Two European heavyweights come face to face in Group E of the Qatar World Cup 2022 where both Spain and Germany will aim to go deep into the competition.
Led by the vastly experienced Sergio Busquets, Spain have an exciting young side and Germany too are in a transition phase under new head coach Hansi Flick, who has plenty of fine young players to work with. But both teams will need to make a strong start in a group which also contains World Cup veterans Japan and hard-to-beat Costa Rica.
The action opens on the 23rd November when Germany meet Japan and Spain face Costa Rica. But the tie of the group will be a rematch of the 2010 World Cup semi-final when a Carlos Puyol header beat Germany and sent La Roja to the final… which they won.
Germany took the World Crown in 2014 but neither reached the latter stages in 2018 when Spain went out in the Round of 16 to hosts Russia, while Germany finished bottom of their group.
Flick will try to erase the memory of that disaster as Germany go into a major finals without former boss Joachim Loew for the first time since 2004. They will find a tough opponent in Japan, who reached the knockout phase in 2018 for the third time in five finals, seeing off Poland and Senegal in the process.
Costa Rica make up the group, appearing in their seventh World Cup finals and they have dreams of emulating their best-ever performance, a quarter final appearance in 2014.
Spain
Luis Enrique’s Spain have been picked out as one of SBOTOP’s potential winners after they navigated their qualification group in style, seeing off the challenge of a tough Sweden side. The emergence of players such as highly rated defender Pau Torres and striker Ferran Torres has lifted Spain back to the top of the European pile, reaching the Nations League final before losing to France.
This is a creative, attacking team and promises to be one of the most entertaining, but it also has a steely quality which has emerged with determination following an unlucky semi-final exit to Italy at Euro 2020.
Player to watch: Gavi
At 17 years of age, Barcelona’s centre midfield starlet is a phenomenal prospect, widely viewed as one of the best young players in the world. With ten caps already Gavi is Spain’s youngest-ever capped player and has already been likened to his club boss Xavi.
Germany
After winning the 2014 World Cup, Germany were expected to kick on, but they did just the reverse, failing to make the knockout stages in 2018 and labouring at Euro 2020. But they have been back to their imperious best, qualifying with the joint-highest points total in Europe alongside Denmark with 27 points from ten games – nine wins and a solitary defeat.
Unbeaten in 13 games since their Euro 2020 loss to England, this is a nation on the up again. The pre-tournament World Cup 2022 betting odds suggest Germany will make the quarter-finals at least, and then they are in with a chance of going all the way.
Player to watch: Joshua Kimmich
In a team with talents such as Kai Havertz, Ilkay Gundogan and Serge Gnabry, the stand out performer is FC Bayern midfielder Kimmich. At 27 years of age, he is in his prime as the near-perfect box-to-box midfielder, able to break up play and pick a killer pass at any moment.
Japan
The Samurai Blue had a comfortable passage through to the finals, seeing off Australia to qualify automatically from the AFC region and they will be hopeful of reaching the Round of 16 again, and maybe going a step further for the first time.
Ranked 23rd in the world, this is an experienced football nation with stars including Liverpool’s Takumi Minamino and Sampdoria’s Maya Yoshida in their ranks. Coach Hajime Moriyasu has been with Japan since 2018 and has developed a well-balanced outfit, organised in defence and ambitious in attack.
Player to watch: Takumi Minamino
Expect some entertaining World Cup 2022 highlights to come from Liverpool’s versatile forward. Minamino’s opportunities at Anfield have been limited with Mo Salah, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota in the attacking group, but he’s done well when called upon and is a classy performer.
Costa Rica
A third-minute goal from Joel Campbell was enough to see Los Ticos through to the finals with a 1-0 win over New Zealand in the intercontinental playoff. And it was no more than head coach Luis Fernando Suarez deserved as he guided his team to fourth place in the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers, missing out on automatic qualification on goal difference alone, finishing level on points with the USA.
In 2022 Costa Rica have won seven, draw one and lost one, keeping seven clean sheets in the process, with PSG veteran keeper Keylor Navas between the sticks.
Player to watch: Joel Campbell
Former Arsenal striker Campbell was the man to fire Los Ticos to Qatar and he’s the most likely to score the goals for his team in Group E. He can play down the middle or out wide and, with 25 goals from 117 internationals, he is a vital outlet in a well-disciplined side.
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