Portugal
2017 Draft World Cup: Quarter final
2018 Draft World Cup: Quarter final
2019 Draft World Cup: Second round
2019 Nations Cup: Did not qualify (Division A)
2020 European Championship: Final
2018 Draft World Cup: Quarter final
2019 Draft World Cup: Second round
2019 Nations Cup: Did not qualify (Division A)
2020 European Championship: Final
Portugal's nearly moment came in the first DWC, where they were the outstanding team. They won every match (except a draw with Italy) but suddenly collapsed to a 2-0 defeat to Peru. Since then they have been competitive but not among the very top teams. But they showed a glimpse of their potential as they beat England en route to the final of the recent European Championship, where they lost out to neighbours Spain.
GK: Casillas, Marchesín, Vlachodimos
DF: Almeida, Coates, Dias, Esgaio, Grimaldo, Mathieu, Pepe, Telles
MD: Corona, Gabriel, Otávio, Pereira, Pizzi, Rafa, Taarabt, Uribe, Weigl
FW: Marega, Sousa, Vietto
Key: Benfica, Braga, Porto, Sporting CP
DF: Almeida, Coates, Dias, Esgaio, Grimaldo, Mathieu, Pepe, Telles
MD: Corona, Gabriel, Otávio, Pereira, Pizzi, Rafa, Taarabt, Uribe, Weigl
FW: Marega, Sousa, Vietto
Key: Benfica, Braga, Porto, Sporting CP
Switzerland
World ranking: 12th
Manager: Sara Lorenzi Odds to win tournament: 75/1 Captain: Fabian Lustenberger Star player: Miralem Sulejmani - I have fond memories of the Serb wide forward after he was a key signing for my FM12 AS Roma team. With FM20 seeming to highly value set pieces, Sulejmani's quality free kick and corner-taking could make a real difference. |
2017 Draft World Cup: Second round
2018 Draft World Cup: Play-offs
2019 Draft World Cup: Play-offs
2019 Nations Cup: Relegated (Division A)
2020 European Championship: Group stage
2018 Draft World Cup: Play-offs
2019 Draft World Cup: Play-offs
2019 Nations Cup: Relegated (Division A)
2020 European Championship: Group stage
Switzerland are very firmly part of the group of terms hovering behind the big boys, which is why it's a surprise they are at their first DWC since the inaugural one in 2017. There they beat France to top their group, but - like Portugal - came unstuck against Peru. It's fair to say Switzerland are a team that has been lying dormant.
GK: Muller, Omlin, Von Ballmoos
DF: Alderete, Bergstrom, Garcia, Lotomba, Petretta, Sorensen, Widmer
MD: Aebischer, Fassnacht, Frei, Lustenberger, Ngamaleu, Sierro, Stocker, Sulejmani, Xhaka, Zuffi
FW: Cabral, Nsamé, Hoarau
Key: Basel, Luzern, Young Boys
DF: Alderete, Bergstrom, Garcia, Lotomba, Petretta, Sorensen, Widmer
MD: Aebischer, Fassnacht, Frei, Lustenberger, Ngamaleu, Sierro, Stocker, Sulejmani, Xhaka, Zuffi
FW: Cabral, Nsamé, Hoarau
Key: Basel, Luzern, Young Boys
South Korea
2017 Draft World Cup: Play-offs
2018 Draft World Cup: Did not qualify
2019 Draft World Cup: Group stage
2019 Nations Cup: Did not qualify (Division B)
2020 Asian Championship: Second round
2018 Draft World Cup: Did not qualify
2019 Draft World Cup: Group stage
2019 Nations Cup: Did not qualify (Division B)
2020 Asian Championship: Second round
Last year South Korea made the DWC for the first time. However, they had a bad tournament as their only point came against Zambia. This set off a bit of a rut, but they performed strongly in the Asian Championship qualifying, and won all their group stage games, only to go out on penalties against Qatar.
1st in Intercontinental Play-off
Qualifying was not simple. Despite some big wins - including a 10-1 thrashing of East Timor - South Korea finished behind Azerbaijan in their group. They came through as a lucky loser, and again finished in purgatory in the next round as they landed a play-off spot. They saw off Iran well to make the Intercontinental Play-off, and there they took off, winning the group at ease. |
GK: Beon-Keun, Bo-Sang, Hyun-Woo
DF: Chul, Chul-Soon, Henry, Jeong-Ho, Jin-Su, Min-Hyuk, Yong
MD: Bit-Garam, Bo-Kyung, Cesinha, Hyuk, Ki-Hoon, Min-Woo, Negueba, Osmar, Seung-Gi, Sung-Yeung
FW: Pesic, Seung-Dae, Taggart
Key: Daegu, Gyeongnam, Jeju United, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Seoul, Suwon Samsung Bluewings, Ulsan Hyundai, unattached
DF: Chul, Chul-Soon, Henry, Jeong-Ho, Jin-Su, Min-Hyuk, Yong
MD: Bit-Garam, Bo-Kyung, Cesinha, Hyuk, Ki-Hoon, Min-Woo, Negueba, Osmar, Seung-Gi, Sung-Yeung
FW: Pesic, Seung-Dae, Taggart
Key: Daegu, Gyeongnam, Jeju United, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Seoul, Suwon Samsung Bluewings, Ulsan Hyundai, unattached
Bolivia
World ranking: 36th
Manager: Luis Mesa Odds to win tournament: 500/1 Captain: Carlos Lampe Star player: Jorge Pereyra Díaz - across four years the Argentine (allegedly) scored 820 goals in 490 years in the Malaysian Super League. It's hard to see him replicating that ludicrous form in this tournament, but his goals were crucial in Bolivia's qualifying campaign. |
2017 Draft World Cup: Did not enter
2018 Draft World Cup: Did not qualify
2019 Draft World Cup: Did not qualify
2019 Nations Cup: Relegated (Division B)
2020 South America Championship: Quarter final
2018 Draft World Cup: Did not qualify
2019 Draft World Cup: Did not qualify
2019 Nations Cup: Relegated (Division B)
2020 South America Championship: Quarter final
Until this year, Bolivia had done nothing special in DWC qualifying, with their one notable result being a 1-0 victory over Argentina. However, they backed up their DWC qualification this year by finishing 2nd in their South American Championship group. They were given a tough draw however, and were knocked out by Colombia.
3rd in Intercontinental Play-off
Bolivia once again managed to defeat Argentina, part of a generally strong start. They backed it up with a run of wins in the middle, but they tailed off and slipped into the play-off spot. In the Intercontinental Play-off they looked dead-and-buried halfway in, but a run of 5 unbeaten games saw them steal ahead of group favourites Poland. |
GK: Lampe, Rojas, Viscarra
DF: Bejarano, Figueroa, Flores, Godoy, Juninho, Jusino, Ortíz, Torsiglieri
MD: Arano, Arce, Castro, Chávez, Meleán, Orfano, Rafael Silva, Sagredo, F Saucedo
FW: Arias, Pereyra Díaz, C Saucedo
Key: Always Ready, Blooming, CD Guabirá, Club Bolívar, Jorge Wilstermann, Nacional Potosí Royal Pari, San José, The Strongest
DF: Bejarano, Figueroa, Flores, Godoy, Juninho, Jusino, Ortíz, Torsiglieri
MD: Arano, Arce, Castro, Chávez, Meleán, Orfano, Rafael Silva, Sagredo, F Saucedo
FW: Arias, Pereyra Díaz, C Saucedo
Key: Always Ready, Blooming, CD Guabirá, Club Bolívar, Jorge Wilstermann, Nacional Potosí Royal Pari, San José, The Strongest
Portugal's excellent 2019/20 season should continue, as they have been given a relatively nice draw. Switzerland were probably bigger favourites to join them before their bad performance at the European Championship, and South Korea's run in the Intercontinental Play-off means they should be confident of challenging for qualification. The two meet in the final round of games and it could be a good one.