Netherlands
World ranking: 7th
Manager: Lotte Postma Odds to win tournament: 25/1 Captain: Dusan Tadic Star player: Hakim Ziyech - set to move to Chelsea this summer, there's no doubt that a lot is expected of Ziyech in his final season playing for Netherlands. His technique, creativity and passing means he is well at home representing the nation that invented Total Football. |
2017 Draft World Cup: Second round
2018 Draft World Cup: Quarter final
2019 Draft World Cup: Second round
2019 Nations Cup: Quarter final
2020 European Championship: Play-off
2018 Draft World Cup: Quarter final
2019 Draft World Cup: Second round
2019 Nations Cup: Quarter final
2020 European Championship: Play-off
Qualification has not been a problem for Netherlands, and they have won 8 from 9 group games in the finals. But they only have the one win in the knockout rounds. Last year they lost on penalties to Wales, and despite winning their group in the Nations League they were the highest-profile team to fail to make the European Championships, losing out in their group and getting beat by Ukraine in the play-offs.
1st in Europe Group H
Croatia were the obvious threat in Netherlands' qualification group. Despite beating Croatia in the opening match, a heavy defeat in the return fixture spelled trouble, and going into the final round of games Netherlands trailed on goal difference. They beat Finland in their final game, and somehow Croatia couldn't convert any of their 33 shots and drew 0-0 with Kosovo, handing qualification to Netherlands. |
GK: Onana, Padt, Zoet
DF: Álvarez, Araujo, Blind, Dumfries, Mazraoui, Rodríguez, Tagliafico, Veltman
MD: Berghuis, Hendrix, Marin, Midtso, Neres, Promes, Toornstra, van de Beek, Ziyech
FW: Huntelaar, Jorgensen, Tadic
Key: Ajax, AZ Alkmaar, Emmen, Feyenoord, Groningen, PSV Eindhoven
DF: Álvarez, Araujo, Blind, Dumfries, Mazraoui, Rodríguez, Tagliafico, Veltman
MD: Berghuis, Hendrix, Marin, Midtso, Neres, Promes, Toornstra, van de Beek, Ziyech
FW: Huntelaar, Jorgensen, Tadic
Key: Ajax, AZ Alkmaar, Emmen, Feyenoord, Groningen, PSV Eindhoven
USA
World ranking: 11th
Manager: Tom Salazar Odds to win tournament: 50/1 Captain: Winston Reid Star player: Carlos Vela - little doubt about this, as Vela won the MVP and Golden Boot in last year's MLS season. He broke the record for most goals in an MLS season, even though his side ultimately fell short in the crapshoot of the play-offs. |
2017 Draft World Cup: Second round
2018 Draft World Cup: Quarter final
2019 Draft World Cup: Did not qualify
2019 Nations Cup: Did not qualify (Division A)
2020 North American Championship: Winners
2018 Draft World Cup: Quarter final
2019 Draft World Cup: Did not qualify
2019 Nations Cup: Did not qualify (Division A)
2020 North American Championship: Winners
Things looked rosy for USA after two appearances in the knockout rounds, including a quarter final in 2018. But last year they inexplicably finished behind Canada and Guadeloupe to get knocked out early in qualifying. They are getting back on their feet this year, and lifting the trophy in the North American Championship has restored confidence.
GK: Blake, Gallese, Vermeer
DF: Andrade, Figal, Insúa, Jones, Moreira, Reid, Zusi
MD: dos Santos, Júnior Urso, Kreilach, Lodeiro, G Martínez, Nani, Pavón, Pizarro, Thiago Santos, Valeri
FW: J Martínez, Ruidíaz, Vela
Key: Atlanta United, Dallas, Inter Miami, LA Galaxy, Los Angeles, Orlando City, Philadelphia Union, Portland Timbers, Real Salt Lake, Seattle Sounders, Sporting Kansas City
DF: Andrade, Figal, Insúa, Jones, Moreira, Reid, Zusi
MD: dos Santos, Júnior Urso, Kreilach, Lodeiro, G Martínez, Nani, Pavón, Pizarro, Thiago Santos, Valeri
FW: J Martínez, Ruidíaz, Vela
Key: Atlanta United, Dallas, Inter Miami, LA Galaxy, Los Angeles, Orlando City, Philadelphia Union, Portland Timbers, Real Salt Lake, Seattle Sounders, Sporting Kansas City
Saudi Arabia
World ranking: 24th
Manager: Fawaz Al-Amri Odds to win tournament: 125/1 Captain: Karim El Ahmadi Star player: Sebastian Giovinco - the key man as Saudi Arabia won the Asian Championship earlier this season, Giovinco was phenomenal running at defences. There's a lot of quality in the front pairing between him and Bafétimbi Gomis, who complement each other very well. |
2017 Draft World Cup: Did not enter
2018 Draft World Cup: Group stage
2019 Draft World Cup: Group stage
2019 Nations Cup: Did not qualify (Division B)
2020 Asian Championship: Winners
2018 Draft World Cup: Group stage
2019 Draft World Cup: Group stage
2019 Nations Cup: Did not qualify (Division B)
2020 Asian Championship: Winners
Saudi Arabia hold two records. One is the biggest victory in qualifying - a 19-2 trouncing of lowest-ranked side Northern Mariana Islands. The other is the biggest defeat in the finals, a 7-0 battering from France the same year. It was part of a bad 2018 finals where they also lost 5-0 to Argentina. Last year they again suffered a bad loss, this time 4-1 to Algeria. They did get their first win, over Croatia, but lost out on goal difference. They showed their potential by winning this year's Asian Championship, beating favourites China in the final.
GK: Cássio, Grohe, Jones
DF: Aguirregaray, Goodwin, Lima, Machado, Maicon, Pinto, Uvini
MD: Amrabat, Carrillo, Cuéllar, El Ahmadi, Giuliano, Marin, N'Diaye, Petros, Souza
FW: Djaniny, Giovinco, Gomis, Musa
Key: Al-Alhi, Al-Fateh, Al Hilal, Al Ittihad, Al-Nassr, Al-Shabab, Al-Taawoun, Al-Wehda
DF: Aguirregaray, Goodwin, Lima, Machado, Maicon, Pinto, Uvini
MD: Amrabat, Carrillo, Cuéllar, El Ahmadi, Giuliano, Marin, N'Diaye, Petros, Souza
FW: Djaniny, Giovinco, Gomis, Musa
Key: Al-Alhi, Al-Fateh, Al Hilal, Al Ittihad, Al-Nassr, Al-Shabab, Al-Taawoun, Al-Wehda
Egypt
World ranking: 57th
Manager: Mohamed El Shahat Odds to win tournament: 600/1 Captain: Saad Samir Star player: Ramadan Sobhi - after a slightly frustrating spell in English football, Sobhi is on loan at Al-Alhi from Huddersfield Town. Capable of playing anywhere behind the front line, Sobhi is a dangerous attacking midfielder who will need to be at his best to help his team in a difficult group. |
2017 Draft World Cup: Did not enter
2018 Draft World Cup: Did not qualify
2019 Draft World Cup: Group stage
2019 Nations Cup: Did not qualify (Division B)
2020 African 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 African Championship: Second round
Egypt were stunned by Mali in the first year they entered, and were knocked out of the final round of African qualifying. They made it through last year, but struggled in a difficult group, although they did take a point off Turkey. In this year's African Championship Egypt were knocked out on penalties by Cameroon.
1st in Africa Group E
Egypt were very lucky to get through the knockout round of qualifying, only getting past Ethiopia on the away goals rule. In the final group Egypt held off Ghana to look assured of qualification. They needed to avoid a 4-goal defeat in their final game... and just managed it, losing 3-0 to progress on goals scored. |
GK: El Hadary, A El Shennawy, M El Shennawy
DF: Abdel Shafy, Ayman, Fathy, Gaber, Gabr, Kanon, Maaloul, Samir
MD: Ashour, Gomaa, Layouni, Magdy, Mostafa, Salah, Sassi, Sobhi, Zizo
FW: Badji, Bencharki, Mohsen
Key: Al Ahly, Arab Contractors, Nogoom, Pyramids, Zamalek
DF: Abdel Shafy, Ayman, Fathy, Gaber, Gabr, Kanon, Maaloul, Samir
MD: Ashour, Gomaa, Layouni, Magdy, Mostafa, Salah, Sassi, Sobhi, Zizo
FW: Badji, Bencharki, Mohsen
Key: Al Ahly, Arab Contractors, Nogoom, Pyramids, Zamalek
Netherlands are ever-presents in the knockout stages of the DWC, but their disastrous failure to qualify for the European Championships raises big questions of them going into this tournament. Things are made tougher by having two continental champions in the group. Both USA and Saudi Arabia were very strong in winning those tournaments, and will be fancying their chances of making an impression on this tournament.
So with the previews done and dusted, there's nothing left but to start the tournament! We're going to cover the first round of games in Groups A & B. Will Germany get the defence of their crown off to a good start as they take on Turkey in the curtain-raiser?
So with the previews done and dusted, there's nothing left but to start the tournament! We're going to cover the first round of games in Groups A & B. Will Germany get the defence of their crown off to a good start as they take on Turkey in the curtain-raiser?