Karpin’s favorites and the “Red Devils”: we present the teams of group F of the World Cup – 2022 in Qatar

In this issue we will talk about group F. In which the finalists and semi-finalists of the 2018 World Cup, the teams of Croatia and Belgium, were drawn by lot. Adding to them experimenting with the composition of the Moroccans and overly politicized Canadians. So most likely the Croats and Belgians will have no problems with reaching the playoffs.

All World Cup matches will be shown live by Match TV.

Croatia

The Croatian national team and Fedor Kudryashov became the “evil geniuses” of Karpin’s team in the last match of the World Cup 22 qualifying tournament. On November 14, 2021, in the 81st minute in Split, our defender cut the ball into Safonov’s goal, giving the Croats first place in the group. Who are going to Qatar, intending to surpass their achievement at the previous 2018 World Cup in Russia, when they reached the final. Where they lost to France 2:4.

Today, Croatia is ranked 12th in the FIFA rankings and looks like one of the strongest teams in the upcoming tournament. Leadership in their group of the League of Nations, where the Croats are ahead of France, Denmark and Austria, is the best confirmation of this.

The head coach of the “draughts”, as his team is called for the traditional colors of the form, Zlatko Dalicha has rich tournament experience – he is taking the team to the second world championship.

The leader of the team, without a doubt, is the 37-year-old Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric, who has already played 152 matches for the national team. His experience will be all the more valuable as injuries prevent several top players from traveling to Qatar, including striker Mario Mandzukic and midfielder Ivan Rakitic.

Joining Modric in midfield will be Inter Milan’s Marcelo Brozovic, 29, and Chelsea’s Mateo Kovacic, 28, who are at the top of their game. The attack will be led by 31-year-old Hoffenheim star Andrei Kramaric and 33-year-old Tottenham striker Ivan Perisic.

Along with these experienced players, Qatar Dalic is also lucky with “young talents” – defenders Josko Guardiola from Leipzig, Josip Stanisic from Bayern and Bornu Sosa from Stuttgart. They will be patronized by the defender of the St. Petersburg “Zenith” Dejan Lovren.

Hopes for success in Qatar are bolstered by a strong performance in the UEFA Nations League. Croatia finished first in their group ahead of reigning world champions France, Denmark and Austria.

“The Nations League has given us great hopes, we played the best matches and are full of optimism. I believe in my players, both young and more experienced. They are capable of a lot,” says Zlatko Dalic.

Croatia at the World Cups

Croatia, as an independent team, has competed in five World Cups since 1998 in France, missing only a trip to South Africa in 2010. Croats reached the 2018 final in Russia, where they lost 2-4 to France in Moscow. In 1998 they reached the semi-finals and finished third after beating the Netherlands 2-1.

How did you qualify

Croatia lost their first qualifying game away to Slovenia in March 2021, but went on to win seven and draw two matches, conceding just four goals in total. They took first place and automatically got to Qatar, beating Russia 1-0 in the last group match in November 2021.

After qualifying for the World Cup, Croatia continued their strong performance by topping their Nations League group, which beat Denmark, France and Austria, winning four of their six matches.

Belgium

The main rival of the Croats in the group, of course, will be the Belgian team, which occupies the second place in the FIFA rankings. Which also has everything you need to win the World Cup. According to the Belgian media, the “golden generation” of the “red devils” is coming to Qatar, for which this World Cup is the last chance for football immortality. Many of the Belgian players are in their 30s and only a few will play in the next tournament in 2026. Therefore, now or never, the Belgians need to turn their four-year-old bronze medal into the coveted gold.

Belgium has a stable squad and a strong technical side under Spanish coach Roberto Martínez, whose contract ends after this World Cup. Among his assistants is the 1998 champion Thierry Henry.

Experts single out a strong Belgian attack, which is characterized by creativity, speed and cunning. She is represented by Inter’s Romelu Lukaku (if he can overcome his recent injury problems), Fenerbahce’s Misha Batshuayi and new international Lance striker Loi Openda, 22. And, of course, Eden Hazard from Real Madrid.

Midfielders Axel Witsel, well known to Russian fans, Kevin De Bruyne, Juri Tielemans, have vast experience. With whom the young talent from Everton, Amadou Onana, will play together.

Defensively, there are problems exposed after a 1-4 loss to the Netherlands in June: Although experienced defenders Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen have a total of 254 caps. The position at the gate of Thibault Courtois, one of the best goalkeepers in the world, is beyond doubt.

In other words, Roberto Martinez has all the ingredients for success. But can he achieve something meaningful with their help? Will he be able to make the most of the talent of Eden Hazard, who has barely played this season? Injuries and lack of form have left Hazard out of the Real Madrid first team, which in turn has raised questions about the 31-year-old’s place in the national team and whether he will be at his peak in Qatar. Martinez believes in his “Joker”.

“Hazard is short on playing time but is in good spirits and looking forward to getting on the pitch. I see energy and happiness in his eyes that I didn’t see six months ago,” Martinez told reporters.

By the way, Lukaku is also in trouble, suffering from a hamstring injury which, combined with a hip problem earlier this season, has seen him only appear twice since August and is currently out of action for his club. . But Martinez has previously stated that if Lukaku can play at least one of the group stage matches, then he will take him to the tournament without hesitation.

Belgium at the World Cups

Belgium have played in eight of the last 10 World Cups, having missed the 2006 and 2010 tournaments. It was also one of four European countries at the very first tournament in Uruguay in 1930. The best result is a bronze medal in 2018. Another semi-final entry was in Mexico in 1986, when they lost to Argentina, led by the great Maradona, and finished in fourth place.

How did you qualify

The Belgians did not lose a single match during qualifying, winning six of them. And without any problems they headed the group, which also included Wales, the Czech Republic, Estonia and Belarus. Scored 25 goals, more than three per game.

At the same time, two defeats from the Netherlands, including a 1-4 defeat in Brussels, spoiled the participation of the Belgians in the League of Nations. The national team concedes in almost every match, even won, and this can become an Achilles’ heel in Qatar.

Morocco

Morocco’s preparations for the World Cup were overshadowed by disagreements between the head coach, Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic, and the president of the Moroccan Football Association over the choice of players called up to the team. Last year, Halilhodzic expelled Chelsea striker Hakim Ziyech and Bayern Munich defender Nussair Mazraoui for disciplinary reasons and long resisted federation chief Fuzi Lekjaa’s demands to return them to the team. As a result, on August 11, 2022, the contract with Halilhodzic was terminated.

Former national team player Walid Regragi has become the new head coach. Which immediately returned Ziyech and Mazraoui, and in September they already played in friendly matches against Chile and Paraguay. In addition to them, Regragui also called West Ham defender Nayef Agerd, who missed the first three months of the season due to injury, and Sevilla striker Youssef En-Nesiri, who also had problems this season, to Qatar.

Another surprise from the new head coach were the invitations of Belgian-born midfielder Bilal El-Hannoss from Genk and Serie B striker Bari Walid Cheddir, born in Italy but played for the Moroccan national team.

Regrari will be able to test his experimental squad on November 17 in a friendly match against Georgia. The game will take place in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.

Morocco at the World Cups

Morocco has participated in five World Cups. The best result was in 1986 when they became the first African country to reach the play-offs, where they lost to West Germany. Since then, Morocco has always been eliminated in the group stage.

How did you qualify

Morocco made it through the African qualifiers comfortably, posting excellent results in six group games with Guinea-Bissau, Guinea and Sudan. In the playoffs, Morocco beat DR Congo 5–2 on aggregate to qualify for their sixth World Cup.

After qualifying, Morocco lost 3-0 in a friendly to the United States in June, but then started their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with two wins against South Africa and Liberia. In September, the Chile national team was beaten, and then a 0-0 draw with Paraguay in Spain.

Canada

Canadians seem to have the most modest tasks at this World Cup among the rest of the teams in their group. They just need to score at least one point, and this will already be a historic achievement. Since before that, Canadians only once played at the World Cup in 1986 in Mexico and lost all their matches “dry” in the group stage.

Canada’s second participation in the World Cup itself should be seen as a success, signifying that men’s football in this country may one day be able to compete with hockey.

Head coach John Herdman said the World Cup in Qatar is an opportunity to lay the groundwork for the 2026 World Cup, which Canada will host alongside the United States and Mexico.

“We were just happy to be in any of the groups, because this World Cup is designed to go and just enjoy football, to please the fans of our country. For many of our players, this will be their first experience. But I will not limit them in my dreams. We go to Qatar as outsiders, we go there without fear,” Herdman said in an interview with Canadian sports channel TSN after the World Cup draw.

However, not everything is so smooth in the Canadian team. Her preparations for the tournament were hampered by a labor dispute in which the players boycotted a friendly match against Panama in June, among other things, over disagreements over prize money for the World Cup.

There are also problems with the composition. Los Angeles goaltender Maxim Krepo will miss the competition due to a broken leg. Did not get to Qatar and defender Scott Kennedy because of a problem with his shoulder. Veteran defender Doneil Henry also dropped off the list at the last minute after he was injured in the warm-up for a friendly against Bahrain. Bayern striker Alphonso Davis has not fully healed the injury, but he will go to Qatar. The 22-year-old has missed the last two games of Bayern, but the national team’s medical staff believes that he will be able to recover before the World Cup.

Canada at the World Championships

Canada only participated in one World Cup in 1986 without qualifying for other tournaments.

This time, the Canadians won all the qualifying matches, and in the final round they immediately took the lead in the group, and already 3 rounds before the end of the qualifying, they secured at least participation in the play-offs, but in fact they had already reached the World Cup.

After qualifying, the internationals boycotted the friendly against Panama in June in Vancouver over, among other things, disagreements over World Cup prize money. Canadians refused to play another friendly match against Iran for political reasons.