.
Tajon Buchanan | Position: Right Winger | Age: 23
• Buchanan made his international debut as a teenager.
• He grew from boy into man during a stint playing rightback for New England Revolution, whose coach Bruce Arena is a huge fan.
• He’s developed very well physically and defensively. He’s a great one-on-one player, draws a lot of fouls.
Alphonso Davies | Position: Left Attacking Midfielder | Age: 21
• A human thunderbolt who’s wowed spectators and smashed records for Canada and Bayern Munich.
• He could thrive for the Canucks in Qatar. Supersonic, rock-shouldered and electrifying, he has been championed as one of the best players in the world by the likes of Hansi Flick, Herdman, Rio Ferdinand, David Alaba, Marcelo, Andy Robertson, Arjen Robben, Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller, who described him as “a phenomenon” and “one of the hardest players to stop I have ever seen”.
Qatari-field opponents have been warned. Football fans should also beware: don’t blink when ‘Road Runner’ is on duty.
Jonathan David | Position: Forward | Age: 22
• David’s credentials certainly give weight to that wish.
• He was magnificent as Lille registered one of the most stunning league-title triumphs in modern history in 2020/21, has hit 21 goals in 32 Canada caps and, in limited time, has collaborated like clockwork with Davies.
• His acceleration, speed and movement make him difficult to mark, he employs craft to set up goals and as for scoring them and he’s known as ‘The Iceman’. Enough said.
Cyle Larin | Position: Forward | Age: 27
• How did an aspiring goalkeeper, who played his first game up front in basketball shoes, end up as his country’s all-time leading marksman? It’s still a puzzle to its subject. Larin is now a puzzle Belgium, Croatia and Morocco must solve.
• The Brampton, Ontario native scored 23 times in 45 games to propel Besiktas to the Turkish double in 2020/21, and hit 14 goals in 13 appearances for Canada during an exceptional 2021.
• Now at Club Brugge, Larin going up against the likes of teammates Dedryck Boyata and Brandon Mechele, and Antwerp’s Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen, would be intriguing.
MANAGER: Vahid Halilhodzic
The Bosnian, who has had a rollercoaster managerial career, took over in 2019. He was the replacement for Herve Renard, who quit after Morocco were eliminated in the last-16 of the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
Halilhodzic has pedigree on the international stage, taking Algeria to the last-16 of the 2014 World Cup and helping Ivory Coast qualify for the 2010 World Cup and Japan for the 2018 edition – but on both occasions he was axed before the tournament.
A controversial figure, Halilhodzic forced Chelsea star – and his best player – Hakim Ziyech into international retirement following a long-term falling out. The 28-year-old was left out of the Africa Cup of Nations squad, and hasn’t featured for the Atlas Lions since June last year.
The Chelsea forward has been in a war of words with Halilhodzic since last year, when he accused Ziyech of faking injuries to avoid national duty.
While the Morocco fans are well aware of the challenge that lies ahead at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, where they will face Croatia, Belgium and Canada in Group F, they will be hoping that the talent and experience of their standout performers is enough to guide them through the group stage.
FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Yassine Bounou | Position: Goalkeeper | Age: 31
• The Montreal-born goalie earned his first cap in 2013, when Rachid Taoussi was at the helm, after opting to represent the country of his ancestry despite the overtures of the decision-makers at the Canadian Soccer Association.
• Since his first taste of World Cup action in 2018, he has established himself as a mainstay between the sticks.
• He will be expected to lead from the back in the quest to stifle the considerable attacking talents of Morocco’s illustrious first-phase opponents.
• Bounou heads into the World Cup as the Atlas Lions’ undisputed first-choice goalkeeper, he has chalked up 43 caps across all competitions. He has conceded just 22 goals for the national team and has registered 26 clean sheets.
Romain Saiss | Position: Centreback | Age: 32
• The ball-playing centreback remains an instrumental figure for Morocco on account of his assured on-field displays and considerable presence within the dressing room.
• His biggest strengths are his anticipation and efficiency in individual duels. He is a formidable force in the air and provides his left-back with excellent cover.
• Saiss has featured 63 times for the national team since earning his first cap back in 2012.
• He has made the starting line-up 60 times and played his part in 35 shut-outs, a record that should fill the Morocco faithful with optimism.
• Saiss brings great leadership and a gritty determination to the table, qualities that make him a key asset for the Africans.
Achraf Hakimi | Position: Right Wingback | Age: 23
• The Paris Saint-Germain player possesses impressive international pedigree that belies his youth.
• A product of the Real Madrid academy, the marauding defender brought up his half-century of caps in June in the CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against South Africa , with his 51st run-out coming just days later against Liberia.
• The Madrid-born starlet is currently the second-youngest player to have represented Morocco, behind Hachim Mastour, who has not featured for the national team since winning his maiden cap back in 2015.
• His statistics, be they related to finishing or providing his teammates with clear goalscoring opportunities inside the box, speak volumes. The Moroccan fans are right to expect big things from the jet-heeled defender when the action gets under way in Qatar.
Sofyan Amrabat | Position: Midfielder | Age: 26
• The Fiorentina pass master’s rise to prominence was halted by a series of injuries that left him sidelined for several months. However, since late 2019, Amrabat has racked up plenty of game time for the national team and is now considered to be a key cog in the team.
• His ability to break up opposition attacks, shut off passing lines and close down space make him a valuable player within the national-team ranks.
• He also brings something different to the side thanks to his ability to play through-balls and his fierce shots from range. The former Verona midfielder, who has amassed 36 caps, is poised to play an instrumental role in Regragui’s system.
Sofiane Boufal | Position: Left Winger | Age: 29
• Boufal has established himself as a mainstay within the national team.
• The Angers player has recently cemented his status as a key figure for Morocco, as evidenced by his three-goal haul at the 2022 CAF Africa Cup of Nations, despite the team bowing out at the quarterfinal stage at the hands of Egypt.
• Boufal is a fine dribbler with an eye for goal, while he is also equally at home operating in a centre forward role. He is a real team player and is always willing to put in a shift in for his teammates.
MANAGER: Zlatko Dalic
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Dalic has been in charge of Croatia at two major tournaments and took them to the World Cup final in 2018 and the last-16 of Euro 2020 before they were beaten by Spain in an eight-goal thriller in Copenhagen.
Dalic has settled on a system that gets the best out of his key players and everyone seems to buy into his plan. In December, he signed a new contract to keep him tied to Croatia until 2024 so this will not be his final tournament in charge.
There is no better word than “resilient” to describe Croatia, in terms of their ability to embrace challenges, withstand adversity and rebound from setbacks.
Having endured watching their heroes weather every storm all the way to the finale against France, the Croatia fans weren’t rewarded with a happy ending, but will be hoping that Qatar 2022 serves up similar thrills to that unforgettable ride in Russia.
FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Luka Modric | Position: Central Midfielder | Age: 37
• If “resilient” describes Croatia to perfection, the word that best encapsulates their captain’s contributions to football is perhaps “infinite”.
• He is the complete package, a multi-talented midfielder with exquisite ball control, adept at winning possession and also a phenomenal distributor and finisher.
• Modric’s modest and magnanimous outlook off the pitch, matched by his awareness and influence on it, have turned him into one of the most legendary midfielders of modern times.
• Age doesn’t seem to be catching up with the Croatian talisman, whose immense leadership and talent will once more provide the catalyst for Croatia to go all the way in Qatar.
Ivan Perisic | Position: Winger/Wingback | Age: 33
• This list of Croatian heavyweights wouldn’t be complete without Ivan Perisic.
• Croatia supremo Dalic will depend heavily on the attacking merits of Perisic, who is likely to be one of the first names on the team sheet.
• He is also another leader who can lift the team right from the early stages.
• This lifelong devotion to Croatia’s colours and hunger to perform on the biggest stage are another two reasons why Perisic will be one to watch in Qatar.
Marcelo Brozovic | Position: Central Midfielder | Age: 29
• Brozovic is at this prime stage of his career, the versatile playmaker can fully exploit his armoury of skills and wealth of experience. For this reason, he will undoubtedly be one of the pillars of Dalic’s side.
• An intelligent player, he is capable of providing balance to teams both in defence and attack.
• The Zagreb-born midfielder’s former manager at Inter, Antonio Conte, was instrumental in developing his game and today Brozovic is reaping the rewards.
Mateo Kovacic | Position: Central Midfielder | Age: 28
• The trio of Brozovic, Modric and Kovacic will be one of the most formidable midfield units on show at Qatar 2022.
• Kovacic is an uncompromising tackler with the technique to transform loose balls into chances.
• His recent overseas experiences will make him an even more menacing presence this time around.
Mario Pasalic | Position: Attacking Midfielder | Age: 27
• From his preferred position as an advanced playmaker or wide central midfielder, rather than as an out-and-out striker, Mario Pasalic still gets his fair share of goals and many of them are crucial.
• He will enhance Croatia’s competitive edge in midfield with his ability to ghost into spaces left by opposition defences.
• In the red-and-white Croatia shirt he will be given the freedom to try and increase his haul of seven international goals.
